Americano Culture

[Wolhay]

There are some things about the north american culture that I'm curious about.

• Is the norm to keep your shoes on when you enter other people's houses and apartments? Even during the winter?
• Is it likely to find the less fancy red caviar in food stores? Do you use it on sandwiches? Does it come in tubes?
• For how long have the term "liberal" been used to describe someone that promotes authoritarian economics?
• If you only write your city or state in your profiles on the internet is it because you assume that everyone will know that it's located in the USA?
• Are there any "non-official" words to specify paternal/maternal grandparents?

The last question is for all anglo-saxons.

 

[funes]

#1: As far as I can tell, it is the custom to keep one's shoes on. I generally only take mine off to shower and sleep. I think taking one's shoes off on entering the house is more of a Southern thing.
#2: You might be able to buy caviar at the local grocery store, but it probably wouldn't be good caviar. I think it comes in jars rather than tubes. I also think that those people who eat caviar probably do it in the traditional fashion (on crackers or something). For other 50%+ of the population, caviar is bait.
#3: ?????
#4: Yes, I assumed most folks would know that PA is in the US.
#5: If you mean colloquial expressions for grandmother and grandfather, yes there are loads of them (like Pappy and Grammy). If you mean some specific, descriptive genealogical term, none that I know of.

 

[Rogue]

Why do you assume that most of us know that PA is in the US?
I for example wouldn't assume that anybody knew the different states (provinces) of Austria.

Cheers

 

[mr_michel]

There are some things about the north american culture that I'm curious about.

[*]If you only write your city or state in your profiles on the internet is it because you assume that everyone will know that it's located in the USA?

do you assume that north america its composed solely by the united states of america?

anyway

in México:

Is the norm to keep your shoes on when you enter other people's houses and apartments? Even during the winter? yes it is

Is it likely to find the less fancy red caviar in food stores? Do you use it on sandwiches? Does it come in tubes? i dont think i can find caviar in a regular supermarket, and generaly its in cans, altought there are some imports from scandinavian coutries that come in tubes

For how long have the term "liberal" been used to describe someone that promotes authoritarian economics? thats more an academic issue that jumped to politics, i cant be sure but i would be likely to think it happened after keynes published his general theory

If you only write your city or state in your profiles on the internet is it because you assume that everyone will know that it's located in the USA?
not in the states, but i think my state would be likely to be reconigzed by a lot of people since its been apearing in news for the last 10 years (not that much in the last couple years), but even then i dont assume everybody would recognize it

Are there any "non-official" words to specify paternal/maternal grandparents?
nop, not an anglo

 

[SHorn]

There are some things about the north american culture that I'm curious about.

• Is the norm to keep your shoes on when you enter other people's houses and apartments? Even during the winter?
• Is it likely to find the less fancy red caviar in food stores? Do you use it on sandwiches? Does it come in tubes?
• For how long have the term "liberal" been used to describe someone that promotes authoritarian economics?
• If you only write your city or state in your profiles on the internet is it because you assume that everyone will know that it's located in the USA?
• Are there any "non-official" words to specify paternal/maternal grandparents?

The last question is for all anglo-saxons.

1. I'll usually keep mine on, but if someone asks for me to take them off I will.
2. If there even is caviar in the grocery store, it's crap. You'll have to go a nice restaurant for some decent caviar. I've never used it on sandwiches, and I have no idea if it comes in tubes. Cans prob. ^
3. I have no idea.
4. Usually. I'm pretty sure everybody has heard of Orlando. If not, then Disney might ring a bell. Florida? Hurricanes?
5. I call my grandparents (mom's side) granny and poppy. On my dad's side, it's papa and Nancy.

 

[dele]

I'm not America, but I do live in North America! Here's the Canadian answers to your questions:

1) Depends on the house. Not in mine, or most people's I know.

2) Caviar? Never tried it. I've never even seen it anywhere.

3) Forever.

4) Mine isn't in the US But no, I wouldn't assume that anyone knows that my town is in Canada, considering it's too small for most maps.

For the record though, I have no idea what the short forms of American states mean. PA? I have no clue.

5) Not really. I called the grandparents I knew best (my mom's parents) "Grandma and Grandpa". My dad's parents I called "Grandpa ___ (our last name)".

 

[Occlith]

• People usually keep their shoes on in the USA and Mexico...unless the house owner has a new white carpet...

• Have not seen caviar in grocery stores just in specialty food stores. I heard of serving it with toast or on crackers not in sandwiches. I have never seen it in tubes.

