Getting to Know Americans • Hacker News Board

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#21

Post by davidw » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:14 PM UTC

crasshopper wrote: post #9

davidw wrote: post #7

"US Americans" ?!

Sure, as opposed to Central Americans, South Americans, Mexicans, or Canadians. There is no estadounidenses in English but "Americans" logically includes Alaskans through Argentinians.

Reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

I suppose it's technically correct, but it doesn't sound good at all. Especially since they already just used 'Americans' in the title. "People of the United States" or something like that also reads better.

Sure, citizens of other countries in the Americas could also be called Americans, but in reality, if you're trying to actually communicate clearly with other people, rather than score political correctness points, you would not use that term for, say, a Canadian or a Brazilian, because there are already perfectly good, more specific terms for citizens of said countries.

Likewise, if you were really trying to talk about the commonalities of everyone from Alaskans to Argentinians you'd presumably use something like "peoples of the Americas".

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#22

Post by francoisdevlin » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:15 PM UTC

TillE wrote: post #10

It's hard to tell what perspective this article is written from. There are many subjective qualifiers. For example: > Americans place considerable value on punctuality. From a German perspective, this is wildly untrue.

I think Germans are the ONLY exception to the rule. Of course, someone will provide a counter example, I'm sure :)

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#23

Post by holdenc » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:17 PM UTC

How about American irony and sarcasm? Here in Asia sarcasm is almost non-existent.

Also, Americans value humor as a way of showing affection for someone. Whereas in Asia displays of servitude are a sign of affection. For example, if I engage in a humorous conversation with you, that means I like you. Even if I don't pour your tea for you!

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#24

Post by wangwei » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:18 PM UTC

dr_ wrote: post #4

"Be patient if Americans are ignorant of some aspect about your home country. Use the opportunity to educate and share, just do so in a polite and brief manner." Citizens of other countries always like to point out how Americans are ignorant of other nations and their cultures, oftentimes failing to realize that within their own nation poverty is rampant and the majority of the population remains illiterate (yes, alt…

Well, you certainly don't sound very open to me. No one expects you to be experts. It's just that some Americans regard America as the central of the universe and never bother to learn about the most basic facts about "the rest of the world".

Many immigrants complain about the ignorance because some americans have ridiculous ,false or outdated stereotypical information about their countries. It's no doubt that America has the most intelligent people in the world but it is also not too hard to find a lot of arrogant and dumb people (maybe including you?).

So just because they are from a mostly poor and illiterate country, and let's say if some americans assume they are hardcore communists if they are from china or they are terrorists if they are from a muslim country or that all indians smell curry, they don't have a right to be disappointed? What does it have to do with their poverty and all?

I know you parents might fight and work very hard to escape their poor nation and come to america in order to give you a good life. Well,you are "American" now and seem to have totally forgotten your root. But at least have some respect. Don't be too arrogant.

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#25

Post by davidw » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:19 PM UTC

yardie wrote: post #11

davidw wrote: post #7

"US Americans" ?!

Yes, US Americans, as opposed to US Mexicans, or Canada Americans, Brasil Americans, or Columbia Americans. See what I did there.

"What you did there", besides beat a dead meme-horse was invent words that no one actually uses, as far as I can tell.

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#26

Post by iopuy » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:22 PM UTC

francoisdevlin wrote: post #22

TillE wrote: post #10

It's hard to tell what perspective this article is written from. There are many subjective qualifiers. For example: > Americans place considerable value on punctuality. From a German perspective, this is wildly untrue.

I think Germans are the ONLY exception to the rule. Of course, someone will provide a counter example, I'm sure :)

Japanese.... In Japan being late is seen as seriously wrong.

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#27

Post by ido » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:26 PM UTC

TillE wrote: post #10

It's hard to tell what perspective this article is written from. There are many subjective qualifiers. For example: > Americans place considerable value on punctuality. From a German perspective, this is wildly untrue.

I'm not sure it is "untrue" (in the sense that Americans do not place considerable value on punctuality), unless Austrian society is significantly different than German in that matter - in my experience the emphasis on punctuality is about the same in both cultures.

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#28

Post by loire280 » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:26 PM UTC

TillE wrote: post #10

It's hard to tell what perspective this article is written from. There are many subjective qualifiers. For example: > Americans place considerable value on punctuality. From a German perspective, this is wildly untrue.

America isn't the most punctual culture, but there are plenty of cultures that are much more casual about lateness, including some Middle Eastern, South American, and African cultures. Most Americans brush off as much as 15 minutes of tardiness, but in some cultures, 30-60 minutes isn't uncommon. The German student who consistently shows up a few minutes early may be annoyed that fellow students show up a few minutes late, but a South American student who shows up 45 minutes late is going to be immediately branded as lazy or unserious.

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#29

Post by ido » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:27 PM UTC

iopuy wrote: post #26

francoisdevlin wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Germans are the ONLY exception to the rule. Of course, someone will provide a counter example, I'm sure :)

Japanese.... In Japan being late is seen as seriously wrong.

Austria, Switzerland, all or most of Scandinavia...Probably most or all central/north/north western European societies.

IIRC Australia is also the same.

Re: Getting to Know Americans

#30

Post by arethuza » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:28 PM UTC

holdenc wrote: post #23

How about American irony and sarcasm? Here in Asia sarcasm is almost non-existent. Also, Americans value humor as a way of showing affection for someone. Whereas in Asia displays of servitude are a sign of affection. For example, if I engage in a humorous conversation with you, that means I like you. Even if I don't pour your tea for you!

Actually, by British standards America appears an irony and sarcasm free zone. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but it is very noticeable.