Most Infuriating Myth about your Country? (Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages) Language Learning Forum

Most Infuriating Myth about your Country?
Tags: Stereotypes
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Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages	( Topic Closed)

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Russianbear
Triglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6775 days ago
358 posts - 422 votes

1 sounds
Speaks: Russian*, English, Ukrainian
Studies: Spanish

Message 57 of 177

25 June 2009 at 9:01pm | IP Logged

The most annoying thing about myths about Russia/Russians is they are all true. Those include:

-Russians drink a lot.
-Russians can function at Absolute Zero. In fact, that's how they beat foreign invaders.
-Russians have so many nukes they can't account for some of them. One day a small European country like Belgium will accidentally get wiped out and the Russians will go "Oops! So, THAT'S where that nuke was".

Anyways, I live in New York, and there are many stereotypes the rest of America has about New Yorkers. For example, they think New Yorkers are all Communist, homosexual pornographers. But the truth is: those are just hobbies. New Yorkers are also supposed to be rude, left-wing, atheist, rich folks who take recreational drugs and look down on "red" (that is pro-Republican) states like Alabama and Kansas. Those are all true (And let's face it, who wouldn't look down on Alabama or Kansas?).

Edited by Russianbear on 25 June 2009 at 9:07pm
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Sennin
Senior Member
Bulgaria
Joined 6034 days ago
1457 posts - 1759 votes

5 sounds

Message 58 of 177

25 June 2009 at 10:22pm | IP Logged

Russianbear wrote:

Anyways, I live in New York, and there are many stereotypes the rest of America has about New Yorkers. For example, they think New Yorkers are all Communist, homosexual pornographers. But the truth is: those are just hobbies. New Yorkers are also supposed to be rude, left-wing, atheist, rich folks who take recreational drugs and look down on "red" (that is pro-Republican) states like Alabama and Kansas. Those are all true (And let's face it, who wouldn't look down on Alabama or Kansas?).

Sounds like a nice place to live. ;p
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sprachefin
Triglot
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 5746 days ago
300 posts - 317 votes

Speaks: German*, English, Spanish
Studies: French, Turkish, Mandarin, Bulgarian, Persian, Dutch

Message 59 of 177

26 June 2009 at 10:23am | IP Logged

I remember in a small town in America (I stayed with a friend at a vacation home), every person I saw (about 5 people), said "Good morning" with a smile. It was really weird. This doesn't even happen in small town Germany. It shows how friendly people are.

I think New York City is a HOOT! I love going there because everything is always moving, and you can get about any type of food there. I also think that the Empire State Building is really cool.
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Sunja
Diglot
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 6085 days ago
2020 posts - 2295 votes

1 sounds
Speaks: English*, German
Studies: French, Mandarin

Message 60 of 177

26 June 2009 at 11:21am | IP Logged

It's like a giant orb of energy. Incredible. And whether you get a bratwurst, lachs-bagel or yakitory it's the real thing.

Russianbear: the New Yorkers seem pretty self-aware. I spent some time on Long Island a while back and they're the first to describe a "typical New Yoarka" and can be very self-deprecating, whereas in my state (TX) the people can be pretty much the opposite (self-satisfied to the point of arrogance). Is there some myth or truth to that?

Edited by Sunja on 26 June 2009 at 11:25am
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cordelia0507
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 5838 days ago
1473 posts - 2176 votes

Speaks: Swedish*
Studies: German, Russian

Message 61 of 177

26 June 2009 at 12:11pm | IP Logged

Lizzern wrote:

A Greek friend of mine collectively referred to the female variant of this sort of person as "Danish women", which is fine by me lol, cause I'd hate for people to think all Norwegian women are the way some people behave when on vacation in the south of Europe, so blame it on the Danes I say! :-)

Yeah this myth is awful and I get so p:d off with the people who behave in such a way that it propagates. Such people should get some kind of restriction on EU travel to prevent them from going south of Paris and create a bad reputation for the rest of us. "Danish women" lol!