• Many in the USA seem to think others on the net are also located in the USA

 

[True@1stLight]

Perhaps people are just identifying where they are from, and don't necessarily care whether others know it......I've seen names of cities on profiles from Europe that I am clueless about until I look them up. However, I don't think they were assuming that myself, or everyone should necessarily know their location.

 

[Stewart]

The Location thing was the reason I introduced a new 'Country' field into the profile of my forum.

 

[Wolhay]

I meant not so posh caviar for use on bread sandwiches or eggs. I personally don't like to eat eggs without caviar for example.

do you assume that north america its composed solely by the united states of america?

I copied the question from an old questionnaire but it's mainly for yankees, I don't see as many canadians exclude the country in their profile. I thought that only USA and Canada belonged to north america however. Now that I've looked it up I'm also surprised that Greenland belongs to it as well.

But I'm not a mexophobe. Many of my favourite bands are in fact from Mexico. One at least, Hocico. I'm not sure where Calva y Nada is from, they sing both in spanish and german.

 

[funes]

For the record though, I have no idea what the short forms of American states mean. PA? I have no clue.

The "PA" is the postal abbreviation for Pennsylvania.
For the record, it isn't so much that I assume everyone must know that Pennsylvania is in the US. I didn't really give it any thought other than deciding how specific I should be. I know that no-one has ever heard of the town I live in, and don't care to have it part of my profile (identity theft and such).
By the same token, though, if someone wrote that they were posting from Mexico, for instance, I would assume they meant the country to my south rather than the town called Mexico 2 hrs. north of here.

 

[cajunmama]

There are some things about the north american culture that I'm curious about.

• Is the norm to keep your shoes on when you enter other people's houses and apartments? Even during the winter?
• Is it likely to find the less fancy red caviar in food stores? Do you use it on sandwiches? Does it come in tubes?
• For how long have the term "liberal" been used to describe someone that promotes authoritarian economics?
• If you only write your city or state in your profiles on the internet is it because you assume that everyone will know that it's located in the USA?
• Are there any "non-official" words to specify paternal/maternal grandparents?

The last question is for all anglo-saxons.

#1) It really depends, although for the most part, no. In my home, I would appreciate it if children did remove their shoes. We live in the countryside so lots of grass and dirt can get tracked into the house, even with a thousand mats to wipe dirty shoes on. It just helps to keep the floors cleaner.
#2) I have no idea about caviar. I have never eaten it and have no desire to.
#3) I'm not sure what athoritarian economics means. I'll go look it up.
#4) Obviously, I have written USA in my profile, because I don't expect many people outside the US (or inside, for that matter ) to know where Louisiana is.
#5) My children call their grandparents Mawmaw or Pawpaw or Grandma. I call my maternal grandparents Grandma and Grandpa. I called my paternal grandparents Mawmaw and Pawpaw. Granny, Meemaw, Pop, Pappy, and many others are names for grandparents. It depends on the region as to the most prevalent and also depends on the person who holds the title. I have a friends who is a missionary in Kazakstan (spelling?) and she is called Babi-Jeanne (or something like that). Babi (again, not sure of the spelling) is the word for grandmother there (or something like that).

How about you? What is the custom concerning shoes where you live? Is it likely to find the less fancy red caviar in food stores? Do you use it on sandwiches? Does it come in tubes? Are there any "non-official" words to specify paternal/maternal grandparents?

 

[Bird54]

On some web sites where I post, I just type USA. I've had caviar on crackers but it was a moderate priced and salty. I don't take my shoes off in a house unless I'm asked, but my husband takes his shoes off.

As far as being a liberal is concerned, I don't know when that started. I am more of a moderate myself, but because of some of my belief, conservatives would consider me liberal. I do not promote authoritarian economics.

 

[novella]

Shoes--Interesting question because just in the past 5 years it has become normal for most people who live near me to take their shoes off and expect others to do the same. These are rural NY people and their outside shoes are often caked with mud. I don't bother in my house. I would say 80% of my neighbors take their shoes off in the house and keep boiled wool slippers to wear in. All ethnic backgrounds, BTW. It's a new custom I am struggling with.

