[JahJahBinks]

Oh, you were not talking about Adam Sandler's movie.

 

[iGig]

No JJB, I thought Sandler’s “Spanglish” was surprisingly decent, and very different from his usually annoying character(s).

Something else I find unacceptable is how my sweet husband watches Sandler’s movies over and over and over and over……….. and over………..

Thank God for closed headphones.

 

[muckluck]

You know in a lot of cultures, marrying your cousin is common and acceptable. I know a few people whos grandparents were first cousins when they were married. Just wanted to clear that up. Oh, and please don't stereotype Americans. There are plenty if us who know that there are different countries out there that do things differently from us. Although many do know that, but can not accept it for some reason.

 

[daycart1]

I remember being instructed in the metric system in my first grade class. This was just a few years after Sputnik! So Americans have been trying to get it through their skulls for more than 40 years now!

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans We have been pretending to move to the metric system for what, 20 years now? What a crock! If we were serious about this it should have been done in half that time.

 

[feh1325]

i think we're doomed to stick with the "standard" system with our funny base units with no prefixes

 

[imported_Echo_]

it started with webster when he made his first dictionary changed some words to make them easier to spell

colour= color
centre= center

he also wanted to change tounge to tung
but he never did

anyway

soccer is an abbreviation for association football

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1 I remember being instructed in the metric system in my first grade class. This was just a few years after Sputnik! So Americans have been trying to get it through their skulls for more than 40 years now!

Ha, it's not just Americans. Everybody is taught in metric in the UK, but to my knowledge, everyone I know (my age, ostensibly never taught imperial units) ignores the metric system for everyday use (scientists obviously don't). Perhaps it is hard when cars are quoted in Bhp and Ib-Ft, and distances are in miles, or perhaps we got fed up of our parents not knowing what the hell we were on about! Either way, metric is out.

...Which really screws me up now I've moved to Australia, cos I forgot metric, and the Aussies have by and large forgotten imperial.

 

[gordolindsay]

America (n's) have much bigger problems than spelling and converting to the metric system. I can't stand watching the news anymore, it's so friggin' depressing. Going to an event where there are alot of people is depressing because I watch people and say "wow, people are MORONS" It makes me made because some/most of my "fellow" Americans have absolutely no common sense/intelligence and are just plain ignorant to other people.




*Rant over*

 

[Nospam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gordolindsay ...I watch people and say "wow, people are MORONS" It makes me made because some/most of my "fellow" Americans have absolutely no common sense/intelligence and are just plain ignorant to other people. *Rant over*

Gee... I say that all the time...

If you take a look at who the general public looks up to as role models, it shouldn't come as a complete surprise.

 

[John Buchanan]

I still can't get my head around heights in metric - the old imperial height is stamped in the brain, but just about everthing else is well and truly metric.
We still make jokes about US cars using x gallons per mile fuel consumption and having a maximum speed of y furlongs per fortnight.
Regarding spelling, hardly anyone can do this any more anyway. It used to upset me, but I didn't want my whole life spoiled. Have a look at MSN conversations .... ARGGHH!

 

[Audiofiler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K2Grey I believe in America it's common to know Canadian, British, etc. alternative spellings for some words. Nothing particularly wrong with not knowing, though, as long as one acts accordingly after they're informed of the alternatives.

I agree. After spending more time reading news routers and publications from all over, you tend to find these subtle differences and accept them with an understanding of sorts...those that are not cognicent of these differences, and instead flame individuals are not brightest bolts in the box to begin with..unfortunately.

Furthermore, some of the European spellings of words are much cooler and appropriate than the American English terms...imo.
for example..
realizing VS realising...

 

[flamerz]

Spelling really doesn't matter to me. If you can read it either way, then who cares? As for the metric system, we use both systems. Some things use inches, some use centimeters, but for all of the small stuff, there's millimeters. Kilometers and such aren't really used, but I know one' about 2/3 of a mile, so it's not the worst thing ever if I see something in km. Celsius is also used sometimes, but rarely. If I saw something in celsius it wouldn't really matter to me. I'd probably have to use Google to convert it, but it's not much of a rarity. I don't really know about soccer and football. American football's name really doesn't make sense, but everyone's used to it now, so it would be weird to change it and all of the organizations' names. By the way, the reason why they wear pads and helmets is to prevent death. If they didn't have them, thousands of professional football players would be dead, and I'm sure tens of thousands of kids would also die. A couple years ago a high school football player died, even with all of his pads and helmet on. I don't remember exacly how it happened. I think it was just the impact from getting tackled around his neck/head.

</wall of text>

 

[nabwong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Echo_ he also wanted to change tounge to tung

 

[Febs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans We have been pretending to move to the metric system for what, 20 years now? What a crock! If we were serious about this it should have been done in half that time.

The big push for the metric system was more like 30 years ago. I think that 20 years ago was when we gave up any pretense of moving to the metric system.

 

[Gigabomber]

Wrong in an abstract: my computer doesn't understand it, I don't really care how center is spelled, and what does it really matter anyway. And don't get me started on American punctuation and the difficulties we have with basic American grammar rules and limited vocabularies (mine included on both accounts). But the problem is that no one really cares, and most people find ways around knowing these little idiosyncrasies by not giving a **** and not being pushed into giving a ****.

The lack of strong emphasis on a second language in pre-high school schooling is a bit of a weak point grammatically for Americans, but just like everywhere else, there are stupid people and smart people and primarily people who just don't give a darn, and they can get by without it just fine, just like having no historical perspective: what good does it do me. Just a lot of work and memorizing dates and stuff - no good!

My point is this: what are you really driving at? Simply that many Americans are ignorant and that it annoys you? Or is there something deeper you are attempting to imply in this flamebait topic?
I have my own fairly volatile theories on the whole deal, but I think they lean a bit too far politically charged to be aired here.

I'm really asking. Can we get beyond the "Americans are stupid" assertion and get down to something a might more meaningful here? Why did you start the topic? Did you hope to be proven wrong?