The way countries see each other + stereo types

Lucid Lounge
81

Like uh, what are you like uh people like uh going like uh on about, like uh - like uh.

I don’t mean to like uh interrupt your like uh like uhing but I though that there was like uh only a few ways that like uh like was like uh used, like uh.

For example:
I like… (Approval)
That forum is like a church… (Similies)
I often use the forum like that too (Comparison)
I also use it like this (again, comparison)

Also:
There = A place/or something present
“It is just there”
“There is a church”

Their = Something beloggining to someone/something else.
“It is theirs”
“It is their (his/her) church”

They’re = “They are”
They’re over there, wait it’s theirs.

Which witch is the good witch?
It depends whether the weather is good weather.
There are two people going to the church, but I’m going too.

I think there a re loads more.
And, no! I am not some bimbo girl from “the valley”.

82

I just found this topic. :smile: I’ll take some stereotypes I’ve heard of.

Germans
A lot of germans come to Stockholm as tourists. They are not good at english, and like history.
Germans drive fast cars, eat bratwurst and schnitzel.

Japanese
Polite, study very hard, and makes the best video games ^^
They also try very hard at speaking english, but something always goes wrong. Samurais and ninjas, both commiting suicide whenever something goes wrong to avoid shame.

Chinese
Many older people tend to mix up Japan and China, and also think they have the same language.
The chinese are known for being hard working, eating rice and having those funny hats :razz:

Norwegians
In Sweden we joke a lot about our dear neighbours.
Like this:
[i]Two norwegian pilots discuss the possibility to fly to the sun.

  • I think it will be too hot.
  • No, not at all. We’ll fly at nighttime.[/i]
    I’ve heard they have the same kind of jokes about swedes.
    Norwegians are rich (because of the oil) and eat a lot of salmon. They also wear “lusekofte” (a kind of sweater, I think).

Russians
Drink a lot (mostly vodka), wear fur hats, are criminal and/or poor.

Danes
Danes drink a lot of beer, and also live very un-healthy.
They speak funny, as if they had porridge in their mouthes.

Americans
Overweight, stupid and obsessed with conspiracy theories.

83

Czechs

They say that czechs are famous for their beer and the Hokey team.
In most western countries, however, people dont know the difference between czech republic and Chechenia and its geographic location.
I was also asked in England if we have mobile phones in CR and if we learn counting in school. :grrr: :grrr: :grrr:

So I really wonder what the “czech stereotype” is :razz:

84

Italians: mafia.

Yeah, I think it’s sad too. Many don’t remember/know that Italy also produced geniuses, artists, scholars/scientists, inventors, and the like…:sigh:

85

What can I say aboot Canada that hasn’t already been said eh? :tongue:

Well, I don’t say ‘aboot’ really, but it’s true that we do have a different accent that our neighbours to the south…or neighbors…silly Americans always taking the ‘u’ out of words :content:
…anywhoo, to someone not from around here it probably does sound a little like aboot.

86

Indeed, we do have the same kind of jokes - for example we use the very joke you mentioned :grin:

87

LOL, the mafia…
Well, The Godfather movies could have something to do with it.
I wish I could go to Italy…

88

Americans:
Mostly bad tv and films
Either very fat, or very thin
Very religious
Lots of closed minded people
Say “aint” and “like” too much

French:
Pretentious artists that drink lots of wine

Japanese:
Very strange, work too much, perverted

Canadians:
dinosaurs stomp on tiny people
say “eh” a lot
better than americans :razz:

British:
Patriotic, friendly (except for chavs), like football, drink lots of tea, great sense of humour, talk about the weather

89

The finns also tell jokes about swedes :razz: Two against one, not fair!

90

You did just describe a good portion of my school.
I remember once in middle school, we were having a discussion about oil usage, and I mentioned that NASCAR uses a lot of oil and should probably be stopped. A redneck boy wearing a NASCAR hat and shirt stood up. He was on a special mission to spread the gosbel of Dave. He surveyed the class, puffed out his chest, and announced that, “NASCAR uses gas, not oil!”

91

Is that what you called that stuff?!

92

What you guys think about brazillians?

93

When I think of Brazil, I tend to think of sprawling jungles, super-high humidity, lots of small towns, plenty of ancient ruins, and giant snakes. Haha! I know it’s not really like that, and I’m sure there are modern cities there as well, but stereotypes are always more widespread than realistic views. No matter how small they are, it’s always the unique aspects of a country that are commonly associated with that country, never the normal aspects that it shares with every other place in the world.

