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American Phrase Book

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Re: American Phrase Book

#81

Post by PaulRobinson »

masonic wrote: post #48
benj111 wrote: post #40

As a Brit some of these seem fairly universal, "no offense" for example. Although my Grandparents don't say it before announcing something outrageously offensive, I just put that down to mental filters breaking down due to old age. There also needs to be a section on Americans aversion to discussing bodily functions. "restroom", "powder my nose"?

"restroom" Is "loo" any less ambiguous? Speaking of Brits, they did point out the perils of faulty phrase books many years ago: https://youtu.be/bNP7uQQT-oo

"loo" means toilet. We laugh when people talk about going to "the bathroom". "Oh aye, going to have a bath in the middle of dinner are you? Seems odd timing!" [snort, chuckle, hold bellies laughing at our bottomless wit]

Even then only the poshest people talking about going to the loo. I've been in pubs where somebody has loudly proclaimed that they were "going for a dump, I'll be a while" and I have lost count of the number of conversations I've been party to in public about pissing, shitting, wanking (masturbation), or shagging (having sex), that would definitely not be welcome in American settings. Also, we say cunt a lot. Like, a lot.

Re: American Phrase Book

#82

Post by dvirsky »

As a non American, I sometimes just enjoy deliberately messing a bit with Americans when they utter these expressions, by doing it over the top.

Someone meeting me for some boring work related thingie: "Hi! How are you doing?"

Me: "Super awesome, thanks so much for asking! Super excited to meet you and discuss this!".

They probably think I'm crazy and/or are not sure what to make of it, so it's fun to see the puzzled looks, but I'm also just being nice.

Re: American Phrase Book

#84

Post by coldtea »

9nGQluzmnq3M wrote: post #13

Yup. One of the great mysteries of the world is how Americans think they are so straightforward and direct and honest... and then they ask a German if their butt looks big in these pants, and burst into tears on hearing the answer. On a mildly more serious note, I remember well my first ever serious business meeting in the US, where we pitched a potential joint venture to another company. 30 minutes of mutual praise…

>One of the great mysteries of the world is how Americans think they are so straightforward and direct and honest... and then they ask a German if their butt looks big in these pants, and burst into tears on hearing the answer.

Or how they ask a friend/relative/acquaintance "How have you been" and expect just a fake generic "fine" or similar, not the actual story of how you were, as told in several (at least European I know of) countries...

Re: American Phrase Book

#85

Post by eequah9L »

Stratoscope wrote: post #2

This is a fun list! Let me add two of my personal favorites: "Literally", which means "figuratively". "I could care less", which literally means "I couldn't care less". https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-lite... https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2007/01/i-could-care-less... Edit: I feel like a party pooper saying this, but I see a few comments where people may be taking this phrasebook seriously…

If you check out the rest of his page (main page, CV), it seems he's an Israeli.

Re: American Phrase Book

#86

Post by LandR »

wenderen wrote: post #16

I got bit by "How's it going / How are you?" when I first came to the USA. Turns out you're not actually supposed to answer with how you really are, and if you do so, they look at you like you've said something weird.

This is such a weird thing isn't it.

It's like this in the UK too, every conversation starts with "How are you?" "Fine, how are you?" "Fine."

It's always the same, pretty much. It's daft, it's just like a ritual that everyone is happy to partake in.

No one is actually asking you how you are, it's just a noise that both parties have agreed to start each conversation with. No actual information gets exchanged. You could easily replace those phrases with nonsense and as long as both parties are aware of the nonsense and what the nonsensical response is expected the it would work just as well.

Person 1: "Hippopatumus soup triage?" Person 2: "Triangle, Hippopatumus soup triage?" Person 1: "Triangle."

It's so strange.

Re: American Phrase Book

#87

Post by coldtea »

sl1ck731 wrote: post #26
9nGQluzmnq3M wrote: post #13

Yup. One of the great mysteries of the world is how Americans think they are so straightforward and direct and honest... and then they ask a German if their butt looks big in these pants, and burst into tears on hearing the answer. On a mildly more serious note, I remember well my first ever serious business meeting in the US, where we pitched a potential joint venture to another company. 30 minutes of mutual praise…

I've never heard of Americans thinking/saying they were direct. In my case I see our culture as the opposite, as this page seems to demonstrate. Corporate double-speak is a well-known thing here (I presume its similar in many places, but I don't know), and I'm sure most people like me were taught "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all". A common trope in child programs when I grew up was th…

>I've never heard of Americans thinking/saying they were direct.

They wont say it for themselves, but it's something very common to hear Americans and foreigners say/write as a fact for Americans in general (ie. the culture). Some areas even compete/praise themselves on how more direct they are (New Yorkers come to mind).

Of course, compared to a culture with a lot of innuendo and second guessing required, like e.g. the Japanese, or more subtle and ironic, like the English, that would be very true, but not in general.

Re: American Phrase Book

#88

Post by keiferski »

coldtea wrote: post #84
9nGQluzmnq3M wrote: post #13

Yup. One of the great mysteries of the world is how Americans think they are so straightforward and direct and honest... and then they ask a German if their butt looks big in these pants, and burst into tears on hearing the answer. On a mildly more serious note, I remember well my first ever serious business meeting in the US, where we pitched a potential joint venture to another company. 30 minutes of mutual praise…

> One of the great mysteries of the world is how Americans think they are so straightforward and direct and honest... and then they ask a German if their butt looks big in these pants, and burst into tears on hearing the answer. Or how they ask a friend/relative/acquaintance "How have you been" and expect just a fake generic "fine" or similar, not the actual story of how you were, as told in several (at least Europea…

Non-Americans always harp on this yet don't understand that "How are you?" is just functioning as a generic "Hello" and not as a literal question. This happens in every language with various phrases.

For example, the phrase for "Hello" in most European languages directly translates to "Good Day." It is not as if people are saying "Good Day" in any literal sense of the words; the meaning implied is "Hello."

Re: American Phrase Book

#89

Post by mnky9800n »

Stratoscope wrote: post #2

This is a fun list! Let me add two of my personal favorites: "Literally", which means "figuratively". "I could care less", which literally means "I couldn't care less". https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-lite... https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2007/01/i-could-care-less... Edit: I feel like a party pooper saying this, but I see a few comments where people may be taking this phrasebook seriously…

But actually I think it's half joking half true. I'm American but I find when I talk this way it can be confusing to me colleagues in Norway.

Re: American Phrase Book

#90

Post by scarejunba »

Stratoscope wrote: post #15
sn41 wrote: post #6

This is great. I think we need phrasebooks for all cultures. I'm Indian, and a Chinese friend was pissed that Indians say "yes" and never do it. I think it's a cultural no-no in India to say "no" to someone's face. I finally realised that a short "yes" most probably means "yes", and a long-drawn out "yes" probably means "no".

A good friend of mine from Japan said something similar: if someone says "we will do our best", it means "ain't gonna happen." I can sympathize with this! I have such a hard time saying "no", even (or especially) when that is what must be said. In any case, keep in mind that this is a fake phrasebook made for the sake of humor. It doesn't depict how Americans actually speak with each other, it's just all in fun.

Hahaha, it's like how "inshallah" is used colloquially.
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