Why do you think in the USA it is considered an insult to be referred to as "French"?
818576
Although for a long time I sensed an undercurrent of disdain for France way back when France was trying hard to be the dominant NATO voice. Many Americans viewed these policy differences akin to ingratitude... for American sacrifice and reconstruction that freed and rebuilt France from the ravages of world war II. This growing penchant of France not to support USA initiatives to contain communism worldwide and to actively promote it's own idea of hegemony with them was not only a big disappointment. To the macho Americans these actions verge on being sissy.  So perhaps it's these same Americans that get insulted being referred to as French, because that would be like telling them they look effete. \n\nOn the other hand, it could be simply a matter of national pride. Same reaction you get when you mistook a Puerto Rican as Mexican. Try that sometimes...
529278
"Crazy" and "French" should not be used in the same sentence.  It is a redundant.
203885
Cuz french has become an Icon of romanticism and love, when in fact Italians are more devoted to romaticism than french, anyway many people melt down when they hear someone speaking to them french as they find it sexy.
918390
No one really knows why they were called french fries in the first place, since they were invented in America.  It is very obvious we had them longer than the french, just walk down a city street in america and try to find a girl to pick up, then do the same thing in france!  I will bet you anything the french girl will get picked up first, mainly because her legs won't make noise from rubbing together when she walks.  And as far as hypocrites go, look who leads our country!  He has a campaign against drugs, yet did cocaine, and he is pondering starting a draft, when he himself went awol during the Nam.  now that i have said that, i realize how sad we are, i think i'm goign to move!  how hard is it to get a visa in France?
891734
Perhaps because the French expected me to speak perfect French.  I went a few years ago, and speak decent (but admittedly not fluent) French, but I got snickers and guffaws every time I mispronounced or misconjugated a word.\n\nI treat the way I got treated.  Parisians were jerks, I'm a jerk right back.\n\nAnyway, I happen to think that a French accent, on a woman at least, is quite attractive.  So I'm perfectly fine with accents.  And English is a hard language to learn, sure.  But don't expect Americans or Britons to be better that other people just for that.
1181763
The people of Canada and Mexico don't get upset...this is an internally fabricated gripe.\n\nAmerican is the abbreviated name for United States of Americans and not necessarily a self-given name. \n\nPeople all over the world abbreviate USA Citizens as this.\n\n...Just as people all over the world abbreviate United States of Mexico citizens as Mexicans.. \n\n...actually they would also be able to claim the title of United Statesians \n\nThe "USA is arrogant to call themselves Americans" controversy is a nonsensical inspiration of USA bashers
557008
I'm French. French society is just like everything and everybody else. People have this fixed idea that French people are annoying, skinny, pale, and poodle walking high society people. \nBut they do enjoy refined food and first impressions count. My relatives are very nice but they judge a bit too much. Besides that get it out of your head the annoying picture of French people!
799269
ur an a$$hole, a rude xenophobic a$$hole. WHy the f*ck would anyone thing that anyone who asks a question is a yank if this is the UK and Ireland Answers thing? What the hell is ur problem, and what do u have against Americans? Oh...and what the hell do u mean when u say "Yank" is that supposed to be an insult? I've never even heard anyone use that term in the last century except in "Yankee Doodle". \nOh...and in case ur too stupid to figure it out...im a very pissed off New Yorker right now.
314237
We name foods after the french because...that's where the idea for those foods came from.  It's not actually naming the food after the French people.\n\nDon't worry though, the French don't actually like anybody, especially French-Canadians.
414077
Faut pas généraliser ! C'est vrai quand-même que beaucoup d'Américains ont une opinion sur tout sans bouger de leur sofa..FoX TV is GOD !\n\nIt's a love- hate relationship. When I read above - forgot the name , fitzstg- immediately the book "60 million Frenchmen can't be wrong" came to my mind...and it was linked as a source !\n\nBoundaries..what is personal and what is not..we have different notions. People do not understand this concept.\nI would never ever say "I hate such and such nationality" myself. I might dislike a mentality but the person comes first.\n\nIn my view, Americans tend - ON THE WHOLE - to view things as black and white/wrong- right. No shades of grey, no in-between. If you look up answers here, most tend to be : no way or yes....not "depends on the situation..etc".\n\nEuropeans view life and human beings as much more complex than than. Germany and France were enemies for such a long time.....but now they certainly are NOT.\n\nI think some Americans should see what life is all about in Europe. Coming from Northern France, we all look and have respect towards each other. Germans and French will put flowers on cemetaries and we all respect each other. The past is the past. I have yet to view or hear about confrontations between the French and German folks in "sensitive" areas.\n\nI hate those stereotypes too.....especially those which are offending and totally wrong and made from ignorant people on top of that.\n\nForget the stupid people. I have met enough absolutely brilliant, charming, open-minded anglo-saxon people !\n\nThere are always things to learn from another culture too !\n\nYou know..at the end I still don't know !! What I have noticed is that the media in North America is still very much conservative. OK I'm a girl (well..no more) but when I pick up magazines for women from the US.......so boring..the French ones: at least stg interesting !!\n\nBy the way : British people are not stuck up at all !!\n\nNope..I like Americans anyway :-). They have a zest for life, they can be brilliant..Pity too many are "child-like" and not very world-wise and kind of stuck in the past as well ?? Don't forget : so many just do not travel at all and just watch stupid propanganda TV.\n\nBut are the French better ?? On some things yes..but not all ! They are the same : too many think - old generations anyway - that they are better than the rest of the world..NOT ! and say the same things "I hate Americans, Brits etc" without knowing any actually !\n\nBon cela va être à mon tour de me faire crucifier. Il y a plein de cons partout : en France, en Amérique, partout..\n\nPS.. and I do not know what is so good about Frenchmen..either !! Just another stereotype among others. Frenchmen are no better than any other nationalities at all :-))) EH EH !
