Korean Job Discussion Forums

[myenglishisno]

This isn't a stupid question. I have noticed some differences between Americans and Canadians in my travels, despite the two being more similar to one another than to the other seven countries. As a friend of mine says, the differences between Canucks and Yanks are subtle but numerous and in some ways, deep.

I know that the two countries are highly regional but has anyone noticed some general differences between Canadians and Americans, despite the stereotypical "Canadians are more polite" and "Americans are loud and make lousy tourists"? I don't find those to be true.

Some differences that I've noticed while thinking about the hundred or so American English teachers I've met:

-Americans get A LOT louder on the phone. I've tried pointing this out to them to no avail.

-They can be really proud of their home region, their local foods and their local culture moreso than Canadians are. Americans can actually be patriotic while Canadians... not so much (though I admit that I do feel more patriotic here than back home).

-Americans can have very different political/social beliefs.

-There is a higher instance of religious belief. I think less than one in ten Canadians that I meet identify with being in the least bit religious where with Americans it feels more like one in four, especially if you meet a group of soldiers (feels like 80-90%).

There are more too but I'm not entirely sure about them and don't feel comfortable saying them.

Don't take this too seriously. These are MY observations, not statistics. There actually isn't a lot about this on the internet and I've always been curious about it.

If someone wants to break it down into regional differences and what US regions are comparable to what Canadian regions, that would be awesome and really interesting.

[young_clinton]

Exactly where is Canada?

[Kuros]

[myenglishisno]

[InDaGu]

Most Canadians I have met over the last decade suffer from an inferiority complex. I'm not saying they are inferior, only that they act that way. Anytime I end up in a conversation with a Canadian, they have to tell me something "great" about Canada, or something about Canada that is better than America, whether it is relevant to the conversation or not.

Frankly, I feel like I am listening to a commercial for the Canadian Tourism Board anytime I try to talk to one of them.

[Mariella713]

I cannot tell the difference between Americans and Canadians.

[travel zen]

Americans can take politics far more seriously (for better or worse) than Canadians.

I find many Americans tend to think they are part of history, even if it was 300 years ago. 'We' did this, and 'we' did that.

Americans can stand on their patriotism, giving themselves and ego boost.

I find that Americans take race and 'race relations' to a new and ancient level They can be far more racist and 'ignant' than Canadians that are racist and ignant. This goes for black and white and asian Americans.

Some Americans can be used to the segregation of so many of their cities into rich and ghetto, privileged and neglected, etc. Canadians can pontificate for days about this.... lol

[Kuros]

[Jane]

I have a hard time stereotyping Canadians vs Americans. Why? Geography plays a more important part of distinction than does geopolitical lines.

Essentially by grouping people who live in the States into one category, your saying that Californians, Southern, bible belt, Northwesterns, etc. are 'similar'. I beg to differ.

As far as Canada goes, West vs Central vs East vs North would be a better way to divide up the country in terms of culture and perpective.

Sure, Canada and the US has similar media, language and pop culture, but I think that's as far the similarities go among these regional groups. Otherwise, it's unwise to draw comparisons.

[cj1976]

Mayo/cheese on french fries. That's all I've noticed.

[young_clinton]

[johnnyrook]

[shifter2009]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

[eamo]

The only difference I notice is in their sports conversations (Canadians only talk about hockey, Americans have a couple more sports to talk about) and the brands of awful light beer they consume with inexplicable gusto.