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-   -   Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags (http://www.travelbanter.com/showthread.php?t=30570)

zzyyxx June 27th, 2004 03:35 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and whatnot?
I'm an American who's done quite a bit of traveling in Europe in the last
couple years and haven't experienced any problems with people disliking or
being rude to me. So why do they feel the need to proclaim that they're not
American? Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents! It's kind of
insulting to me too, because they don't want to be mistaken for an American,
like there's something wrong with being American.

Cyril & Sandy Alberga June 27th, 2004 04:16 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
zzyyxx wrote:

Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and whatnot?
I'm an American who's done quite a bit of traveling in Europe in the last
couple years and haven't experienced any problems with people disliking or
being rude to me. So why do they feel the need to proclaim that they're not
American? Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents! It's kind of
insulting to me too, because they don't want to be mistaken for an American,
like there's something wrong with being American.


Have you ever considered that they might be proud to be Australian, New
Zealanders, etc.? In the past my wife and I traveled in Europe with
American flags on our backpacks, and nobody accused us of trying to
prove we weren't Canadian.


Aramis June 27th, 2004 05:35 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
No, it's the distinction from the American thing.

If your personal experience doesn't bear it out, consider yourself
fortunate. You do read the news, right?




"Cyril & Sandy Alberga" wrote in message
...
zzyyxx wrote:

Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and

whatnot?
I'm an American who's done quite a bit of traveling in Europe in the

last
couple years and haven't experienced any problems with people disliking

or
being rude to me. So why do they feel the need to proclaim that they're

not
American? Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents! It's

kind of
insulting to me too, because they don't want to be mistaken for an

American,
like there's something wrong with being American.


Have you ever considered that they might be proud to be Australian, New
Zealanders, etc.? In the past my wife and I traveled in Europe with
American flags on our backpacks, and nobody accused us of trying to
prove we weren't Canadian.




Pete June 27th, 2004 05:42 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and
whatnot?

Are you implying that only Americans can be patriotic?

Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents!


I assure you that almost no European will be able to distinguish between
the accents of Canadians & Americans. Lots of Canadians sound just
like Midwestern Americans except for the occasional difference in "out"
("oot") as in "about."


Pete



Pete June 27th, 2004 05:45 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
No, it's the distinction from the American thing.

Really? Have you interviewed a significant number of them to verify
your claim? Australians do not need a flag to separate themselves
from Americans as their accent is quite different.


Pete



Charles Hawtrey June 27th, 2004 06:07 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
Kindly do not feed the troll, we are trying to get him slim for the
summer.


zzyyxx mumbled:

Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and whatnot?
I'm an American who's done quite a bit of traveling in Europe in the last
couple years and haven't experienced any problems with people disliking or
being rude to me. So why do they feel the need to proclaim that they're not
American? Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents! It's kind of
insulting to me too, because they don't want to be mistaken for an American,
like there's something wrong with being American.


--
Bozone(n.) -- The invisible substance surrounding stupid people
that prevents smart ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer,
unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down.


zzyyxx June 27th, 2004 06:14 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
On Sun, 27 Jun 2004 04:42:20 GMT, "Pete"
wrote:
Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and

whatnot?

Are you implying that only Americans can be patriotic?


Americans *rarely* display a flag on their backpack or whatnot. It is much
more common for Canadians to do so, and even some Kiwis and Aussies.


Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents!


I assure you that almost no European will be able to distinguish between
the accents of Canadians & Americans. Lots of Canadians sound just
like Midwestern Americans except for the occasional difference in "out"
("oot") as in "about."


True. But they should be able to distinguish between American and
Kiwi/Aussie.


My Side June 27th, 2004 06:47 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 

zzyyxx wrote in message ...
Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and

whatnot?
I'm an American who's done quite a bit of traveling in Europe in the last
couple years and haven't experienced any problems with people disliking or
being rude to me. So why do they feel the need to proclaim that they're

not
American? Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents! It's

kind of
insulting to me too, because they don't want to be mistaken for an

American,
like there's something wrong with being American.


How does one spell paranoia??



Mike O'sullivan June 27th, 2004 09:36 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 

"Pete" wrote in message
link.net...
Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and

I assure you that almost no European will be able to distinguish between
the accents of Canadians & Americans. Lots of Canadians sound just
like Midwestern Americans except for the occasional difference in "out"
("oot") as in "about."


?? That vowel sound is nothing like that!



Alan June 27th, 2004 09:42 AM

Canadians, Kiwis, Aussies and their flags
 
On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 22:35:07 -0400, zzyyxx wrote:

Why do they insist on putting their flags onto their backpacks and whatnot?
I'm an American who's done quite a bit of traveling in Europe in the last
couple years and haven't experienced any problems with people disliking or
being rude to me. So why do they feel the need to proclaim that they're not
American? Like you wouldn't be able to tell from their accents! It's kind of
insulting to me too, because they don't want to be mistaken for an American,
like there's something wrong with being American.


This will probably surprise you, but the rest of the world has ways of
defining their nations other than as "non-American".

Just maybe they're proclaiming a country they're proud of? Rather than
defining which one they aren't from. My green-and-gold cap with the
kangaroo-and-emu coat of arms started lots of conversations last year;
all were about Australia, the US wasn't mentioned. That was at the
height of the Iraq war.

Most of the Europeans knew we were in it and weren't interested in
discussing that.

Incidentally, very few of the Americans, when we travelled there last
March, were even aware we were in Iraq, but then most of them were
confused as to our location; a few complimented us on our english and
asked what it was like to live between Hungary and Germany. I wore my
cap there too:-)


Cheers, Alan
--


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