Boris_Undersea

(cont. from the last post)

For the Canadian case, something similar happened, since they considered themselves a different country, they wouldn't use the same terminology of their southern neighbors, so they were happy with being Canadians who live in Canada.

Marlie

A few years ago, in a small town in Crete, my son, husband and I stopped to have a soft drink. We went into a a tiny little restaurant with climbing red Geraniums along the wall by the front door. We all ordered our cokes and waited. An sweet, older lady with her gray hair up in a bun took our orders. Her husband first brought us a shot of something?? (it wasn't Ouzo) and some cut up fruit, then our soft drinks and finally a plate of nuts.

We sat for awhile and visited with two men at a table next to us. One was French and other Irish. Along the wall by the door two Greek men were setting with a string of worry beads, the whole atmosphere of the place was wonderful. Since we only ordered cokes and got so much extra we left a very large tip. When we got up to leave the lady said something to us in Greek which we didn't understand...Okay I'm getting to the point here. Her son said, "She want's to know where you are from." To this my husband replied, "The U.S." She just gazed at us with a puzzled look on her face. Then her son said to her, "America Mama, America."

She got a big smile on her face and hugged each of us as we were leaving.

metellus

"For the Canadian case, something similar happened, since they considered themselves a different country, they wouldn't use the same terminology of their southern neighbors, so they were happy with being Canadians who live in Canada."

This is nonsense. The name Canada goes back to the earliest French settlers who mistaken thought that it was the Indian name for the place.

Boris_Undersea

Hello,

My reference to the Canadian case was trying to explain why they prefer not to use the term "Americans" for themeselves, like in the United States. It has nothing to do with the origin of the "Canada" name.

Nevertheless, remember that the America's came into scene before the Canada name (the first reference was 'Kanata' the Iroquois word for 'town' and it was first reported for Jacques Cartier on his 1535-36 voyage), also note that the country didn't get his name officially until 1867 with the Canadian original constitution.

Thanks,

The Boris Undersea

Anni3

As residents of North America, those in the US believe they are the only ones who reside here. Take a good look at the weather reports on CNN - no weather north or south of the US - it just stops at the border. I guess the rest of the continent is in a vacumm, devoid of atmosphere and weather patterns.

This attitude goes further - when someone from the US is sepaking about anyone who comes from a country in Africa they are referred to as an African or from Africa - no need to ask about a country within this vast continent - is isn't the US so it doesn't require mentioning.

When speaking to someone from the US - if you tell them where you are from the next comment is usually "Where?", followed with - "I don't know where that is". If it isn't the US - no need to go further or know any more.

Remember - they single handedly won WWII - the rest of the allies didn't seem to make it to the history books except as countries they liberated, alone!

tedgale

Boris Undersea is not entirely correct that 1867 is the beginning of the use of Canada as a national name.

Upper Canada and Lower Canada {which fused briefly into the United Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada well before Confederation} represented about 80-90 percent of the land mass of the future Canada.

Neil_Oz

This series of authentic travel Q&As from an Australian travel website, which I recently posted in another forum, is geographically off the track - but then, so is the whole thread. I submit it here purely in the spirit of the last couple of posts, although many of the enquirers are not American. I imagine this is because in a democratic spirit the questions have been selected to offend more than one nationalities (Canadians, as always, are exempt).

1. Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? (UK)

A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.


2. Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA)

A: Depends how much you've been drinking.


3. Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)

A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles. Take lots of water.


4. Q: Are there any ATMs in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)

A: What did your last slave die of?


5. Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (USA)

A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not... oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.


6. Q: Which direction is North in Australia? (USA)

A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.


7. Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK)

A: Why? Just use your fingers, like we do.


8. Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)

A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.


9. Q: Do you have perfume in Australia? (France)

A: No. WE don't stink.


10. Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA)

A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.


11. Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia? (UK)

A: You are a British politician, right?


12. Q: Can you tell me the regions in Tasmania where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)

A: Yes, gay nightclubs.


13. Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)

A: Only at Christmas.


14. Q: Are there killer bees in Australia? (Germany)

A: Not yet, but for you, we'll import them.


15. Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? (Germany)

A: No, we are a peaceful civilisation of vegan hunter-gatherers. Milk is illegal.


16. Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA)

A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.


17. Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA)

A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.


18. Q: I was in Australia in 1969 on R+R, and I want to contact the girl I dated while I was staying in Kings Cross. Can you help? (USA)

A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour.


19. Q: will i be able to speek english most places I go? (USA)

A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first.

rapunzll

Neil, those are hysterical! I work in tourism in a resort town here in Michigan, and we get the same sorts of stupid questions. 'Do you have banks there'? being one of my favorites. When I worked at one of the hotels, a guest checked in and was very disgruntled later and complained that they could not see the whales cavorting in the bay, like they expected. Mind you, my city is on a large bay off Lake Michigan! The Mackinac Bridge was the worlds longest suspension bridge when it opened in the 50's. It's five miles long. They have been asked up there, what time the bridge 'swings over' to Mackinac Island! People can be amazingly stupid!

As for Anni- get real. Maybe you should watch a Canadian TV show for weather in your country. I sure as heck wouldn't turn on a Canadian channel to find out the weather in my neck of the woods.

mikelg

Neil, absolutely hilarious, wonderful sense of humour down under!!