Caviar--I indulge in a significant amount of caviar of all sorts. Usually I use the red (lumpfish or salmon) refrigerated, fresh stuff in Japanese dishes or as a garnish for seafood. I eat sushi alot and mostly fish besides. I don't like to buy the preserved stuff off the shelves because it is too grainy and salty. I'm scared now of getting poisoned by blackmarket Russian gangster scene surrounding Caspian sturgeon (so-called "reputable" NY dealers bring it into US in unrefrigerated, undeclared suitcases and flog it for fresh), I've gone over to American paddlefish eggs, which are great quality, taste and beluga-like texture and kind to the environment. Very similar to top quality pearly sturgeon. Every once in a while I buy the over-salty grainy black lumpfish stuff to add to something, but I think anchovies do just as well.

"liberal"--Since the end of the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration. One of the many legacies of Richard Nixon was to vilify social-justice programs.

city/state--I believe I am the center of the known world. If someone wants to know where I am, they should ask me. On an English-language website I assume that people are familiar with US geography. That is a reasonable assumption.

grandparents--Most Americans use terms that are part of their culture/family/ethnic heritage (Oma, Nanny, Mommy, Tata). I know lots of kids add on the person's name, e.g., "Nanna Schultz or Grandma Anna" to distinguish between two.

 

[Ashlea]

I do tend to assume everyone knows where Texas is, and no one's called me on it yet.

I follow my hosts lead on shoes. At my good friends house and when I'm at home, mine are off, as I don't really like to wear them much. My Asian friends always take theirs off in the house. In my house, some people do, some don't, but it's more about comfort than cleanliness. My house is just a casual sort of place.

Caviar is readily available in Houston (big city) but very few people I know indulge in it. It would be very difficult if not impossible to find in a small town.

 

[K-Dawn]

I can't answer all those, but I'll give it a shot.

As for number one, usually people will tell you if you can leave your shoes on or not.

As for number two, ???

As for number three, I don't have a freakin' clue.

As for number four, some probably do, but some (including me ) are just to lazy to put USA.

As for number five, there are many names that people call them. I call my maternal grandparents Grams and Grandpa.

That was the best I could do.

 

[Rogue]

1. Yes you definitely take your shoes off!
2. Caviar is available in the supermarket, in jars.
3. I don't assume that anybody outside Europe knows where Salzburg is. But I think some Americans know because they watched "The Sound of Music".
By the way most of the time I don't have a clue what the abbreviations of the US states mean.
4. ??
5. ??

 

[direstraits]

Yeah, I know of Salzburg because of Sound of Music too.

I know this Austrian chap while I was studying in UK and he hasn't even heard of Sound of Music! I had thought it was very odd at that time.

ds

 

[Billy Oblivion]

Yeah, I know of Salzburg because of Sound of Music too.

I know this Austrian chap while I was studying in UK and he hasn't even heard of Sound of Music! I had thought it was very odd at that time.

ds

That would be because Austrians like to see themselves as the "first victims of nazism" rather than as willing comrades in the nasty little buisness of attempted world domination and slaughter of innocents. Fact: more German Jews survived than Austrian Jews.
Anything nasty from the war time gets quickly swept under the Austrian carpet.

 

[Cathy C]

Is the norm to keep your shoes on when you enter other people's houses and apartments? Even during the winter? Yep. I've lived in several areas around the U.S. and shoes stay on unless requested by the home's owner to be removed. Of course, when asked, I certainly comply.


Is it likely to find the less fancy red caviar in food stores? Do you use it on sandwiches? Does it come in tubes? Honestly? Didn't know there WAS red caviar. The black caviar is fairly readily available in the gourmet seafood sections (but quite pricey). Less expensive canned (actually bottled) caviar is on the grocery aisle where tuna and canned crab are shelved, but they're all black, just not both beluga. Have I tried it? Yes. Didn't like it.

For how long have the term "liberal" been used to describe someone that promotes authoritarian economics? Pretty much what Novella said. It's come to be known as the "guns and butter" debate. When Johnson chose BOTH, the the term "liberal" came about. Authoritarian economics is occasionally defined as "imposed charity by a government". I don't necessarily agree that it's imposed, but rather "agreed upon", but I think that's what you're asking. If not, please expound.

If you only write your city or state in your profiles on the internet is it because you assume that everyone will know that it's located in the USA?
I don't assume, and definitely did when I lived in Colorado but most do know where Texas is because it's where President Bush (and the former President Bush) are from.

Are there any "non-official" words to specify paternal/maternal grandparents? Do you mean in the language as a whole, or affectionate words, such as cajunmama used? English doesn't have masculine or feminine voices, like Spanish does (El for male or La for female), so beyond the generic "grandma", there is no distinction within the language itself. Which is why affectionate or "pet" names, like Nana or Poppy come from.

Does that help?
Cathy