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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 11:02:03 AM
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babbred
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quote:
ORIGINAL: manda59
Excerpt from Kate Fox's book, Watching The English:
quote:
The Weather-as-family Rule
“The worst possible weather-speak offence is one mainly committed by foreigners, particularly Americans, and that is to belittle the English weather. When the summer temperature reaches the high twenties, and we moan, ‘Phew isn’t it hot?, we do not take kindly to visiting Americans or Australians laughing and scoffing and saying ‘Call this hot? This is nothing. You should come to Texas [Brisbane] if you wanna see hot!’
Not only is this kind of comment a serious breach of the agreement rule [you must agree with factual statements about the weather], and the weather-as-family rule [only the English can criticize their weather, no one else], but it also represents a grossly quantitative approach to the weather, which we find coarse and distasteful.”
I ROFL when I read that while in Britain. I had already made that mistake! Needless to say, I didn't make it again while I was there. And she wasn't exaggerating about people talking about it. Whenever I was out in public, say, waiting for a bus, invariably somebody would turn to me and comment on the weather. That's why I loved the book.
Yes, weather is relative. I used to get amused when it would hit the 70's and people complained about it being too hot. Here in Texas that's a welcome cold spell.  This summer we've been sweltering under 100+ degree weather virtually every blasted day and it's been miserable. Finally, a cold spell moved in and it's been raining this past week. Of course, that brings the humidity. My poor hubby. He can't get used to this.  I told him we should move up to Washington State, where I lived in the 90's. It's very temperate and rains a great deal. While I was at university, I had a British exchange student tell me that of all the states he had visited, he liked Washington the best because the weather reminded him of home.
And yes, we certainly comment on the weather here. Nearly every day somebody would comment on the heat. However, we don't really need to do it. A Texan will talk your ear off if you let them. We don't have any problems opening up to others. I loved what that lady wrote in her Amazon review of Fox's book. "I visited the States and somebody said, 'So tell me about yourself.' I was just horrified! You're not supposed to do that!" Give a Texan 5 minutes and they'll tell you all about themselves, their mother, and their mother's cousin. So when we talk about the weather, we're just talking about the weather. 
And again, I apologize for breaking the weather-as-family rule. I wrote without thinking.
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 11:17:51 AM
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agapetos
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quote:
I used to get amused when it would hit the 70's and people complained about it being too hot. Here in Texas that's a welcome cold spell. But see, you're taking it out of context. You're not accepting the weather for what it is in it's current season and the location that you're in.
You're comparing it with another country. You need to compare it to how things were last month or last year.
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 11:20:27 AM
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babbred
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Miss Giggles
The nbc reporters said that they really didn't practice together that much. Gee that might help, ya think?
That's what I thought! And they said the Americans mix and match from a pool of runners, while other countries just stick to the same team. I think that had something to do with it, as well.
Somebody mentioned the horse events. I wish they had showed them on TV here. I loved watching horse events back in Britain. They have this big "Horse of the Year" event where they take turns jumping over a 6 ft. wall! It's single elimination, so you hit the wall and you're out (it's made out of faux bricks so it falls apart). After each round they make the wall taller. The last time I watched it, I think they said the winning horse jumped nearly 7 ft. Man, you could have cut the tension in that arena with a knife.
Oh, that reminds me. Put that on my list of things I love about Britain, Ascot and York Races. I loved seeing the gorgeous fashions. I watched Ascot on TV, but we lived right near York Racecoure, so we saw the racegoers passing right by our door. Men in full morning dress (think "My Fair Lady") and the women with those wonderful hats (just like "Four Weddings and a Funeral"). If for no other reason, I would love Britain for the ladie's hats. One year the Ascot races moved up to York because the ground was being renovated. We had Her Majesty just a couple of blocks from us! I thought that was cool.
And Chelsea...and the Proms...did I mention Classic FM? I listen to it streaming on the internet all the time. In fact, I'm doing it now here at work. And at lunchtime I switch over to the Prom. Memories....
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 11:22:38 AM
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lexie
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quote:
And they said the Americans mix and match from a pool of runners, while other countries just stick to the same team.
I think nbc may have been off on that a bit. The Canadian team and the Jamaican team both had new additions in this race. I'm not sure about the other teams though.
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 11:23:25 AM
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babbred
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quote:
ORIGINAL: agapetos
quote:
I used to get amused when it would hit the 70's and people complained about it being too hot. Here in Texas that's a welcome cold spell. But see, you're taking it out of context. You're not accepting the weather for what it is in it's current season and the location that you're in.
You're comparing it with another country. You need to compare it to how things were last month or last year.
June-July-August were virtually the same. Before that it was "only" in the 90's. Vastly different from Britain. I'm not the only one thing saying these things. I was friends with American ex-pats over there and we used to make the same comments (including the rain) among ourselves.
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 11:32:55 AM
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babbred
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quote:
ORIGINAL: lexie
Jamie Oliver has been teaching me how to cook things from scratch.
I just love watching Gordon Ramsay tell people off Although for some reason I don't find the American version of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares as exciting (I honestly think it could be the narrator).
I never watched KN while in Britain, but I tried it here this past season. I wished I had watched the past seasons. It was hilarious! I felt guilty about the swearing, but it was a guilty pleasure. 
