According to my own experience British and Americans are both quite self-centered and ignorant about other countries. I understand this attitude in the case of the Americans because they live in a continent sized country which is important enough to not give a damn about tiny countries like the European ones. They see us the same way an elephant sees ants running on the field. But I don't understand a somewhat similar mindset coming from the British. They act as if Queen Victory's days are still not gone.
Are most British simply wannabe Americans?
you'd be surprised by how many people, especially in more rural southern areas, list their ethnicity simply as "american" in surveys about national backgrounds, even if they are english, irish, or german or whatever
<<I think the black Americans with English surnames... actually took the name from their slave owners. They used their master's name! Now there is a bit of history for you! >>
This is true, but many black Americans are even related to their former masters by blood too, as mulatoes were born to many female slaves being fathered by their master, their master's sons, etc
This is true, but many black Americans are even related to their former masters by blood too, as mulatoes were born to many female slaves being fathered by their master, their master's sons, etc
<< many black Americans are even related to their former masters by blood too, as mulatoes were born to many female slaves being fathered by their master >>
-- Right
<< many people, especially in more rural southern areas, list their ethnicity simply as "american" in surveys about national backgrounds >>
-- Right
I notice that 'English" ancestry is dominant in most of New England, which doesn't come as a surprise, but also in Utah. Perhaps because Mormons are more obsessed than others with their family trees?...
There is however a typically American ethnicity that doesn't display any emotional link to England and Britain: MidWest Catholics, a mix of Irish and Germans with sizeable Italian, Polish, Czech, or Belgian admixture. They are notoriously dominant in industrial family businesses of Ohio, Wisconsin... and also among the cops.
-- Right
<< many people, especially in more rural southern areas, list their ethnicity simply as "american" in surveys about national backgrounds >>
-- Right
I notice that 'English" ancestry is dominant in most of New England, which doesn't come as a surprise, but also in Utah. Perhaps because Mormons are more obsessed than others with their family trees?...
There is however a typically American ethnicity that doesn't display any emotional link to England and Britain: MidWest Catholics, a mix of Irish and Germans with sizeable Italian, Polish, Czech, or Belgian admixture. They are notoriously dominant in industrial family businesses of Ohio, Wisconsin... and also among the cops.
I think brits are devided between wanting to be Americans, celtic, Euro's, Germanic, isolated, Eurabian, and head of the commonwealth. They really can't decide.
As for old pre1776 americans. I would count them as American, counting them as english is silly. If your gonna do that, give them a half count, since the english "were" half German
As for old pre1776 americans. I would count them as American, counting them as english is silly. If your gonna do that, give them a half count, since the english "were" half German
>>I notice that 'English" ancestry is dominant in most of New England, which doesn't come as a surprise, but also in Utah. Perhaps because Mormons are more obsessed than others with their family trees?...
Actually Americans in general are OBSESSED with race and background..yet they do not see the different between race and nationality. While in the US with my Italian friends, they would get utterlly irritated because people would see they were italians and would come up to them:
American: "omg you are italian!? I am too!!!"
Italian: "insert italian words here"
American: "Huh??? I dont speak italian"
Italian: "But are you not Italian!?"
American: My great great grandparents were!!
Italian: "then you are not italian, you are american"
Americans are way too obsessed with race and ethinicity, the whole United States name is only in the name, because they love segragation.
Actually Americans in general are OBSESSED with race and background..yet they do not see the different between race and nationality. While in the US with my Italian friends, they would get utterlly irritated because people would see they were italians and would come up to them:
American: "omg you are italian!? I am too!!!"
Italian: "insert italian words here"
American: "Huh??? I dont speak italian"
Italian: "But are you not Italian!?"
American: My great great grandparents were!!
Italian: "then you are not italian, you are american"
Americans are way too obsessed with race and ethinicity, the whole United States name is only in the name, because they love segragation.
<<Americans are way too obsessed with race and ethinicity, the whole United States name is only in the name, because they love segragation.
>>
That is just a cliché widespread in Latin America , where anti-US sentiment is high . There are more successful black people in USA than in Brazil . In Brazil there is indeed a huge economical segregation among races despite in theory all people are equal from a legal point of view.
Let's talk about facts: in the US, black people earn 75% of what white people earn. In Brazil, non-whites earn less than 50% of what whites earn.
So tell me where is more racism, in USA or in Brazil.
>>
That is just a cliché widespread in Latin America , where anti-US sentiment is high . There are more successful black people in USA than in Brazil . In Brazil there is indeed a huge economical segregation among races despite in theory all people are equal from a legal point of view.
Let's talk about facts: in the US, black people earn 75% of what white people earn. In Brazil, non-whites earn less than 50% of what whites earn.
So tell me where is more racism, in USA or in Brazil.
Some Brits speak English in a way similar to American East Coast , especially those from Inner London ( like grime musicians)...
<<Americans are way too obsessed with race and ethinicity, the whole United States name is only in the name, because they love segragation.>>
This is absolutely incorrect.
Americans identify themselves as "Italian-American," "German-American," etc. It's not being obsessed with race and ethnicity, and it certainly has NOTHING AT ALL to do with segrEgation.