94

Well, I know that some people think that Brazillians speak spanish, but in Brazil the national language is Portugese, right?

95

Aren’t there a lot of festivals and such in Brazil?

96

Okay, let’s talk about the United States of America :wink: Some things are just true, and others are sort of exaggerated/ stereotypes…

  • There are flags everywhere
  • If you go to a restroom in a café or restaurant you always see a note with “employees must wash their hands before returning to work”
  • “Free get-fat-togethers”. If they want you to come somewhere you always see “free food” or “free something else” on the poster. I also heard from a friend from my parents that when he gave a lecture they put candy in the auditorium so people would actually come.
  • Commercials for medicine. I noticed Q also said this in another thread, but I also noticed it myself. The commercials are so different here.
  • Related to the previous one, people tend to use drugs earlier. If there’s something wrong, people tend to want to use drugs. If you have a cold and don’t do anything about it will last one week and you will go to the doctor it will last 7 days.
  • Everyone has a tattoo.
  • You can’t enter the platform for trains before they enter the train station. Plus your ticket is for a specific train at a specific time, rather than just the train from one place to another place at the time you want. The tickets are also huge, as if you’re using a plane.
  • Tax is not included in prices. If you ever see these weird prices, you have to remember they are not that weird with tax included. (Although that’s not always true)
  • When you’re driving people pass you on both left and right.
  • When people are on the phone, they can still start talking to you without notifying the other person. Neither do they say bye when they hang up, well not always at least. (Picking up the phone is different as it is in the Netherlands as well, but I’m sure that’s also in other countries)
  • “like, you know” I believe this is discussed before because I think I read before about this. I’m not sure about that though.
  • Peanut Butter, seriously you can see it everywhere in everything such as candy, and everyone loves it.

And about the Netherlands:

  • We live in the Netherlands, Nethercountry, Dutchland, and maybe some other places as well. It just depends on the person. We can speak Danish, Dutch, Netherlands, German, and English. Again, it just depends on who you meet. (Most of the people do know I live in the Netherland and we speak Dutch, but this are just things I or people I talked to noticed)
  • Chocolate Sprinkles aka Hagelslag is typical Dutch
    An American guy looked weird at me today when I got the chocolate sprinkles from the ice cream place and put it on a slice of bread. :lol:
  • Other things that have already been said.
97

Russians:

No one speaks english (Some people do though- But a 10 year old speaks better).
They like to drink… Vodka… Alot…
You can’t mention homosexuality or they will freak (I have no idea were I have gotten this from :confused:)
A normal family lives in a home which can be compared to a home in an American ghetto.

If a Russian person speaks english it is in this lovely russian accent- If they speak good english then they are not real Russians…

British people:

Polite at day - Americans at night (Ouch).
TEA!!!

98

Wow, I’ve gotten so used to having medicine commercials non-stop… It never even crossed my mind that there was a faraway land without them on, being annoying every few seconds. It surprised me when Q mentioned the same thing. My parents said that it actually used to not be as common 10 years ago, or so.

You get really, really used to it, I think. I never even notice how people use “like” in their talking. When I do notice it, I try to imagine how “like” could not be put in the phrase - usually I can’t imagine the sentence without “like”! Very weird… It’s entertaining to listen to someone that uses “like” in their talking a lot, and count how many tiems they say it. :tongue: Funny habbit.

:happy: :smile: I should try that some time…

99

The U.S.A. sees Iran helping Iraq kill US soldiers by giving them deadly weapons.

100

Here are the reality levels of some stereotypes about Italy:

(1: utter bullshit, 2: rarely true, 3: averagely true, 4: quite real, 5: the Golden Truth)

Nobody speaks English: 5, every single student in every school has problems with English. Except me, of course. I still can’t figure out how in hell it could be, as English is way easier than Italian.

Everyone is a criminal: 1, and you know that. Unless you’re an idiot, that is.

There’s good food: 4, I can’t manage to eat abroad, but I wouldn’t be able to in some Italian areas too.

Easily offended: ?, I am. I don’t know about the others.

Affinity for cars and racing: 4, watching races (or anything else I don’t take part in, for that matter, see “TV”) bores me to the death, and I hate driving. Many others are the opposite.

Stylish and fashionable: 3, just because some of the most famous fashion brands are Italian, it doesn’t mean people always wear D&G, Versace, or Prada all the time. I have my moments, though.

Violent: 2, as if violent people are only in Italy. Yeah.

Proud of their culture: 4, I don’t see why not.

Want to remain with parents: 1, it’s that even renting a hole costs an eye.

Religious: 3, it’s dying down with new generations.