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You're my countryman...but not my friend

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    You're my countryman...but not my friend

    So just last night I was at the bar with my friend from Naples and we realised that a girl at a table near to ours - she was with other Europeans - had said something in Italian. He had heard this too and as we had been exchanging the odd comment previously with these people I thought he might want to say hello, however briefly. But he was very reluctant to do so - " her accent is from the north of Italy" he told me...In his defence he did say that not all northern Italians were facists etc. (but still...)

    So me, being a person who tries to speak to everyone despite their political or religious or whatever beliefs, thought that he was - maybe due to the copious wines we had downed - was being a bit of an arse. There are no doubt people from the north of Italy who hate all things connected with the right wing parties there, as there will be southern folk who dearly wished they lived further north.

    In Germany, many people are very negative about the Bavarians. This includes many people from Baden-Wüttemburg, where my partner comes from. That said, I think that most Germans rub along pretty well most of the time. Maybe most nations do. Apart from the obvious candidates (wars and so on) which ones don't?

    Another question I ask myself is this: what is, or would be the relationship between a shopworker from Alabama and one from Boston? Are they on the same wavelength, do they have the same worries etc.? I suppose the answer should be in the affirmative, but I wonder at the same time just how much countries are dividied along political, racial, economic etc. lines. I read recently Paul Theroux's book on his travels in the southern states of the US and although the book itself is pretty repetitious one thing which came across is the immense differences between the north and the south of the country.

    I don't see much inter-country conflict in nations such as Japan or Croatia or Sweden. These are just examples and I could well be wrong.

    Any opinions, put-downs etc. gratefully received and read.

    #2
    I think that most Japanese don't like the people from one of the islands (Honshu?) where the residents are Ainu (the hairy Ainu?) in a sort of "lower-caste" way.

    This of course might be bollocks.

    From a personal POV, I would slate people from pretty much everywhere in Britain, but would get on with most people individually. Depending on them not being a total cunt.

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      #3
      My stepmother-in-law, and her daughters and, even, her step-daughter, thinks everybody in Sweden who doesn't come from Stockholm is a carrot-crunching, shitty-gumboot-wearing yokel twat. I think she's even said that to me, in English.

      In fact, every Swede who doesn't come from Bromma - the bit of Stockholm she comes from - is, in her eyes, a "cunt". I'm almost certain she's said as such to me, in Swedish, German and English.

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        #4
        Most of the English seem to reserve their scorn for those situated nearest to them (and this isn't just a football thing), for example Birmingham/Black Country, Yorkshire/Lancashire, Devon/Cornwall (it's still a fucking scone with jam and cream you daft cunts), but every single person to a man who doesn't live in the capital thinks that all Londoners are a bunch of Gor blimey guvnor gawd bless 'er Majesty thumbs behind the lapels of their sparkly suit havin' a knees-up dahn the market still not shutting up about the blitz stuck in traffic jellied eels racist cabbies flat beer for ten quid a pint middle class gentrifying sucking the life out of the rest of us looking down on the rest of the country gobshite wankers.

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          #5
          I was driving behind a 4x4 with a "LEAVE MEANS LEAVE" sticker in the window today. And I thought to myself "I wish everyone with that sticker would fucking leave!"

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            #6
            We were watching the England/Scotland match in 1996 in a pub in Chiswick with a group of Welsh mates and the rest of the pub was half Scottish, half English. One of my mates introduced me to someone from Porthcawl and, obviously, I was very interested as he came from my hometown and struck up a conversation. During the match, he kicked off with some England supporters and got kicked out (and, almost, us) while we and the Scottish supporters looked on. After that and experience growing up, I decided that, if I met anyone that came from my hometown, I would try not to mention where I came from and give them a wide berth until I have ascertained whether they are a nutter or not. The further away that they have grown up from me, I am more likely to trust them.

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              #7
              Originally posted by Sporting View Post
              So just last night I was at the bar with my friend from Naples and we realised that a girl at a table near to ours - she was with other Europeans - had said something in Italian. He had heard this too and as we had been exchanging the odd comment previously with these people I thought he might want to say hello, however briefly.
              Say hello because they're both Italian? Is that something people do? It would never occur to me to strike up conversation with random French people I overhear, and I would rather they didn't either to be honest.

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                #8
                Originally posted by Fussbudget View Post
                Say hello because they're both Italian? Is that something people do? It would never occur to me to strike up conversation with random French people I overhear, and I would rather they didn't either to be honest.
                My friend quite likes these random encounters, even if you (and I!) don't.

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                  #9
                  As an introvert I wouldn't want to say hi even if they were from just down the road.

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                    #10
                    Well, as an Englishman, I'd be happy to chat with another person from England..... as long as we had been properly introduced of course.

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by Sporting View Post
                      Another question I ask myself is this: what is, or would be the relationship between a shopworker from Alabama and one from Boston? Are they on the same wavelength, do they have the same worries etc.? I suppose the answer should be in the affirmative, but I wonder at the same time just how much countries are dividied along political, racial, economic etc. lines. I read recently Paul Theroux's book on his travels in the southern states of the US and although the book itself is pretty repetitious one thing which came across is the immense differences between the north and the south of the country.
                      People from the South tend to talk to everyone. They are super-friendly and can be nosy and intrusive with their questions ("So, what do you do?" "Where do you live?" "Where are you going?", etc.). People from the Northeast tend to be the opposite of that ("Hey, 'sup?"--end of conversation). It's more complicated than that, of course, but in general, if I hear a Southern accent when outside of the country, I would not go out of my way to say hello. If I heard a Boston accent, I probably would because I would feel connected to them (because I lived in Boston). Yes, I also lived in the South, and that is the reason I know I probably wouldn't have much in common with Southern Accent Person.

