American Phrase Book

Post by StavrosK » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 9:06 AM UTC

coldtea wrote: post #104

keiferski wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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."

> 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. We very much understand that. Our problem/concern/issue is that you don't seem to expect/appreciate the outpour of how one has been in the first place, whereas elsewhere it's a natural part of meeting the other person.…

Post by benj111 » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 9:12 AM UTC

denton-scratch wrote: post #117

benj111 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strictly speaking it is less ambiguous. I understood it to be a shortened corruption of lavatory and it's worth noting that the English definition of that gives toilet, and the American definition gives the sink in the toilet, which kind of reinforces my point.

I took "loo" to be from "gardy loo", which in turn is a corruption from the French "gardez l'eau", meaning "watch out down there, I'm tipping this bucket out of the window". So "loo" would be from "l'eau", meaning "water"; so possibly "water closet", or WC, a.k.a. crapper.

Post by asveikau » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 9:13 AM UTC

keiferski wrote: post #100

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…

This is something of a misunderstanding of American culture. It's far more complex than can be summarized in a HN comment, but it's more accurate to say that American culture prides itself on accessibility, egalitarianism, and a "lack of barriers" more than directness, defined as pure unfiltered honesty, per se. A good example to illustrate this phenomenon: in most American cities, it is considered fairly normal, eve…

Post by roenxi » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 9:16 AM UTC

philwelch wrote: post #127

roenxi wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet the current American president is renowned the world over for using unusually direct and simple language. 'Americans are straightfoward' to me has always meant that when a large group of Americans decide what to do they'll fight it out in public with big, well defined interest groups coalescing around well broadcast opinions. Very transparent. No real nuance at the strategic level; usually simple opinions lik…

I have to laugh at the notion that British politics is "dignified". The House of Commons is a melee of shouting and heckling punctuated by an increasingly haggard-looking man shouting "ORDAAAA" whenever it gets too rowdy, which seems to be every 2 minutes or so.

Post by ghaff » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 9:16 AM UTC

keiferski wrote: post #88

coldtea wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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."