Why can very few Americans understand a full conversation on a UK chat show?
476062
Idiomatic expressions vary from theUK to america, then most ppl do that on interviews they are asked something and just bubble around say a bunch of words and no concrete answer...
232588
You have got to be an AMERICAN because i just cant understand the question.
1089862
YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEAK WITH A BRITISH ACCENT IF YOU AREN'T BRITISH! US *REAL* BRITISH PEOPLE HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
480097
You know you have asked one of the most pertinant questions I have read for a while.On the surface you have opened up a potentiel minefield here.\nI am english.I have visited the USA many many times and have loads of great american friends.I have written many times in this column poking a little ironic fun at "the yanks".\nMy experience is that" the average american" and remember we are talking the average,is warm, generous and very naive.They often have little or no understanding of other countries or their cultures. Often to the extent of having little knowledge outside their own state.Because they lead their lives around Oprah, Jerry Springer,World wrestling are easily influenced by tv propaganda they have become, unfortunately, the butt of jokes.I dont know the exact figures , but my understanding is that"Joe" doesnt travel outside the USA.I believe they have a blinkered view of the world. An observation confirmed by the replies I have received from americans. Self irony doesnt exist for you.Loosen up and dare to poke a little fun at your "leaders".The other point is remember that God isn't american.Try to learn and understand a little of other cultures and beliefs.You dont have to agree just take a look.Take care. Good Luck
643221
I always presumed you were a native speaker (or at least had lived in the UK long enough to be considered what they call 'native-level proficiency') so I guess that must answer the question.\n\nAs other people have said here, you're actually better-spoken (well, -written) than a lot of true native speakers here.\n\nI can't recall ever seeing a single answer or question from you that seems in any way less than perfectly natural English.\n\nPlus you get bonus marks for frequently using the highly-cool word 'whilst'. Wish I could say that word without looking like a North American fool :)
924849
cos americans got too much slangs....
610965
I think americans aren't so much as ignorant as they are just  out of touch with the world around them. It happens a lot here, everyone has busy lives, families to support and their own problems; it makes it kind of hard for people to stay up to date about what is going on around them. People focus more on trying to survive then on issues in the country.
292460
First of all, how do you know that Americans make more spelling mistakes than their British counterparts...do you have a magically nationality tag for everyone you observe in the fora?  Also, if you're going to cast stones, you shouldn't do it in a glass house (your question is grammatically incorrect, which you should know as a Latin student).  "make more spelling mistakes..."\n\nBesides flaws in your logic and empirical method, you should understand that American Standard and British Standard English use different orthographic systems.  In America, one writes color, for example, instead of colour.  \n\nIt is true that there are many poor spellers on the internet.  However, is this related to an inability to spell of is it shorthand that is used in chat rooms, like M8 for mate?  There is an entire lexicon of chat "code: that is used.  All things being equal, there are at least eight times more Americans on the internet than Brits (based on population) so you certainly will see more of them, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are bad spellers.\n\nI might add that the American education system doesn't emphasize rote memorization and doesn't even reward spelling any more.  Many papers are done on computers with software that has spell check, which doesn't facilitate spelling practice.\n\nMay I add also that your prompting..."Because americans..." is begging for insulting comments in context to your question, which is pejorative to begin with (it also assumes every "American" is the same.   By the way, are you referring to Canadians and Mexians and Argentines, too? Because we are all Americans...we just aren't citizens of the United States).  It really interesting to see all the people that profess disliking Americans who nonethelss use Yahoo! (sorry, it is an American service) and somehow think that America became an economic superpower depsite the fact that the country if full of ignorant people (it isn't...Americans are ordinary people who have extraordinary opportunities and use them within a Calvinist cutlure that values success and merit over birth...which is the key to their success).
1133323
I was told by an American only a few days ago the answer to this. Its very much like us listening to Chinese speaking Cantonese we can't tell the difference between them and yet they have very different accents, the Americans hear us in the same way, we all sound the same! Sad really.
1046095
try adult chat uk, and also, just chat
601159
There are people from all over the world here.  Not all of them speak or type English that well.  Please pay attention to the question and not the typing.  Also there are people who do speak and type English but are a little on the lazy side.  Its easy to tell them apart.  Just move to the questions you understand and have fun.
40473
I only know of one talking gecko (and any others are probably imitating him, apparently with right down to the accent).  I would guess he has a British accent because Americans think it sounds 'cool,' which is actually fairly important if you want people to remember your commercial.  Also I think that a lot of Americans will tend to associate a British accent with Oxford professors, so it gives the gecko credibility at a subconcious level.
243817
Funny.  I didn't know that Americans were the only ones who spoke English...  I guess England would not count then, right?  Don't they play a bit of soccer over there?  I think that it should all be hand signals.  Is there that much that needs to be communicated by the refs??  I think language is a silly requirement.  How about requiring that they are good refs?  That would be something.
438649
yep! Im in The UK.  I find it weird writing questions and answers that will be accessable to us in the Uk but also without too many colloquialisms that will confuse the Yanks.
255713
Practice.  Listening to American TV shows.  They are using the English that the regular people would be using.
1079233
It's lag.\n\nThere are millions of people chatting.  Sometimes it lags...other times you sound like a chipmunch.
490090
Hey there fellow Brit, I am Scottish and am therefore supposed to hate the English more than any other nationality. But it's ok I don't! \nI am fairly new to yahoo answers but have also noticed that most users are american but that is probably because there are many more americans than british. \nI really noticed this when i wanted to see who had been asking questions about big brother over the last few days and could only find people talking about an 'all stars' house. From what I gather- previous bb stars are going in to a house together across the pond. \nGood luck finding more Brits!\n:)