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                        #12
                        As an Englishman abroad, I find other English ex-pats to be almost completely insufferable and generally would rather talk to anyone else, unless this person wanted to talk about spin options for the England test team. Ideally, though, I'd not want to get far enough in a conversation to find out. Unfortunately, there are people who seem to think that because I'm English the thing I'd be most excited about is talking to another English person, so I keep getting introduced. And once they've done me that "favour", it would be rude to point out that one of the reasons I live somewhere other than England are English people.

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                          #13
                          "Oh, you're from ____? I know someone who lives near you who is also from _____. I should introduce you."

                          "Um, no thanks, I'm good."

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                            #14
                            "You're from South Africa? I knew a guy from Ghana once. You might know him."

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                              #15
                              I have lived in a few different states in the US, Virginia, West Virginia, New Mexico, Missouri and North Carolina and I've visited most of the rest. I agree with FF's take, Southerners can be super friendly and super nosy.

                              A thing I hear a lot is "I love your accent. Where are you from? London? Are you a Chelsea supporter?" I don't usually say that I was only raised in England and that I was born in Scotland. It tends to cause confusion. And as for being a Chelsea fan, no point in mentioning Notts County...

                              I try to avoid other ex pat Brits. They always want to know how long I've lived here, why I moved here, will I go back ad nauseum. There is no point in saying that I married a lovely American lady, that I built a career here, that America taught me to barbecue and fish. They don't get it.

                              If I'm introduced to another Brit, which happens often, I am polite but look for reasons to be elsewhere. "He/She is from Birmingham. You ever been there?" This is usually followed by a little small talk and me making my excuses.

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                                #16
                                There's certainly differences in the UK, some based on regions and accents - although probable less so than in the past. I remember at school we were made to watch a video about equality (in a 25 years ago context) that featured a kid from Liverpool moving away and having to cope with being called a Scouser. Maybe that was Harry Enfield's fault.

                                Today, obviously Brexit and it's sundry causes are a major cause of these differences, along with (or including) residual elements of class system. And it's fair to say that some parts of the country are very different to others - radiating outwards from London as a consequence of the Tories' Second Harrying.

                                So, someone from Bradford might have no desire to mix with someone like me from the south east, and vice-versa.

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                                  #17
                                  Kerry folk generally get on fine with our fellow Munster counties, but Dubs and any of Ulster's nine counties are generally anathema (apart from Donegal, mind you).

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                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by Diable Rouge View Post
                                    Kerry folk generally get on fine with our fellow Munster counties, but Dubs and any of Ulster's nine counties are generally anathema (apart from Donegal, mind you).
                                    Very harsh Diable, as a Dub I can say I get on fine with a number of Kerry people and I visit the Kingdom regularly.

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                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by adams house cat View Post
                                      A thing I hear a lot is "I love your accent. Where are you from? London? Are you a Chelsea supporter?" I don't usually say that I was only raised in England and that I was born in Scotland. It tends to cause confusion. And as for being a Chelsea fan, no point in mentioning Notts County...
                                      Hahaha! Yes.

                                      "Oh! You're English. What team do you support?"
                                      "Oxford United"
                                      "Er... What division are they in/where are they?/I don't know them"
                                      *Politely mention that they're not very good, self-deprecating comment...*
                                      "So, what do you think about blah blah moneybags team blah player I don't know just bought for several tens of millions blah blah tune it out..."
                                      My mental response being "I don't know, and I don't fucking care", my actual response being a politer version of the same thing

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                                        #20
                                        And as for being a Chelsea fan, no point in mentioning Notts County...

                                        If only there was something unique about Notts County that might impress someone....

                                        I can't imagine not talking to someone based on where in ireland they're from. there are nice people, and dickheads from every part of the country.

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                                          #21
                                          The other Englishman at my company is doing a pretty damn good job of making never want to talk to anyone from Lincolnshire ever again.
                                          Aside from that, I do find that I tend to avoid the English over here, and I'm not entirely sure why, particularly as, afore-mentioned co-worker aside, I haven't really had a bad experience with any of them. It is quite tiresome when others (Americans, generally) try to get you to interact with other Brits purely on the basis of national origin, though.

                                          As an aside:

                                          Originally posted by SouthdownRebel View Post
                                          ...residual elements of class system.
                                          I'm not sure that it's particularly residual, to me it still seems like a toxic miasma that permeates every aspect of British life, but I don't live over there anymore so might not have an accurate perspective.

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                                            #22
                                            I do still live here, so it's entirely possible I'm the one lacking an accurate perspective.

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                                              #23
                                              I refuse to talk to anyone who doesn't have an M1 postcode.

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                                                #24
                                                How do you establish this without entering into conversation?

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                                                  #25
                                                  I must be some sort of hippy. Will talk to anyone, me. Obviously with some it quickly becomes apparent they are bores or twats, and I slink off (and vice versa, no doubt).

                                                  When I was living in the US many moons ago, my Estuary lilt was often mistaken for Aussie, so I’d be introduced to people from Sydney etc by well-meaning intermediaries. Usually by the ones who persisted in calling me Jim even after I’d put them right and told them I’m a James. Still, met some nice Aussie folk that way.

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