I love British TV. Or rather, I love the mysteries. Morse...Linley...Midsummer's Murder...Rosemary & Thyme. My mother and I watch them on PBS over here, but I enjoyed them in Britain, too. Here....there...here...there. Told you it gets confusing. It feels weird jumping back and forth. For instance, if if were at my parents' and I said, "I read yesterday that Jade Goody is trying to redeem herself by appearing on Indian Big Brother with Shelpa" it would mean nothing to my parents but hubby would say, "OMG, are you serious?" If, on the other hand, I told Dad, "Looks like the Packers have resolved their issue with Favre" poor hubby would think I was talking about a moving firm. This whole experience has given me a greater appreciation of how the Hispanic people here in Texas feel. It's also made me appreciate why they speak Spanish all the time. When I'm with hubby I slip back into British without thinking about it.
Somebody mentioned South Carolina and England. Historically, the Southern colonies (except North Carolina which had a lot of Scottish settlers) were much closer to Britain. The New England colonies were settled by religious protesters, but the Southern ones were mainly founded by people who just wanted to make money and had no particular beef with the king. Indeed, the Southern planters felt themselves equivalent to the English aristocracy. The English were able to occupy South Carolina for a good part of the Revolution precisely because most people there were either indifferent to who won or actually favored the British. All this is a lengthy way of saying maybe that's why those ladies thought you were English. (Sorry, but I can't remember who said it.)
I find it hugely ironic. My mother's family came from England before the Revolution but for some reason they must have ended up not liking the mother country because they sided with the rebels when the war came.
< Message edited by babbred -- 8/22/2008 11:49:10 AM >
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 11:38:46 AM
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agapetos
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quote:
"I read yesterday that Jade Goody is trying to redeem herself by appearing on Indian Big Brother with Shelpa" it would mean nothing to my parents but hubby would say, "OMG, are you serious?" Personally, if I'd been your husband, I'd be wondering why you were reading and then commenting on such trivia!
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/22/2008 6:39:30 PM
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manda59
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From: Hampshire, UK
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quote:
ORIGINAL: babbred
For instance, if if were at my parents' and I said, "I read yesterday that Jade Goody is trying to redeem herself by appearing on Indian Big Brother with Shelpa" it would mean nothing to my parents but hubby would say, "OMG, are you serious?"
I think you need to upgrade your reading material!!
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doinkdom, October 2008
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/23/2008 4:23:14 PM
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agapetos
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quote:
Of course, as I said in the other thread, the Lord is supposed to come back that year, so if you believe in the Rapture then we'll all be watching it from Heaven. Sorry, but that's rubbish ~ scripture tells us that NO ONE knows when He's coming back.
quote:
And please don't get me started about the tabloids. I worked at Asda while I was over there so I had to ring customers up when they bought one. And I worked at Somerfield. I've also worked at other newsagents and supermarkets and so scanned tabloids. I simply don't see what interest Jade Goody holds for Christians in the context you have mentioned.
< Message edited by agapetos -- 8/23/2008 4:48:37 PM >
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/23/2008 5:49:28 PM
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manda59
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You know, one of the main reasons that the weather is such a common topic for Brits is that it is unpredictable.
It's just as like to rain in summer as it is to be sunny, blue skies and mild on a winter's day.
Our weather forecasters have a real problem because even with all the modern technology, it can be quite difficult to get right.
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/23/2008 6:15:51 PM
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agapetos
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quote:
Our weather forecasters have a real problem because even with all the modern technology, it can be quite difficult to get right. Can I add that it's not because they're incompetent in what they do, but because we are an island and the sea alters things dramatically in a short period of time.
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Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not using them in fruit salads!
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/23/2008 6:23:44 PM
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manda59
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From: Hampshire, UK
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quote:
ORIGINAL: agapetos
quote:
Our weather forecasters have a real problem because even with all the modern technology, it can be quite difficult to get right. Can I add that it's not because they're incompetent in what they do, but because we are an island and the sea alters things dramatically in a short period of time.
Yes, we find that especially where we live. I think sometimes the currents of air around the estuary push the weather fronts up and away from us.
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"Once again....drum roll please! Manda is right"
doinkdom, October 2008
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/23/2008 6:24:14 PM
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Miss Giggles
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americans say "ring up" when they pay at the cash register. Cash registers used to make ringing noises.
We say phone or call you on the phone when we use the telephone.
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/23/2008 6:31:46 PM
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manda59
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At our checkouts, we ring up items, but not customers!
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"Once again....drum roll please! Manda is right"
doinkdom, October 2008
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/23/2008 6:43:07 PM
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manda59
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True. Well many do anyway. We have some old-fashioned shops in our town that have older style tills.
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"Once again....drum roll please! Manda is right"
doinkdom, October 2008
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/24/2008 9:24:02 AM
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lexie
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From: Toronto
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quote:
And please don't get me started about the tabloids.
Ahahaha....was it Manda who once told me I needed to get better reading material when I told her I read The Sun?
I found it in university when one of my roommates knew one of the teachers in the UK who was sleeping with their students....and I read all the Corrie updates and stories on it now. Yes I know there are other websites for that!!!
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RE: Question from a Brit to any Y... umm American - 8/24/2008 9:25:40 AM
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manda59
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Yes it was me, lol!
Have I told you about Digital Spy? I can't remember!
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"Once again....drum roll please! Manda is right"
doinkdom, October 2008
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Whoo hoo! (As my sister likes to say.) Of course, as I said in the other thread, the Lord is supposed to come back that year, so if you believe in the Rapture then we'll all be watching it from Heaven. 
Wouldn't that be too funny? Just like the Dr. Who episode. You have that great big stadium full of people, the triumphal entry of the torch, and then poof! half the fans gone!
