The same has happened to me, but in the other direction, to the tune of, "You should change this part, it's a very casual American way of speaking. I can hear the California accent when I read your dialogue." The best part is that my character is Californian! I think the point is that those kinds of comments are inappropriate in any direction from anyone to anyone.
I think it's a bit overreacting to want to punch people, but I don't think it's wrong to feel offended. I mean, Americans here just assume all asians are Chinese by default, and like to go "ching chong chang". I just (pretend to) speak Mandarin enthusiastically to the throw them off.
Anyway.. back on topic... I think you are undereacting! It is the most annoying thing that someone could say, it just grrr. I have heard worse. American "So, where you from?" Scot :"Im from Endinburgh, in Scotland" American "ahh Scotland, thats in the North of England right?" That is a TRUE story, I swear it
I can quite believe it is Gladiatus. Whereas an English person would make some kind of joke about either drunkenness or deep fried mars bars
And that's what we call a slapable offence... But why was your grandad buying a book about Wales in the US?
Ok I got a really dumb question. Is Great Britain Like the U.S. that it is one unit made up of seperate parts but are introduced in the national fourm as britain. Simpler way of saying that...I am an American and I am a Texan. If I go to europe and I am called a Yankee I might punch somebody. Long live the South baby. Also is the pound curency used throughout all of Great Britain, do you need a passport to go from Wales to England
No passports. They are seperate countries, included in one collection called GB, it has no real name as its unique. That thing is part of many in the Commonwealth (all the countries in which the Queen is the head of state) They are completly seperate countries, Scotland has it's own Parliament, Wales has it's assembly but doesnt make laws. It's quite confusing. There is a lot of talk about de-volution right now. Also Wales has Welsh as an official language and each country has its own bank notes, but they are still pound sterling. I think that is it.......
In your case it seems to be not so much a matter of "error" as a matter of cultural difference. Puerto Ricans apparently have a different way of viewing the various peoples of the North American continent. Based on your post I assume they know the illogic in using the term "North Americans" for people just from the US, but they use it anyway; it's not an error for them. They use a name that to people from the USA might sound incorrect, but to the Puerto Ricans isn't incorrect. After all, they aren't calling people from the US "Canadians," or vice-versa, which I believe is the type of error people make when assuming that "British" must mean "English." I think it's similar to how we in the US call ourselves "Americans" and others "Canadians, Mexicans, etc." when in fact we are all "Americans." We know it's kind of a misnomer but it's pretty much the only name we have. :redface: I find that I get terribly irked when people from other countries harp at us to stop calling ourselves Americans because the US isn't the only American country. Um, what else do we call ourselves then? Usatians?? Just because most of us use the name doesn't mean we don't understand the difference; we just don't have a better term. It's an interesting variation though, the cultural take on such names. ETA: On re-reading your post, perhaps it's not so obvious to the Puerto Ricans that they're using a misnomer. :/ Still, it's interesting. *shrug*
NO! Great Britain is not a country. It is the largest of the islands, consisting of England, Scotland and Wales. The country is the UK, or United Kingdome of Great Britian and Northern Ireland. Other than that, I agree with what you said
That's what I meant, the Countries: Eng, Scot, Wales are Great Britain. GB is just a collection, a fancy group. Add N.Ireland and you get UK. My wording was funny I didn't mean GB was a country, thats why I said collection
Ok another thing i hate is( I am balck) stereotypes about speech I was at work one day and a guy walks in and we start having a chat. Half way through our conversation he asks me what part of africa I am from. He immediately appologized after I looked at him. And said that my manner of speech made him think i was african cause i was so proper. He said he was Welsh by the way. The only reason I later forgave a guy is because this very cute Irish woman I was talking to later that same day asked me the same question. Go figure. Although I am a Texan loud and proud
Yeah. In a way De-volution would make things easier to understand. However I think it makes us so unique and is a part of us it would be stupid.
Just to be correct, Ulster is one of four Irish provinces; Ulster, Connaught, Leinster, and Munster, making up the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. Ulster consists of nine counties, six of which are at present under British juristiction. In saying that, I wonder what extra-terrestrials would think of all our earthly divisions, cultural, political, and racial?
Just as well you added Northern Ireland a part of the UK. Some of my friends who are from Armagh, Tyrone and Belfast would be real upset, if they didn't get a mention. On the other hand its also good that, you didn't say they are British or from Great Britain as that would really make them mad. I once said to them that they were MAD MAGGIE THATCHER FANS! The next time they met me they gave me a pounding. Their polite way telling me I crossed the line, that's how serious they take things there. Assassins Creed
No one likes Maggie Thatcher. And yeah, I have a few friends in Northern Ireland (Coleraine, to be precise). And the whole Northern Ireland divisions thing isn't something I'm particularly clued up on, to be honest, so I'll take your word for it Cheeno.
Oh yeah! Lot's of people think that N. Ireland is just a little bit on the side, with no real part in things. Thats those that know it exist that is! We are very patriotic arent we
Yes, it's overreacting. Is it because they're telling you something that you already know? I'm Asian, lots of American people think somehow all the Asians are alike and are related - not true though. Sometimes I get annoyed, but I usually just get over it. What's the big deal? After all, they don't know any better.
What I've learned from this thread: Refer to everything in that political region as "the United Kingdom" with the exception of what belongs to the Republic of Ireland, and everyone should be alright.
