The common differences between Americans and British in culture

10^th July 2018

The editorial unit

The editorial unit

10 July 2018

Many consider the United States and the United Kingdom two nations divided by the same language. However, while it is true that both nations have historically shared a close relationship, they have major differences in culture. For example, new homes tend to be a lot smaller in the UK compared to the USA. With a simple Google search, we’ve found a few statements: are these myths or facts?

The British tend to be elegant in appearance

In general, the English people tend to look elegant. This is the opposite of most Americans who tend to be casual. Jeans were created first in the United States and we now know why they were not created in England.

The English people tend to be more polite

In daily communication; English people tend to say “sorry” easily. Even the level of decency (in communicating) the British people are often viewed higher than the average of other Europeans. This tends to contradict the American way of communicating. They tend to bring out jokes which for most English people are quite rough. Americans also tend to speak loudly.

Americans do not like small scores

One of the most popular differences between British and American English is how they see the games. While the English are well known for their patient and orderly nature, Americans are notorious for being impatient. Americans do not like small scores, that’s why they do not like football (which they call soccer). They tend to like games with big scores like basketball and American football. The English people tend to be more patient in playing and this can be seen in many games such as cricket too.

Americans tend to be friendly

Often, Americans tend to be more friendly. This does not mean that the English are unfriendly but because they tend to develop so-called “negative politeness”. The English people really appreciate the personal privacy and they try to give respect without too entering the private affairs of others. Americans, by contrast, develop “positive politeness” which means they tend to want to be part of someone else’s problems as they communicate. This difference is the reason why the English tend to be “cooler”.

The British are more likely to believe in mystical things

Britain is a country where ghost stories are still present in modern life. The island is well known for haunted castles so it is natural that belief in supernatural phenomena is passed down from generation to generation. Rather, Americans tend to be more rational when they are faced with situations of irrationality.

Americans are generally more religious

In contrast to what most people are accustomed to, people in the United States tend to be more religious, especially those living in the southern regions. While Britain, a country with centuries-old Christian tradition, is now getting away from the church and tends to be more secular in view of everything. What can be concluded is that Britain, in some ways, is more liberal than the United States and Hollywood does not describe Americans as a whole. Right-wing politics in America is very strong while in Britain, socialist policies are more common.

Americans love to act directly

While the British tend to like to wait and analyse situations in depth when they are confronted with a conflict; Americans tend to plunge directly into conflict. This is one of the reasons why the United States is now the most aggressive country in the world.

In the comments, let us know whether you think these are urban legends or founded claims.

The editorial unit