Yeah, I get it.
And South Americans? Central Americans?
I wonder how many of âus guysâ , compared to groups in other countries, feel more hyphenated than not.
If itâs cheese from a Trader Joeâs, or Safeway-type of store, it often isnât cheese.
Potato starch, cellulose, and natamycin (âmold-inhibtorâ) often make an appearance.
Itâs all about the shelf-life, innit. Food, begone.
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
49
It is.
But a definition of âFrenchâ, âMalteseâ, âCroatianâ or âBritishâ comes easily to me. I generally try to use âNorth Americanâ, unless I want to make a distinction from âCanadianâ. But, I suspect most Britons (me included) will generally think of âAmericanâ as meaning the USA as, indeed, the thread title implies,as do most most responses to the thread.
I appreciate what youâre trying to get at but the politics of indigeneity in the Americas is a bit more complicated, especially in creating a distinction between Mayans and Guatemalans. There is use in recognising the ways indigenous groups across the Americans do not confirm always to the borders imposed by colonisation but this distinction also risks further absenting people of Mayan descent from participation in an operating nation state. And creating a clear line between indigenous and criollo (those descended from the European colonisers) communities erases mestizaje existence.
So yes, but as always, things are a bit complicated,
No need to respond. This might really be taking us OT.
If you see Canadians in the UK or anywhere else wearing little maple flags tacked onto their backpacks or lapels, itâs because they want to be clear that they are not Americans.
Itâs similar mindset to how the Austrians feel when theyâre taken for Germans, or NZ feel when theyâre taken for Australians.
Itâs not quite the same as English vs Scottish vs Welsh vs N I, but the feeling of being mistaken for a bigger bolder neighbour who has more power and more money might be similar.
Some Canadians have bought into a rumour that theyâll be treated better abroad if locals donât think theyâre Americans. I havenât found that to be the case. I find there is some silent hostility to English speakers in general when travelling to non-English speaking countries, so I tend to keep my English language chatter down, learn a few words of the local language if I can , be polite and not talk too much about where I come from. Some countriesâ taxi drivers seem to tack on a tax for people who speak English in their taxis, so keeping your mouth shut and hiding your English speaking country of residence to the best of your ability can be the cheaper way to travel!
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
56
I recently read a comment that Canadians are unarmed Americans with health care. Discuss.
By the by, in the years before regional English accents became more widely known in North America, from TV programmes, it was not unusual to be asked by Americans if I was a New Zealander. And once by a Canadian if I was Scottish. FWIW, my Mancunian accent is nothing like a Scottish or Kiwi one.
I have a hard time telling the difference between South Africans, New Zealanders and Australians sometimes.
I also upset my friendâs dad when I told him he sounded like a Beatle. He was from Manchester, not Liverpool.
Most Canadians, unless they have British relatives- probably wonât detect the differences between Scottish and Mancunian accents. Many have trouble telling the difference between Irish and Scottish accents, as well.
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
59
I suspect that âupsetâ may have been an understatement. LOL. Our two cities, only 35 miles apart, have had rivalry for a couple of centuries. It was such that, to avoid having to trade with Liverpool merchants, Manchester merchants paid for the Manchester Ship Canal to be built. It meant ships could sail direct to Manchester avoiding the Port of Liverpool. That was at the time when there were "Manchester Men " and âLiverpool Gentlemenâ. Now the rivalry is pretty much restricted to football - although supporters of both Scouse and both Manc teams agree that we hate Leeds and most London clubs.
On the other side of the accent coin, I used to be a volunteer at our local hospital, working on the âmeet & greetâ information desk. One day, guy comes in asking for directions. Very distinctive accent, I thought. Which part of Canada are you from, I ask, expecting a comment about my prowess in spotting his accent. Iâm American, he replies.
Good to know the background.
Iâve watched 2 Amazon shows in the past week that were heavy on the Liverpool connection, after watching all the Vera with her Newcastle environs and I should really balance them out with some Mancunian detective shows.
food. Food of North America is broader. 
Some countriesâ taxi drivers seem to tack on a tax for people who speak English in their taxis, so keeping your mouth shut and hiding your English speaking country of residence to the best of your ability can be the cheaper way to travel! 
