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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: pscocoa on 24 August 2010, 23:23:45

Title: Americans abroad
Post by: pscocoa on 24 August 2010, 23:23:45
Just back from hols last 3 days of which spent in Amsterdam. The Hotel we were at is used a lot by Kuoni for their cruise passengers.

At the bar an american lady on cruise package was asking a Dutch waiter - "what language do you speak in Holland".

Waiter replied politely "Dutch".

Not to be dissuaded, the american lady asks "is that based on German?".

Waiter politely "no".

You read about this stuff but when it actually happens within your earshot.....
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: PhilRich on 25 August 2010, 09:08:07
Quote
Just back from hols last 3 days of which spent in Amsterdam. The Hotel we were at is used a lot by Kuoni for their cruise passengers.

At the bar an american lady on cruise package was asking a Dutch waiter - "what language do you speak in Holland".

Waiter replied politely "Dutch".

Not to be dissuaded, the american lady asks "is that based on German?".

Waiter politely "no".

You read about this stuff but when it actually happens within your earshot.....



The Americans are a very insular people & can be incredibly ignorant of the rest of the World, which is a bit strange given that its citizens are made up of immigrants from practically every country in the World! :D ::)
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: Gaffers on 25 August 2010, 09:14:05
Funny, I more often hear stupid utterings from Brits rather than Americans
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: Banjax on 25 August 2010, 09:15:03
actually, Dutch is very closely related to German....fact fans  :y

Deutscheland is where the word Dutch comes from for a start - I watch QI too much  ;)
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: Varche on 25 August 2010, 09:31:25
Low German.

I agree the Americans are very insular. A lot of them haven't been out of their home state let alone the USA.
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: Andy B on 25 August 2010, 09:35:26
Quote
....A lot of them haven't been out of their home state let alone the USA.

Why would you need to if you lived in a country the size of USA?  ;) ;)
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: Dishevelled Den on 25 August 2010, 09:50:38
The United States is indeed a vast country - as illustrated by this explanation of the various time zones necessary there; 8-)



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b7BGBa6MTI&feature=related[/media]
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: PhilRich on 25 August 2010, 10:24:22
Quote
Funny, I more often hear stupid utterings from Brits rather than Americans




We British are born ignorant Gaffers, it's what make us so endearing to the World at large! ;D ;D ;D ;)
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: beemerdevil on 25 August 2010, 12:17:57
ditto that philrich ..... thats why every body wants to come to our wee island !! :y - we're too nice ::)
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: feeutfo on 25 August 2010, 14:58:43
met and encountered a phew americans of various levels of politeness, but all, without doubt, exceptionately loud. Quite happy to shout accross a crouded room.

Us lot as a rule rather quieter, but seems we have been invaded by pikeys, thier influence is evident anyway.

Germans and especially Russians, can on occassion be exceptionally rude, but by no means all.
Title: Re: Americans abroad
Post by: scimmy_man on 25 August 2010, 17:51:03
While in the states the other year, we popped to the coast and back in the day, it was a 500 mile round trip,
one of the locals said he always planned to go one day.
his mom who was 92 had never been more than 20 miles from where she was born,