Anni3

..and to Repunzll - the reality is this is a travel site. When in Canada, obviously I watch my local weather. When I travel to the US, Mexico or the Caribbean and tune in CNN to see the weather, I am avoiding or returning to, - and there is none! It stops at the borders!

JamesA

Up to date and topical, current posting on Africa Board:-

Thread title:

" How's the toilet paper?"

Enquiring as to the toilet paper in various locations in Africa, it's true! hey, not making fun of anyone but come on.....

JJ5

Weather reports are not making political comments or perceptions to/for visitors, they are providing information for locals.

When I am in MI, all the weather reports end with the Western IN border. It isn't a political arrogance or snub against Chicagoans.

RufusTFirefly

Yes, there are lots of countries in the Americas, but just about everybody refers to citizens of the USA as Americans. It's a done deal. Get over it.

And 2000 was not the first year of the new millenium. But people had a great party then anyway.

metellus

"My reference to the Canadian case was trying to explain why they prefer not to use the term "Americans" for themeselves, like in the United States.
It has nothing to do with the origin of the "Canada" name."

This is an utter crock. Canadians don't call themselvces Americans because the country's name is Canada. Despite what you say, it has been the name almost from day 1, whether it was official or not.

bookchick

Having dual citizenship in both Canada and America, I would like to affirm that Canadians do indeed refer to themselves as Canadians, (How dare they?! It IS actually the name of the country!) However, my first conversation ever in Italy with a native Italian went something like this, if I may have the liberty of translating, as the whole conversation was in Italian:

Cab Driver: Are you an American?

Me: Yes.

Cab Driver: Are you from New York?

Me (laughing): No. I'm from Michigan, a state which is shaped like a hand.

Cab Driver: Are your parents Americans?

Me: No, they're Canadians.

Cab Driver: Canadians, Americans, it's the same thing.

Didn't want to disillusion the poor chap by telling him it is NOT the same thing, and the Canadians I knew would have serious issues with being lumped in with Americans. I personally think every country should have their own unique bad habits, low morals, and sense of imperial presence!

BC

Worktowander

Yep, even though I *always* say I'm "from the U.S." (influence of a high school Spanish teacher who pointed out this very discrepancy many years ago) the immediate reply is nearly always "Ah, American."

And now, thanks to this thread, I'm feeling guilty about the other "United States" whose name I'm co-opting by using U.S. -- Estados Unidos de Mexico, etc... great.

Now I guess I'll have to explain in detail that "I'm from a very cold state in the far north of the very middle of the United States of America, but my ancestors came from various nations in an area formerly known as a continent, now a geopolitical collaborative, of the area called Europe."

Vespuccia it is!

metellus

"Cab Driver: Canadians, Americans, it's the same thing."

The cab driver is 99.8% correct. Live with it. There is more cultural and liguistic difference between a person from Michigan and person from Mississippi than between a person from Michigan and one from Ontario.

This is what drives Canadians crazy. Their whole identity rests solely on not being American. Yet there is really no major difference. Hence they have no real identity and are very defensive about it.

laverendrye

Metellus is obviously trying to provoke Canadians to defend their distinctiveness, and I'm sure that many will rise to his bait, which I will refrain from doing.

However, he is absolutely right in that many Canadians unfortunately tend to define their identity in a negative sense, as not being American. It's hard to do otherwise when you're a mouse sleeping next to the elephant, as Trudeau put it once.

He's also right that there are many similarities between people from Michigan and Ontario, as there are with other border states. But the border states are hardly representative of the U.S. as a whole, and even local TV programming from Detroit tells me that Michigan is certainly not Canada.

If anything, in recent years, the differences are increasing, as many polls are showing.

metellus

"Michigan is certainly not Canada."

Yes, but it is more like Ontario than it is like Mississppi. And Ontario is sure a lot more like Michigan thait it is like Quebec. As they say in Alberta, they wish the border ran north-south rather than east-west. They think that they are Colorado or Texas north and hate Ontario, which they see as being vastly different.

"If anything, in recent years, the differences are increasing, as many polls are showing."

It is ironic that the polls say that Canadians are making a bigger deal over their identity. This simply means that they are becoming more American in their values. Where do you think they got the idea that patriotism is important? From us! It shows a real movement on our direction.

The day-to-day reaity is that the US, Canada has become less and less different from the US. First, the flood of immigrants means that a large part of the Canadian polpulation has no history or interest in in the white-British history of Canada. They simply moved to Canada, bringing their own culture with them. Whatever real culture Canada had, the last semblence of it's British Commonwealth roots, disappeared long ago. Second, kids on both sides of the border grow up on the same movies, TV, magazines, internet, etc .etc. They eat at the same fast-food restaurants, wear the same clothes, speak the same slang. They have the same idols. heros and role models. In 10 years, there will be 10 almost difference between the countries.

Sure Yankee fans and Red Sox fans are different grioups who will make a lot of noise differentiating themselves from one another, but that does mean that they are virtually identical in their values and beliefs.

bellastar

It's doubtful I know enough about Canadian culture, having only visited Montreal, Toronto, and Mosport, but one thing I do know is that we can thank Canada for Martin Short, Dan Ackroyd, Jim Carrey, and kdLang, to name just a few. Some fine moments of laughter and music, I must say. Oh, and of course Pamela Anderson...