the unquiet Americans

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in my experience, people from the USA talk in louder voices than people from the UK or Ireland. Is this generally the case? And if so, why?

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

because we have better things to say and we're more important. duh.

― colette (a2lette), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

the scottish are the loudest people i have met in my life.

― dyson (dyson), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Have you ever talked to Italians? They are quite loud.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

here on campus the central americans are by far the loudest.

― Felcher (Felcher), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Nearly everywhere you go in NYC is louder than necessary, causing us to talk louder than necessary.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

We had this discussion before, I believe. Many people came to the conclusion that Americans need to shout because of all the space we have.

Yippie-ti-yi-YO!!!

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)

We have loads of space in Canada but we're not hollerin'...

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I can barely hear Irish people. It's like a dog whistle or something. My Irish buddy John describes Americans as such:

"You can tell an American easy... they're the ones watching CNN for hours at a time..."

― andy, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay - you got me. It's because we're all arrogant and domineering.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't talk loud. I'm really quiet!

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm loud, but only because too many people have yelled at me, 'speak up, I can't hear you!'

Maybe the real reason is that there is an epidemic of deafness in the U.S.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

have you never met an Australian? Holy god those people shout.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Do other countries have music piped in just about everywhere (stores, malls, restaurants, supermarkets, one particularly annoying "new urban" commons)? We Americans have to speak up to be heard over such background noise.

― j.lu (j.lu), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

too much of that rock n roll music.

― Felcher (Felcher), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I only get loud when I say, "How much is that in REAL money?!!"

― andy, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

vietnamese people have to be the loudest people i've ever encountered.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll second the Viet thing... I live in a Vietnamese / Chinese neighborhood, and I always think they're in some intense blood feud, shouting and gesturing, but then they'll smile and wave goodbye. It's "extreme conversing"...

― andy, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe the real reason is that there is an epidemic of deafness in the U.S.

It could be! I know that the main reason my voice gets pretty loud is because my father is almost completely deaf thanks to tinnitus so the only way for him to hear anything is to almost shout what you're saying. I do try and keep my voice pretty quiet most of the time.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

My father has long had the same problem. You really have to shout at him. I think it may come from spending too much time in noisy machine shops.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe the real reason is that there is an epidemic of deafness in the U.S.

Yeah, I always find myself having to repeat what I'm saying, which is annoying because the things people ask me to repeat usually aren't worth slowing down the conversation to say again. And if I say "ah, nothing" the other person gets paranoid.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

my careful analysis has yielded the result as follows: drunk people are loud

― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

i hate that with a passion, jody.

― Fell This Boy (Felcher), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Here is another theory, based on my own personal experience. The U.S. is so culturally confused - different accents, etc. - that you have to speak loudly to make sure you are understood.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

people wearing headphones are loud.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

j.lu - go to the u.k. "background" music in malls etc. is offensive loud¡ you'd be surprised.

― dyson (dyson), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

americans are definitely much louder on their mobiles than europeans. this might have something to do with clarity of signal rather than just rudeness, since cell phones here all fucking suck, but the one's I've used in the UK sounded great.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

God, Americans are loud. And they talk with SUCH WEIRD ACCENTS. I mean, what is UP with that?

― The River Kate (kate), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:15 (twenty-two years ago)

i do not think americans are louder than other people in general, at least in my experience

in certain contexts americans stand out for me because im american and hone in on the accent and language

but i hear lots of europeans here who are talking very loud in different contexts

― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

tourists, no matter where they are from, are always really loud. i think they must be overcompensating. like they need to assert their right to speak their own language or something.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

See, that's the thing. I haven't noticed that tourists coming to the U.S. are particularly loud. That's how I perceive Americans as louder.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

and i've noticed tourists from everywhere in the world being loud in the u.s. but i think i just figured out that it's a tourist-specific behavior.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

nu-metal singers are pretty loud (whether on tour or in rehearsal).

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe it's cuz i lived and worked in philadelphia and they were always in packs.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

My dulcet tones work on all volumes (this is not necessarily true).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

You west coast folk seem much more quiet to me.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Dude.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I like Southerners, they are the least loud Americans.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Dirtiest, though

― paulhw (paulhw), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Clearly DV has never heard a southern preacher.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

The loudness started in my family with this scenario...

Mom: Nick, go tell your sisters that dinner is ready. (They are upstairs.)
Nick: (from the bottom of the stairs) DINNER!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 20:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I have little volume control, that's why.

