I'm American. Ask me anything.

[Yellow Fang]

Did you build your own hot rod as a teenager?

 

[Yellow Fang]

In your school year book, what did it say you were most likely to be?

 

[Chris S]

the worst place has got to be Loughborough for pronunciation

Apparently an Australian pronounced it as 'Loo gah bo roo'. It's as good a pronunciation for the spelling as any.

 

[Chris S]

And while we're on the subject a French tourist once asked which coach was for 'Edin Burgh'

 

[Drago]

Why is New Hampshire nothing like old Hampshire?

 

[Dirk]

Why is the tiniest collection of houses in the middle of nowhere referred to as a 'Town' or a 'City' ?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Why are towns all built in grids and very samey and boring, bit like Milton Keynes but without the cows?

 

[Domus]

I was asked for my name when checking into a hotel out west, Montana I think. Peter, I replied, pardon? Peter, sorry can you spell it? P E T E R. Ahhhh Peder, no, Peter

 

[Domus]

Almost got taken out on a roundabout in Buffalo about 20 years ago, they were very rare in the States then, more now but the locals find them very confusing, they much prefer the four way stop signs where might is right.

 

[gavroche]

Why can't American spell proper English words?

 

[classic33]

or Keighley

Not just Americans, but try Slaithwaite.

 

[Dave7]

Not just Americans, but try Slaithwaite.

Simps.
You say it as Slaithwaite

 

[Chris S]

Why does steam come out of New York manhole covers?
Are their poos particularly potent?

 

[anothersam]

Old business: This photo should’ve been provided with a suitable supplementary caption. I apologise unreservedly.

Scottish version: DEEP FRIED MARS BARS • PIZZA • LARD

New business:

Why is the band Texas not from Tesas?

Why can't Americans pronounce Worcester, Leicester, Bicester and Cirencester?

or Colin

or water? it comes out as "oo-odder" or "oo-arder" both of which could help in the bog-door-free shiduation

or Keighley

Or Torquay

Or Slough.

Or Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllan

And while we're on the subject a French tourist once asked which coach was for 'Edin Burgh'

I was asked for my name when checking into a hotel out west, Montana I think. Peter, I replied, pardon? Peter, sorry can you spell it? P E T E R. Ahhhh Peder, no, Peter

Not just Americans, but try Slaithwaite.

Simps.
You say it as Slaithwaite

the worst place has got to be Loughborough for pronunciation

Apparently an Australian pronounced it as 'Loo gah bo roo'. It's as good a pronunciation for the spelling as any.

Give your ear a smack. This should adjust your Babel Fish.

Why can't American spell proper English words?

Your first port of call, but yeah, that’s a lot of reading. This is more succinct, and Google altruistically put it at the top of my search results.

What a fine education giveth, spellcheck taketh away anyway.

 

[anothersam]

Why do American script writers like to rewrite history, particularly involving WWII and the enigma machine?

You would too if they paid you enormous amounts of money to make subjects palatable for audiences who, by and large, wish to be entertained rather than informed.

Why doesn't America make any cool cars any more?

Alas, cool cars proved to be dangerous.

View: https://youtu.be/FLhRLY-AU5o

Plus there’s the fact that most of them got 3 miles to the gallon, which was fine before petrol was discovered to be a non-renewable resource, and environmentally unsound to boot. Such cars require designers who care not for fuel efficiency, but who dare to live the dream.

Spotted in Hastings. A little boxy for my taste. Eats Minis for breakfast.

Also, I thought all American cars were automatics.

Most, not all. I learned on one with 3-speed manual transmission. It was not much larger than a riding mower.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpZ3w0DzFac&t=32s

Did you build your own hot rod as a teenager?

No, though I traded in a very nice Schwinn Voyageur for a Pontiac LeMans Lemon. Because I didn’t know any better.

In your school year book, what did it say you were most likely to be?

Such fanciful copy didn’t feature in my yearbooks.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VIBA_mPdPA&t=1m11s

A high school teacher did once tell me I'd either end up rich or on the street. I'm still suspended between these two worlds. Just another illusion fostered by a public education.