Any nations/pairings - Cultural Mistranslations
anonymous
August 15 2010, 02:31:50 UTC
I just got my textbook for my upcoming Anthropology class, and I had a blast reading through all the stories in it about cultural misunderstandings between people from different countries.
So I'd love to see APH nations having the same kind of hilarious misunderstandings based on cultural differences, preferably when they're just starting to get to know one another. They can be any combination of nations, any pairings or just gen/friendships, etc., so long as it's funny and light-hearted.
Re: Vignettes of two cultures. [1b/1]
anonymous
August 21 2010, 22:51:10 UTC
Not!OP
I love this! I studied British English and I learnt your vocabulary only to find out that people in the US speak different, which was very confusing and frustrated.
The ground floor/first floor thing actually happened to me when I was working in an American company XD
Re: Vignettes of two cultures. [1b/1]
anonymous
August 22 2010, 00:19:50 UTC
Ahahaha, I can honestly say that the floor, cookie, and dinner misunderstandings would have caught me if I went to the UK.
And the "fag" joke showed up on an episode of Clerks: The Animated Series. "Pack of fags?" "You're a fag." "It's a cigarette, mate." "I'm not your mate, fag."
Re: Vignettes of two cultures. [1b/1]
anonymous
August 22 2010, 01:03:12 UTC
American reader is incomprehensibly proud to say she knew every one of these. :D For some reason I have a decent command of English terms despite having never so much as flown over the UK...
I knew most of these thanks to reading so many US/UK fics, though not all of them. (I never even heard about the 'twat' one until now!) Reading this was an enjoyable and informative experience; thanks a lot for filling, British anon!
Author!anon
anonymous
August 22 2010, 02:11:58 UTC
Ah, it's no problem! I'd love to do some more, because as soon as I finished these a load more topics came into my head. I'd love to do some more of these, if given the chance. xD It's amusing to sit back and see so many differences between two nations that are SUPPOSEDLY similar, but not.
Re: Vignettes of two cultures. [1b/1]
anonymous
August 22 2010, 08:09:59 UTC
Fellow British Anon praises you handsomely for this~. I've noticed the exact same things talking to my American mates @_@... It's fun listening to the cultural differences xD.
*Tries to think of more*. English pints are a quarter bigger than American pints... 20 fluid ounces as opposed to 16. ...xD That's all.
I think you've got all of the main ones I've noticed x3. Kudos to you, love~.
All the main ones? Unfortunately as I wrote up the topics and finished these drabbles about a dozen more things came up that I could write. @___@ Only yesterday I had two revelations which I should write up with some more (that I practically DIED at realising, it was horrible) if I get the chance.
Yeahhh, a pint is slightly bigger than a litre too, looking at EU terms. We like our drinks biiig. xD;
Re: Vignettes of two cultures. [1b/1]
anonymous
August 22 2010, 10:44:38 UTC
Asian!anon realise after this that lots of asian countries would understand England more than America. XD Really, America, of course you have to go up the stairs to get to 1st floor.
Re: Vignettes of two cultures. [1b/1]
anonymous
August 22 2010, 21:00:28 UTC
American!anon is proud she knew most of these, although the 'twat' one threw me for a loop. And not because of what you might think... XD I've only ever heard the term used as an insult meaning 'idiot', I didn't even know it was another word for vagina...
Although the tea/dinner thing did throw me off, I was like ...wut? Dinner at lunchtime? But you eat lunch at lunchtime! XDDDD
NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY MY ENGLISH FRIENDS WERE LIKE 'I had suchandsuchfood at tea today!"
Author!Anon
anonymous
August 22 2010, 21:07:56 UTC
See, the twat thing threw me right off too, because I'd only found this out when I actually joined the first hetalia chatroom I decided to pop my head in. Now no one takes me seriously. xD
Also helps explain the customs/culture of tea in the United Kingdom on a /much/ more common level - I never get it when Americans go all "OMGOSH TEA HAVE YOU TRIED THIS AND THIS AND THIS?" at me. Hey, it's JUST tea. Seriously. xD
Re: Vignettes of two cultures. [1b/1]
anonymous
August 23 2010, 04:54:49 UTC
Haha! AmericanAnon enjoyed this thoroughly! And I actually knew about the "twat" thing. xD "Fanny" threw me off though :]
Lolz at the floor thing. xD Never would've gotten that one. (The first floor is the first floor you encounter when you enter the building :| LOL ) (In some American buildings, the elevator buttons will just go from Lobby to 2 HAHA)
Comparing two cultures with the same language and a bit of shared history is always fun. Hetalia just adds to the epicness. And good fillers are like the cherries on top ♥
So I'd love to see APH nations having the same kind of hilarious misunderstandings based on cultural differences, preferably when they're just starting to get to know one another. They can be any combination of nations, any pairings or just gen/friendships, etc., so long as it's funny and light-hearted.
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---i. cookie ( ... )
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He’s late. He’s late and I hope he knows it.
When the room to the door finally opens, he looks breathless.
“Where were you?”
“.. Got lost.”
I look about for a moment. I glance out of the window.
“… Alfred, we’re only on the first floor.”
His suitcase drops, and he flails.
“That’s what I didn’t get! How can we be on the first floor when you have to go up some stairs ( ... )
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I love this! I studied British English and I learnt your vocabulary only to find out that people in the US speak different, which was very confusing and frustrated.
The ground floor/first floor thing actually happened to me when I was working in an American company XD
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And the "fag" joke showed up on an episode of Clerks: The Animated Series.
"Pack of fags?"
"You're a fag."
"It's a cigarette, mate."
"I'm not your mate, fag."
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oh yes, and the fill was excellent. :)
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lol now I know why America refers to his English as 'Americanese'
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*Tries to think of more*. English pints are a quarter bigger than American pints... 20 fluid ounces as opposed to 16. ...xD That's all.
I think you've got all of the main ones I've noticed x3. Kudos to you, love~.
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Yeahhh, a pint is slightly bigger than a litre too, looking at EU terms. We like our drinks biiig. xD;
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XD
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Although the tea/dinner thing did throw me off, I was like ...wut? Dinner at lunchtime? But you eat lunch at lunchtime! XDDDD
NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY MY ENGLISH FRIENDS WERE LIKE 'I had suchandsuchfood at tea today!"
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And as for the tea thing, this article helps explain why we call it tea here - http://www.expatify.com/united-kingdom/british-tea-drinking-explained.html
Also helps explain the customs/culture of tea in the United Kingdom on a /much/ more common level - I never get it when Americans go all "OMGOSH TEA HAVE YOU TRIED THIS AND THIS AND THIS?" at me. Hey, it's JUST tea. Seriously. xD
Thanks for the comment. Yay for education!
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And I actually knew about the "twat" thing. xD "Fanny" threw me off though :]
Lolz at the floor thing. xD Never would've gotten that one. (The first floor is the first floor you encounter when you enter the building :| LOL )
(In some American buildings, the elevator buttons will just go from Lobby to 2 HAHA)
Comparing two cultures with the same language and a bit of shared history is always fun. Hetalia just adds to the epicness. And good fillers are like the cherries on top ♥
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