Separated by a Common Language?

[Sundae]

I read that! Can't remember it being particularly replete with local vernacular. But I do remember it ultimately disappointed me. I don't remember why; but the fact I never read the sequal seems proof enough.

Then again (back to words) I've been caught out here many times; something I thought was universal has turned out to be British or English. I think I've only needed cultural references explained in return though - perhaps because America exports so much entertainment.

[monster]

Yes that totally took me by surprise when I moved here -I was familiar with most Americanisms and just I assumed it would be a reciprocal thing. WRONG.

[DanaC]

Only to be expected really. When America exports its cultural product to Britain it does so mainly in the original form. When we export our cultural product to America, it's watched by a few BBC America viewers then remade for an American audience; or in the case of books, rewritten with many of the Britishisms removed.

[toranokaze]

I find the removal of Britishisms in American media very strange. I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that Hollywood, and most of the world from what I have seen, thinks the average American is dumb.

[DanaC]

Not dumb; impatient. I think the media generally anticipates that the viewer will only give a programme/book so much time to sink in before they give up on it. If a britishism is there and potentially will stand in the way of instant comprehension they consider that dangerous.

With regards TV programmes, i don't think it's just about making it 'American' and therefore easier to relate to. It's also about what the average American viewer expects as standard as compared to what the average British viewer expects as standard. Our programmes are made on much lower budgets. The American viewer is, in some ways, much more sophisticated and expects a great deal more from a programme. What they aren't expecting, or expected to do, is to do the mental maths when presented with something that is primarily representational. The American viewer expects to see on screen what a british viewer will add in their minds. Because we are used to programmes that have lower budgets. You guys have much slicker shows in many ways.

[classicman]

Do you think they are wrong?

[DanaC]

I think it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. By assuming this, the media creates/reinforces those expectations and makes it less likely that people will accept such fare. It also means that American people become less practiced in the ... *thinks* cultural code shifting, that British people, by dint of necessity, are adept at. It's the price of being the dominant culture.

[classicman]

thanks Dana. I missed your post in there and was asking tora if he thought the average American was dumb.

[DanaC]

Ahhh *chuckles* gotcha :P

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by DanaC

I think it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. By assuming this, the media creates/reinforces those expectations and makes it less likely that people will accept such fare. It also means that American people become less practiced in the ... *thinks* cultural code shifting, that British people, by dint of necessity, are adept at. It's the price of being the dominant culture.

VERY true.
Also, being such a large country, you have far less need to look outside your own borders.
First time I heard about the low percentage of Americans with passports I was shocked. I mean really viscerally shocked. It was quite a while later when I really thought about it, and the sheer size of the States, that I began to realise it wasn't due to American xenophobia or ignorance (although my reaction was due to ignorance on my part.)

Growing up on a small island just off mainland Europe with its many small countries is a very different situation to growing up on a reasonably homogenised continent.

[Cloud]

the one that always bugged me was the changing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to "Sorcerer's Stone." That never made sense to me at all, and it's kinda rude. It implies Americans are too uneducated to have heard about alchemy, but ready enough to believe in sorcerers, and I just don't buy that.

[toranokaze]

Originally Posted by classicman

Do you think they are wrong?

I believe that the average American can handle more intelligent entertainment than we are give on average, furthermore, I feel if we are given more multicultural allusions we would pick up more over time.

[Sundae]

Yeah, it gave stand-ups some yucks in this country at your expense.

I'm pretty known as a Merkin-phile around these parts, because I I deplore hearing ignorant conversations about "all Americans". I dispute the idea that there is any organised anti-American feeling in this country. But ignorant people like to make "aren't foreigners funny" comments pretty much everywhere and about everything.

OH - something that made me laugh today! I had The Daily 10 on. I occasionally like to hear frothy news about people I don't recognise. In the same way I will sometime have Welsh language programmes on in the background just for the noise of the language.

Anyway, the presenter said to a guest that he was European, not gay (in response to denied gay rumours). He responded, "Actually I'm Australian." Great research there darling. No idea who he was. He and his wife have a book out called something like Little Kids, Big City but I'm simply not interested enough to look it up.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

VERY true.
Also, being such a large country, you have far less need to look outside your own borders.
First time I heard about the low percentage of Americans with passports I was shocked. I mean really viscerally shocked. It was quite a while later when I really thought about it, and the sheer size of the States, that I began to realise it wasn't due to American xenophobia or ignorance (although my reaction was due to ignorance on my part.)

Growing up on a small island just off mainland Europe with its many small countries is a very different situation to growing up on a reasonably homogenised continent.

*Winces* I don't have a passport. I did have, once...a one year passport...my housemate used it to roach his joint :P

[jinx]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Anyway, the presenter said to a guest that he was European, not gay (in response to denied gay rumours). He responded, "Actually I'm Australian." Great research there darling. No idea who he was. He and his wife have a book out called something like Little Kids, Big City but I'm simply not interested enough to look it up.

Ha! That's from a couple that appears on Real Housewives (of NYC).