International Differences that Fascinate You

[Rii]

:3

Actually, it reminds me of another Ambrose Bierce quote, "War is god's way of teaching Americans geography." Apparently it's a refresher course in linguistics, too.

The Chinese taught us the importance of gung ho, the Germans taught us to duck from their strafing during their blitz, the Arabs and Persians taught us to hide our admirals from assassins - not that we'd have anything to fight with without arsenals - and, thankfully, the Spanish gave us use for admirals in the first place by showing us what a flotilla and armada was. The Dutch gave us helpful tips on beleaguering the enemy before an onslaught, lest we be reduced to learn from the Spanish again and conduct only guerilla actions.

Of course, none of that matters without the French, for without them we wouldn't have an army, a navy, nor marines (or at least no volunteers), and of course that army wouldn't have artillery nor grenades or any materiel at all, for that matter, nor could it organize into battalions or brigades staffed by sergeants or corporals or any soldiers at all. There'd be no cavalry nor infantry en route. We couldn't reconnoitre before a battle to sabotage our opponents nor stage a defense at the bastion palisade to rebuff any attackers, but then we wouldn't have any enemy to begin with, so at least there's that. We'd be forced go back to the Dutch, holster our weapons and go on furlough.

Shit, the vast majority of our military lingo is French! This explains our luck overseas as of late.

Heh; one of the reasons the "Freedom Fries" thing was so amusing. Not to mention all those non-military French-derived words like liberty and revolution which would have to be got rid of too...

REVEILLE, n. A signal to sleeping soldiers to dream of battlefields no more, but get up and have their blue noses counted. In the American army it is ingeniously called "rev-e-lee," and to that pronunciation our countrymen have pledged their lives, their misfortunes and their sacred dishonor.

[Nalano]

Bierce was a bitter man.

[Rakysh]

Don't wear a Yankees hat?

Yeah, I'm not really in to pokemon. (Thanks though).

[Nalano]

Yeah, I'm not really in to pokemon. (Thanks though).

That made zero sense to me.

[The Innocent]

It's from this:

http://xkcd.com/178/

So... still doesn't make much sense.

[Rakysh]

I was attempting to dismiss baseball as irrelevant. Clearly failed. In my defence, it's early.

[Nalano]

I was attempting to dismiss baseball as irrelevant. Clearly failed. In my defence, it's early.

It's not irrelevant in Boston. No sirree bob.

[Rakysh]

It seems Boston and I may struggle to get on over the subject of sport, then.

[kataras]

1. Yes - not all but you definitely find the snobbiest French people in Paris. Whether that's pseudo-anarchist rage against america wannabe-rebels or the other side of the coin, posh society wannabes. God save you if your accent isn't perfect and you try speaking french! But I find it pretty fun to return the favour and pretend I don't understand their English either. That really winds them up :) Most French people are not like the parisiens though and as mentioned will appreciate your efforts.

I find that as well living in Paris. Some people makes this face, when you don't have a perfect French accent, like your accent just raped their ear. I always find it a bad sign when people are not used to and cannot tolerate different 'accents' of their native tongue. Overall there is a huge disconnect between their self-image of international citizens interested in 'other people's cultures' and the reality of their huge insistence on 'french culture'. Not everyone is like that but it is very prevalent in the Paris area.

Edit: And my god, for a country that's so proud to be secular, they are so conservative as a nation!

[somini]

You'd feel terrible here then. Hugging and greeting with a kiss to the cheek is quite common.

One of my biggest pet-peeves when I meet my relatives that immigrated to Venezuela. Kiss to the cheek is OK, but why do you hug me? Fiends, stop invading my personal space. Luckily they seldom come here.
EDIT:Fiends used here because it's one of my favourite words of the English language.

[El Cubo]

One of my biggest pet-peeves when I meet my relatives that immigrated to Venezuela. Kiss to the cheek is OK, but why do you hug me? Fiends, stop invading my personal space. Luckily they seldom come here.
EDIT:Fiends used here because it's one of my favourite words of the English language.

Good clarification. One might think that your relatives were drug addicts.

[Fumarole]

Good clarification. One might think that your relatives were drug addicts.

Or from hell.

[BDH]

Kiss to the cheek is OK, but why do you hug me? Fiends, stop invading my personal space.

Hugs are awesome. That is all.

[westyfield]

Hugs are awesome. That is all.

Hugs from people I like are awesome, but being vaguely related to me doesn't entitle someone to an instant promotion to the hug-tier of friendship. Especially when that someone is so old and frail I can't hug them properly for fear of crushing their ribcage, or feel like I'm the only thing keeping them upright.

As for 'bro hugs': stop it. They're not cool, it's not a way of showing everyone how tight you are with your bros whilst simultaneously maintaining your heterosexuality. It makes you look insecure and a bit douchey. Go for a firm handshake if you don't want to touch your bodies, or just go for a normal hug like a normal person.

[Nalano]

Hugs from people I like are awesome, but being vaguely related to me doesn't entitle someone to an instant promotion to the hug-tier of friendship.

If it makes you feel better, I wouldn't hug you even if you paid me.

[Althea]

I'd rather hug a cactus than most people.

[NathanH]

What's a bro hug?

[Nalano]

I'd rather hug a cactus than most people.

Yeah, but you're a known misanthrope.

What's a bro hug?

Imagine two sets of magnets. the upper set attract one another, the lower set detract. That's a bro hug.

[westyfield]

If it makes you feel better, I wouldn't hug you even if you paid me.

;_;

I'd rather hug a cactus than most people.

Aawwww! *hugs*

What's a bro hug?

Half-way between a handshake and a hug. Grasp their hand, move towards each other folding your arm up towards your opposite shoulder, use your other arm to half-hug them quickly. Only points of contact are arms and shoulders, pelvises remain apart at all times. It's the 'not gay and definitely not sexually insecure' way for two men to hug.

[Althea]

Aawwww! *hugs*

I have mace.