552033
I think it's very funny when people say that we owe America anything. I mean, we did help you against the English when you wanted to become independent. And we are happy that you helped us against Hitler.\n\nSome French people don't like Americans because they think they ALL are stupid. I think those French persons are really stupid. \n\nBut to answer your question, some Americans don't like the French because our government decided NOT to go and fight in Iraq. In that case, Americans should hate pretty much the whole world since the majority of people in the world disapproved of their government getting involved in that conflict. No, wait. Actually, a lot of Americans should also hate Americans because a lot of them demonstrated against that war!\n\nPS: We do shave our armpits! I mean, only older women (like in their 60s) don't. Actually, I think they do, now! Actually, we shave everything! I don't have a single body hair (except my eyebrows, of course). We also bathe everyday, some even do it twice a day! We also know what a deodorant is (actually, I knew one girl who stank and, in the bus that took us to school, we were all wondering if we should ask her if she knew what a deodorant was).\n\nAs for tourists... Well, if you go to Paris, just know that a lot of French people don't like Parisians because they are said to be arrogant. \nI agree that French people are not really helpful. But they do the same with French people, so don't take it personally. \nAlso, try to keep in mind that a lot of French people can't speak English. Actually, it's getting better but it's still unusual. So, if you can't speak French, knowing that the French are not really patient when it comes down to giving information, don't be surprised if they don't give a shit about you.\nI'm French and find this EXTREMELY ANNOYING too! Once, I came back from England and had like 4 heavy baggages. NOBODY helped me! In England, in one hour, 6 persons helped me carry them! I also don't like the French for that! \nBut not everybody is like that: I'm very nice (and so are my friends) and always try to help, above all foreigners (even if we don't speak the same language) as I know it's a pain in the ass to be lost in a foreign country.\nTo our defense, I would just remind you that the French usually find you EXTREMELY loud, even if there are only 2 of you. So remember: everybody's got their fault!
545933
It's kind of an insult in french. More like an exclamation insult, like "what the hell" in english. Something similar (not a traduction tho).
576466
What is 'wrong' with the French is the easily observed preoccupation with their  'grandeur' and  sadness and intense preoccupation with  a sense of special status, which is, understandably, a derivative of France's past royal worldly glories which are longed for  but shall never return.  The world is changed, face it.
1017405
I was in France and was approached to defend the actions of our "monkey president".  For every jab they made I parried with Chirac and his genocide of the elderly during the european heat wave, and overt hatred for immigrants.\n\nThe french guy got all... well french on me and sneered... "You're just a patriot."  To which I responded that of course I was.\n\nApparently being a patriot is bad in france because if implies that you love your country to the point of being blinded by it.  The same can be said of race, culture or whatever, when you love your identity so much it can make you feel threatened by others who want to celebrate their culture.
559733
Thank you!  You're right, many Americans feel that the French dislike us.  I don't hate the French, but I do hate how rude they are in Paris.  I hate how snooty some of the French seem to be.  Yes, we all know that the French have some of the best artists of all time.  The Louvre rocks, Marseille is beautiful.  Le Resistance showed how heroic many of your countrymen (and women) are.\nI would say that the French are the same as anyone...they have good and bad, moronic and intellectually gifted.  I just don't like the French guy who made Loose Change, lol.  Other than him, I'm pretty cool with the French.
411433
What makes you think that?  In France, the streets are full of protesters who think that the French laws discriminate against arabs, and other foreigners.  The fact that the US confronts it's racism, even imperfectly, is better than the French hiding their collective heads in the sand.\nAnd, have you ever observed how black are received, and treated, in Germany?\n\nTravel in europe, and if you get away from the tourist traps, you will see that there is greater racism and predjudice in Europe, against Albanians, Serbs, africans, and anyone who is not 'European'.  And in Germany, the backlash against East Germans is growing.  \nIt is very similar to the Latin workers in America, except the most countries in Europe do not have the explicit ant-discrimination laws that are in force in the US.\nBe careful when painting with a broad brush.  The situation in the US is not perfect, but at least we talk about it.
1020167
Hi, Eva! Welcome to the U.S.!\n\nYou will be amazed at how many more people are interested in knowing what folks in France think of the U.S. than there are people who are interested in sharing their views of the French. For the most part, Americans do a pretty good job separating France (the country and its government) from French people.\n\nThat said, somebody will probably say something relatively stupid to you at some time. Also, you will probably catch some flack if someone who is inconsiderate or impatient has a problem understanding your accent. For the most part, your experience in the U.S. will be the same as any American visiting or moving to France. \n\nMy wife is from France and has lived in the U.S. for 10 years. She has never once had someone treat her rudely specifically because she is French. Don't get me wrong....she has had issues with people who don't like foriegners in general, but only a few times in 10 years and never anything she couldn't roll her eyes and laugh at. She truly loves living in the U.S. and wouldn't leave for anything.\n\nIf you would like to ask my wife some questions about her experiences, contact me through the Yahoo Answers personal page contact portion and I will have her contact you in the same manner.