Americans are the children and grandchildren of immigrants. A lot of Americans want to know who their ancestors are, where they came from, and what their experiences might have been. My mom's great-great-great grandfather immigrated to the US from Scotland in the 1840s. In 2005 I was able to visit the Isle of Mull where he grew up. It was awesome and humbling. My father's family immigrated to the US in the 1880s from a small town outside of Frankfurt. Someday I hope to see how far back I can trace my ancestry.
Obviously, I can't speak from experience for Europeans. But I feel like to a large degree you can be relatively confident about your ancestors. I would not be surprised to hear "I'm a French businessman. However, my grandfather and his ancestors have been raising cattle for hundreds of years." Americans can trace our ancestors to their immigration to America. Before that, we have no idea, and there's a degree of romanticism to it. "Am I related to Robbie Burns? The Bruce? The Stuarts?" Probably not. It's like an ancestral-curiosity that I've never experienced from Europeans.
As to British-US relations, apparently the House of Commons wants to stop talking about a "special relationship." The US and the UK are so intertwined in so many ways, I'm skeptical the special relationship will fade with such little fanfare. Also, Americans always have a slight inferiority complex with Britain (culturally, lingusitically, etc.). And the UK is constantly being assaulted with American music, movies, and other media (literature), that it's no wonder it may seem they're obsessed with us. They're not. But I understand why it may seem that way.
This is absolutely incorrect.
Americans identify themselves as "Italian-American," "German-American," etc. It's not being obsessed with race and ethnicity, and it certainly has NOTHING AT ALL to do with segrEgation.
Americans are the children and grandchildren of immigrants. A lot of Americans want to know who their ancestors are, where they came from, and what their experiences might have been. My mom's great-great-great grandfather immigrated to the US from Scotland in the 1840s. In 2005 I was able to visit the Isle of Mull where he grew up. It was awesome and humbling. My father's family immigrated to the US in the 1880s from a small town outside of Frankfurt. Someday I hope to see how far back I can trace my ancestry.
Obviously, I can't speak from experience for Europeans. But I feel like to a large degree you can be relatively confident about your ancestors. I would not be surprised to hear "I'm a French businessman. However, my grandfather and his ancestors have been raising cattle for hundreds of years." Americans can trace our ancestors to their immigration to America. Before that, we have no idea, and there's a degree of romanticism to it. "Am I related to Robbie Burns? The Bruce? The Stuarts?" Probably not. It's like an ancestral-curiosity that I've never experienced from Europeans.
As to British-US relations, apparently the House of Commons wants to stop talking about a "special relationship." The US and the UK are so intertwined in so many ways, I'm skeptical the special relationship will fade with such little fanfare. Also, Americans always have a slight inferiority complex with Britain (culturally, lingusitically, etc.). And the UK is constantly being assaulted with American music, movies, and other media (literature), that it's no wonder it may seem they're obsessed with us. They're not. But I understand why it may seem that way.
I have to agree with the above poster. I don't think it's so much an obsession with race as it is curiosity about one's ancestry. Though I have noticed a lot of Americans like to lump people into broad, generic racial categories, like "Hispanic", "Middle Eastern" or "Asian" for example and they get confused when someone doesn't fit neatly into something or look like what they expected lol. But anyway, I understand the desire to know more about their family history
Since part of my mom's family was of noble background, I have a documented family tree going back to the late 1400s. As for my dad's side, I don't know past my great grandma from Italy.
Since part of my mom's family was of noble background, I have a documented family tree going back to the late 1400s. As for my dad's side, I don't know past my great grandma from Italy.
<<for example and they get confused when someone doesn't fit neatly into something or look like what they expected lol>>
Indeed, but Americans get very uptight when you do the same and try to fit them into specific catagories. Its as if they consider themselves to be the only nationality in which diversity exists.
Indeed, but Americans get very uptight when you do the same and try to fit them into specific catagories. Its as if they consider themselves to be the only nationality in which diversity exists.
There is nothing wrong with being proud of where your ancestors came from. As most of Americans are descendents of immigrants you can't tell people to not be interested in their ancestry. I'm sure if you were an American/ Australian/ Argentinian..... you would also like to know where your ancestors came from?.
<<I'm sure if you were an American/ Australian/ Argentinian..... you would also like to know where your ancestors came from?. >>
There's not neccessarily anything wrong with it, but most New Worlders tend to be far less concerned than Americans are. Argentinians are generally indifferent, and as the bulk of Australians are of British origin, many Australians have quite a hostility towards Britain and seek to detatch themselves from any pervious links to the country rather than seek for them.
There's not neccessarily anything wrong with it, but most New Worlders tend to be far less concerned than Americans are. Argentinians are generally indifferent, and as the bulk of Australians are of British origin, many Australians have quite a hostility towards Britain and seek to detatch themselves from any pervious links to the country rather than seek for them.
lol that's true. i remember once asking a kid on an online game with voice communication what part of britain he was from, and it turned out he was from new zealand. he got really angry when i suggested he was british and said i was an idiot or something
Yeaa I agree, most new world countries try to distance themselves from the countries their ancestors came from. And rightfully so.