Lizzern wrote:

Another myth is that we're all really shy and reserved. Couldn't be more wrong, we're just not as zany around strangers as we are around people we know

Yeah this is another myth. I guess all is relative. People from other areas tend to be more open and expect others to immediately open up and befriend them. This seems a bit superficial to many Scandinavians. The good news is that when you are friends with a Scandinavian person, they are *really* your friend and not just saying or superficially acting it.
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GuardianJY
Groupie
United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5685 days ago
74 posts - 72 votes

Speaks: English*
Studies: German, Italian, Swedish, French

Message 62 of 177

26 June 2009 at 4:14pm | IP Logged

cordelia0507 wrote:

Lizzern wrote:

Another myth is that we're all really shy and reserved. Couldn't be more wrong, we're just not as zany around strangers as we are around people we know

All right! It is certainly not usually like that in America.

Louis wrote:

Since the United States is so large and culturally diverse, I'll narrow the question down to my specific region within the US: New England. I live in the de facto capital, Boston. And the myths about Boston are quite funny, and surprisingly accurate!

1) Ever since former President George W. Bush's crack about John Kerry being a "Massachusetts liberal," people assume I am left-leaning too! (I'm personally more of a rightist, but I know how disastrous political discussions get on this forum)

2) Another myth is that Bostonians are "stuck-up" and highly cultured. Let's just say people who adhere to this myth have never set foot inside an Irish pub in Southie after a Red Sox game (win or lose)...

3) Pardon the vulgarity, but people from Massachusetts are referred to as Massholes by other New England states, and the rest of the country. Although it is meant to be derogatory, we usually just laugh and embrace our reputation as being rude bastards!

4) Since Boston is frequently regarded as "America's College Town," we Bostonians have a reputation of being highly intellectual. Although Massachusetts students do receive the highest standardized test scores in the nation, we tend to be quite humble about it (maybe it's the social liberalism rubbing off).

5) Okay, this one is not really a myth. But our sports teams are indeed the best in the country!

Boondock Saints. That is my version of Boston. :)

Arti wrote:

Stereotypes about Russia?
-Bears walk around the cities - false, they live in the forest

Oh, really? Explain this: http://www.funnychill.com/media/499/Bear_In_Taxi/ :D
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Lizzern
Diglot
Senior Member
Norway
Joined 5909 days ago
791 posts - 1053 votes

Speaks: Norwegian*, English
Studies: Japanese

Message 63 of 177

26 June 2009 at 7:04pm | IP Logged

cordelia0507 wrote:

Spot on.

We do have our fair share of false niceness and such though. Other societies feel more honest to me, which is probably cause people are less likely to hold back constructive criticism elsewhere, whereas here I feel like the people who will be completely frank with you and tell you flat out if they think you're doing something wrong, are few and far between - it's probably a little weird but I have this strange appreciation for the people who don't mince words when dealing with me. But overall, the whole "thou shalt not invade people's bubbles" thing, is huge.

Liz
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Gecko
Triglot
Newbie
Slovakia
Joined 6269 days ago
2 posts - 2 votes
Speaks: Czech, Slovak*, English
Studies: Japanese, French

Message 64 of 177

28 June 2009 at 11:01pm | IP Logged

-Most of people doesnt know about Slovakia, or are not sure where it is(not even continent)
-Most of people who heard something about Slovakia thinks we are actualy Czecho-slovakia.
-Most of people think everthing is cheap here (well this one is true but I rather say it is not us who are cheap , but it is Your country which is so damm expensive :)!!!!(US,UK, Fr, Jap, Aus ... ) - actualy we have few incidents that some ppl, mostly from Britain, come here(to town) for just weekend to drink cheap bear, have cheap sex and shout in streets unrecognised, some kind of pew pew vacation ... so ppl here mostly old ppl start to think those bloody brits are rude...
(interesting information, 1/2 l of bear here cost 12 sk = 0,4 eur (good quality ofc) but few years ago it started to go higher mostly in towns so today it is 1,5 eur , only if we had some idea o.O duh bloody brits!!! ) dont worry I know they are just exceptions ,Long live the Queen.

-My personal favourite: stereotype of Canada is full of checked-clothed people with lumber jacks fighting against grizzly bears about lunch
and after listening to bill connely song "evil scotsman" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQCgojiiq-Q you can get idea about scotland :)

-my friend from Japan told me very common sterotype, either every japanese person owns katana and is able to use it effectively, or is well educated in martial arts.

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