― Kingfish Funyun (Kingfish), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 21:42 (twenty-two years ago)

The U.S. is so culturally confused - different accents, etc.

Yes, we don't have those over here.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, I really am that stupid.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Apparently, none of you had a Greek upbringing.... my Greek side of the family is genetically high volume. My Canadian half is the opposite. So, I think I'm balanced out... (except when I'm drunk.)

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

donutus bitchopolis

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)

its from all the guns we shoot & batman comics and the auto factories what?

― kephm, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:19 (twenty-two years ago)

So: Americans - rude asses or what? They must be all the same and all more rude than Europeans - except those southerners, who are never loud. This makes much more sense when you consider that immigration rates, internal regional differences, etc. are dramatically lower in the United States than those in Europe. Americans on this board are presumed to be stupid and deserve to be treated with disrespect - yes, even bleeding heart left-wingers who have immigrant grandparents and who have been overseas - yea, even London, that bastion of alleged European 'diversity'.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Now I have no idea what level of irony this is working on and I feel bad for being sarky above.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Kerry can't be ironic as she's an American and we don't anything about that.

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:42 (twenty-two years ago)

see also: the Quebecois in Florida

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:26 (twenty-two years ago)

see also: the quebecois anywhere outside of quebec.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

don't KNOW anything

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think it's the volume at which most Americans talk that is annoying, but rather the speed. Most of my friends and acquantances (being Australian) talk quite fast in comparison to most people I've met from the USA. This makes the speaker seem like they're speaking slowly for emphasis, and giving gravity to mundane and banal conversation. Thus, they seem annoying and twattish.

― Andrew (enneff), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Nah, that was just me.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I was actually considering putting in this disclaimer: "Ned, you were neither annoying or twattish." I guess I should have.

― Andrew (enneff), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:49 (twenty-two years ago)

;-) Fret not!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:49 (twenty-two years ago)

The Chinese are loud because they like others to know that they are the ones footing the bill.

I am Chinese + American uhoh!

― Leee Majors (Leee), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Leee, keep it down!!

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:50 (twenty-two years ago)

The Chinese are loud because they like others to know that they are the ones footing the bill.

Who needs modesty, if you've got the cash?;>

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:53 (twenty-two years ago)

BLING IT ON

― Leee Majors (Leee), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah whenever I talk to Ned I'm like "dude IN THIS LIFETIME, OKAY??!"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 29 January 2004 01:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, see, I am contemplative and measure my words.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 29 January 2004 02:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I ride the Heathrow bound tube every morning so I observe tourists a lot. I think, when people are being loud, that the Spanish/Italians/Eastern Europeans are by far the loudest. Especially when on mobile phones. I think this is because they aren't embarrased of being overheard becaues they are speaking a different language.

This morning there were at least 2 americans/canadians and 2 east europeans on the train. However, the loudest people were 2 british girls talking about bone marrow, and the 5 schoolboys engaged in horseplay.

I think most people only notice loudness or get annoyed when it is not in an accent you hear all the time - also most people only notice loud tourists, this does not mean that all tourists are loud.

― marianna, Thursday, 29 January 2004 10:41 (twenty-two years ago)

WHAT//CAN YOU HEAR ME??? AM I YET ANNOYING/TWATTISH? GOD, I HOPE SO!

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 29 January 2004 10:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree that gangs of young Spaniards in London are often top volume. Often on the top deck of a bus in NE London.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 29 January 2004 11:43 (twenty-two years ago)

N., don't worry about being 'sarky' - it was just a misunderstanding and I'm sorry I got upset.

Anyway, to clarify what I said, my college French professor used to complain that Chicagoans spoke English 'trop vite' - I'm guessing that is why some of us are loud. I make a lot of business calls to other places in the US (and sometimes to foreigners) - I forget I have an accent, and people are always saying that they don't understand me, which usually results in my slowwwwing down and amplifying my voice. So, I'm self-conscious about being 'loud', but I when I try to tone it down, I get the complaints that I'm not understood.

Also, in my neighborhood, there are a lot of different accents, so sometimes you have to make an effort to be understood. I'm not saying the loud voice thing is true for everyone in the US, but this has a lot to do with why I feel I have to project sometimes.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 29 January 2004 16:40 (twenty-two years ago)

But does talking more loudly really help when people have differing accents?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 29 January 2004 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I love how annoyed americans get if you say you like Southerners the best.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 29 January 2004 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

why? because they got a way with their words and they show it?

