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The Differences Between Germany and the United States

math-www.uni-paderborn.de

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Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#121

Post by sfall »

maebert wrote: post #22
sfall wrote: post #13

Seems interesting but with a notable number of mistakes on the US, how much can I trust what is said about Germany? and how much has changed since he moved to the US?

Mistakes yes, but I think he got most of the core motifs right (on both the US and German side (I grew up in the latter)). With which points (concerning the US) to you disagree / which points to you find questionable (BRD)?

Well writing about high speed trains or lack there of, we have one of the best freight systems in the world, but it makes high speed rail difficult, Europe has gone the other way they have high speed rail focus

ref: http://www.economist.com/node/16636101

and this is only one point.

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#122

Post by pjmlp »

Argorak wrote: post #59
anamax wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Germany also has a diverse culture Compared to what? Compared to Madison Wisconsin, maybe, compared to all of Wisconsin, probably not, compared to Texas or CA, not a chance. Heck, South San Jose is more diverse.

I din't compare anything. Also, it looks a lot like you never travelled through Germany from north to south. Every piece of Germany has different traditions, dialects and food. I am from a place where I cannot understand people from the next village. Also, all those parts are pretty vocal: I think Germany is the only country that has developed regional Wikipedias (at least Bavaria, Palatinate and Northern Germany).

> I think Germany is the only country that has developed regional Wikipedias

At least Portugal (Portuguese, Mirandes) and Spain (Spanish, Galician, Catalan, Basque) also have articles added in the supported country languages.

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#123

Post by Argorak »

fhars wrote: post #113
Argorak wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I din't compare anything. Also, it looks a lot like you never travelled through Germany from north to south. Every piece of Germany has different traditions, dialects and food. I am from a place where I cannot understand people from the next village. Also, all those parts are pretty vocal: I think Germany is the only country that has developed regional Wikipedias (at least Bavaria, Palatinate and Northern Germany).

Pennsylvania has one, too: http://pdc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsilfaani

Funny. Its a german dialect :). Good catch, thank you!

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#125

Post by barrkel »

charonn0 wrote: post #120
tjoff wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say that few outside of America could write that sentence. The difference between two neighbouring countries is a huge deal and apparent (regardless if you are a local or not) where you don't even speak the same language, have the same currency (the euro has of course changed that a bit (in Europe)) and for all practical purposes a complete different sets of laws and culture. The reason for why many cities are no…

In America I don't need to travel at all to hear many different languages, experience different cultures, etc. They're all in walking distance in any major city. European mono-cultures need to make nationalistic distinctions, the American multi-culture doesn't.

America's monoculture was actually one of my surprises. I live in London; going to the Bay Area and seeing the monoculture was a bit of a shock. IMO you're far more likely to hear foreign languages (foreign to the country) in Europe than almost anywhere in the US.

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#126

Post by xtracto »

maratd wrote: post #95
soperj wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

really... just india and china? what about australia? canada? Russia?

I've never been to Australia, so I can't comment. In Canada, you have three choices. British Columbia/Vancouver, Ontario/Ottawa, and Quebec/Montreal. The rest is frozen tundra. Russia? Leningrad (or whatever they're calling it now), Moscow, and the Black Sea region (might as well go to Ukraine/Odessa for that). The rest is frozen tundra. So yeah, China and India. It's not about size. It's about the diversity of cultu…

Spoke like a real American who has not seen many places.

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#127

Post by charonn0 »

barrkel wrote: post #125
charonn0 wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In America I don't need to travel at all to hear many different languages, experience different cultures, etc. They're all in walking distance in any major city. European mono-cultures need to make nationalistic distinctions, the American multi-culture doesn't.

America's monoculture was actually one of my surprises. I live in London; going to the Bay Area and seeing the monoculture was a bit of a shock. IMO you're far more likely to hear foreign languages (foreign to the country) in Europe than almost anywhere in the US.

The San Francisco Bay Area? That's where I live. Mono-cultural it is not. Maybe you meant another Bay Area (there are as many of those as there are bays.)

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#128

Post by barrkel »

waterlesscloud wrote: post #90
fab1an wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends on whether you define diversity as being 'ethnically' diverse or culturally diverse. Obviously, Germany is ethnically less diverse than, say, California, just as much as any American city is ethnically less diverse than London. If we're talking about 'cultural' diversity the regional differences between southern, northern, eastern and western Germany can be extreme, yet maybe difficult to notice for someon…

London is more ethnically diverse than any American city? Hmm. Los Angeles may have something to say about that.

Apparently Houston is more diverse than LA.

Re London: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jan/21/britishidentity1

I certainly was surprised by how monocultural the US appeared to be when I visited. Most noticeable was the relative absence of people from Africa (I don't mean African-Americans), the Middle East and south Asia.

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#129

Post by xtracto »

rustynails wrote: post #70
gegenschall wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disclaimer: I am German and I actually saw and liked 30 Rock (in English) ;-) As for 30 Rock: The problem with English shows on German television is that they are all dubbed. I won't say that they are doing a bad job (c.f. eastern european countries) but sometimes they are missing out puns and jokes which "can't be translated" without losing meaning. In the end this can make a funny TV show unwatchable. On the other…

I'm from OZ, and to be honest, I need the canned laughter when watching US comedy - because the humor is not obvious (eg. Will and Grace- canned laughter when a dog walks across the screen ... Ahh, Americans find that funny... Ok) Now British humor? I get that without canned laughter.

I always thought that the "humor" in those American sitcoms was that the thought that they found such events funny.

Re: The Differences Between Germany and the United States

#130

Post by soperj »

maratd wrote: post #64
tseabrooks wrote: post #63

The article is interesting even if bits and pieces are out of date. It's nice to see other's viewpoints. My one complaint about this article, and a lot of articles of the same ilk, is the part where Americans get criticized for not "traveling abroad" and not "seeing foreign countries". I suspect most american's will travel more MILES than the average european without ever seeing another country. It's far far more exp…

> It's far far more expensive for an American to visit other western countries than it is for the average European. Well, yes. Then there's the enjoyment factor. Personally, I've been to Europe multiple times. Hell, I was born there. And frankly, I enjoy going to the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Mexico much more. > I know visiting different states isn't the same as visiting countries but I think people living outside of t…

The more I think about it, the more out of touch you really seem. The people you label as plenty exotic from NOLA were actually deported from eastern Canada(your "tundra") and St.Petersburg(what they've been calling Leningrad for the last 20 years) is pretty well on the Arctic circle, and yet is not part of your "tundra". (and Yes I realise that St.Petersburg isn't tundra, neither is the vast majority of Russia or Canada)
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