― Kingfish Funyun (Kingfish), Thursday, 29 January 2004 19:50 (twenty-two years ago)

ooh, baby needs some brand new shoes...

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 29 January 2004 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I will find this under "predictable anti-american sentiment thinly veiled as inquisitive british thread."

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I love how annoyed americans get if you say you like Southerners the best.

...because you're stereotyping?

― Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:35 (twenty-two years ago)

but we *are* the best. we especially bloom when transplanted, by comparison.
i have a theory--it is because those of us from traditional Southern families are taught different values and assumptions about life that those who are from other families, who may or may not get that. yes, this is a generalization, but one based on life experience as a Southern girl.

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:37 (twenty-two years ago)

We Northerners prefer not to drag minorities behind pickups!

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

perhaps southerners are taught that they are the best then? and that is why non-southerners do not like them?

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:42 (twenty-two years ago)

That was *so* predictable! No, there is no racism in the North, or the West, no no no! C'mon get with the program!

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I wasn't aware that non-southerners did not like Southerners--only that they arrogantly apply stereotypes to them.

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:43 (twenty-two years ago)

There's some room in between the magnitude of southern racism and no racism at all.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I wasn't aware that non-southerners did not like Southerners--only that they arrogantly apply stereotypes to them.

Well it is largely true, you should look into it - there is some truth to a lot of those stereotypes.

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

This is a stereotype, and historically incorrect. Just because the North outlawed slavery a few years before the South doesn't mean there was not segregation and racism in the North. Yes, slavery did have a violent legacy. But let's bring it forward to the times we live in now. Black churches were burned in the North as well as the South. The racism of the LAPD towards blacks rivals anything in the South, and the burning of the Philadelphia projects was a crime that was horrifying.

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Dean- Are sterotypes about Northerner true? That they are pushy, rude, arrogant, socially inept know-it-alls etc etc?

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not talking about whites v. blacks; that's Jon's thing. I'm talking about southerners. If there is a region that is the most made light of in the US, it is by far the South.

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

and Polish jokes were the "in thing" when I was a kid. So?!!

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I was referring to this I wasn't aware that non-southerners did not like Southerners. This has nothing to do with the Polish.

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah i forgot the xpost on that other, dean--sorry

Haha! Yes it does. Who it is fashionable to make fun of depends on:
1. Who is making the fun
2. What year it is

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

My grandma told me there used to be signs up that said "Irish and Negros need not apply" in Massachusetts.

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

xpost

1. Obv.
2. I wouldn't say it is merely a 'yearly' thing. It's a big more longlasting than that, but yes to an extent you're right.

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I love Southerners! Possibly like them better than Northerners (if i were forced to make such a wide generalisation)(also, I agree with you Orbit re: racism, though maybe Southerners are a bit less likely to hide it?)

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks. You may now buy me a martini ;-)
above-xpost to dean

Oops-I dunno, I've seen some pretty unhidden racism all over the place. I think its easy for the rest of the country to absolve it's conscience by making the South a scapegoat for what now happens all over.

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Jon they had those signs in other places and they often included Italians as well (aside: my cousin changed his name from a very Italian sounding one to a Anglo-Saxon one so he wouldn't get discriminated against in his military career. Pretty stupid if you ask me: is there really prejudice against Eye-talians in this day and age??)

xpost that's seems very true orbit

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Oops, we can have martinis also ;-)

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 20:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know if you're statement warrants me buying you anything. Maybe just a pat on the back for the use of common sense...

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm from the most Italian city in the Northeast, so I never see it.

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Thursday, 29 January 2004 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

it's some of that Southern charm, Dean. Said with a twinkle in the eye and a bit of a smile.

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.btinternet.com/~nigelspencer/other-country-pics/india/snake-charm-1.jpg

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 29 January 2004 21:05 (twenty-two years ago)

actually becoming philoshopical, that is exactly the thing that most frustrates me about online communication. no twinkle in the eye, no smile that says "i'm giving you shit in a good natured way, i will give you pie later".

― Orbit (Orbit), Thursday, 29 January 2004 21:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I like southerners, too, or at least the type of southerners you're talking about - don't get me wrong. There are likeable qualities to be found in every reason of the U.S. But fer chrissakes, my family just got here, and now I find that I'm on the 'wrong' side of the Mason-Dixon line?

Sheesh.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Thursday, 29 January 2004 21:22 (twenty-two years ago)

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