My first americans

[lilstu50]

I got three americans in today, that must be a record for our store.

First person was fine, even said thanks!

Second person, " I don't speak scottish but you guys speak bloody good english"
me:eh......thanks

Third person, " Do you have any papers written in the american language"
me: in american?
tp:yeah, not english"
me:.......no........(stares blankly)
tp: ok bye
me:???bye

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

On behalf of my country, I'm so sorry.

Also, send Scotch!

[lilstu50]

On behalf of my country, I'm so sorry.

Also, send Scotch!

on it's way

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

Knew I liked you.

[LibraryLady]

Third person, " Do you have any papers written in the american language"

I agree that it's a very strange question but there are precedents. In my work I have to comb through book catalogs The German ones can get odd. Sometimes they talk about books translated, "From the English". Other times they specify that books are translated "From the American".

On the off chance that the patrons at your shop are American Librarians who do acquisition work and are befuddled with drink, that just might be a question that seems good to them at the time.

[Mnemjian]

Yeesh... sorry. That's really not a good representation of our country, I can assure you Maybe they were trying to be funny? Heh.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I have to extend apologies as well . . . and also to let you know that I'm in no way related to those bumpkins.

*sending beverage of choice to the OP*

[VComps]

Second person, " I don't speak scottish but you guys speak bloody good english"

I take it you're not in Glasgow then?

[Ironclad Alibi]

I agree that it's a very strange question but there are precedents. In my work I have to comb through book catalogs The German ones can get odd. Sometimes they talk about books translated, "From the English". Other times they specify that books are translated "From the American".

The thing I hated about the Harry Potter books published by Scholastic in the US was that Scholastic felt they had to translate them from English to American. What an insult. A company known for educational books is denying American children, and others, the opportunity to learn about the differences between the English and American languages? AAAAaaaaargh!!!! When I found out about the differences, I bought my copies (HP 3-7) from Amazon UK.

[Amina516]

Second person, " I don't speak scottish but you guys speak bloody good english"

Americans dont say bloody?!

Well, unless theyre actually describing blood.....

[jjllbb]

SIGH. I'm just jealous. I wish I were in Scotland.

[lilstu50]

SIGH. I'm just jealous. I wish I were in Scotland.

It's too wet

[smileyeagle1021]

Third person, " Do you have any papers written in the american language"

giving him some credit... we don't actually speak English in the United States... we speak a bastardized version of English that has evolved separate from the mother tongue and has began to include German, Spanish, French, and a multitude of other languages. Hell, I'd go even further to say there is no such thing as an 'american language'... even just going between Utah and Nevada you'll notice differences in the language (mostly colloquialisms and slang). The example that comes to mind (because it's the first thing I learned about Utah English when I moved here), the correct way to inform a fast food cashier that you wish to consume the food in the dining room is to inform them that you wish the order to be "for here", in Nevada the correct thing to say is "to stay". And yes, I did actually get the look from several cashiers when I first moved here and was still in the habit of saying "to stay" just as I now get the look from cashiers in Nevada when I say "for here".
And on that topic, let's add to the mix that when I went to Northern California I found out that there the correct response is "dine in"

We can't even agree on how to inform a cashier we wish to consume our food in the dining room... how do you expect us to be able to understand what the bloody Brits (or Scots) are saying

The other two... I'd like to apologize on their behalf... honestly, we aren't all that stupid...

[sms001]

Yeesh... sorry. That's really not a good representation of our country, I can assure you.

1/3rd ok, 1/3rd trying too hard, 1/3rd confused? Might be a fairly accurate representation, if not a good one.

No apologies offered here. Every country has bad tourists out there, we're no exception.

As for

" Do you have any papers written in the american language"

Maybe looking for a New York Times instead of a Glasgow Herald or Edinburgh Scotsman?

[WhiteRose]

...yeah, we need our own interpretational dictionary from state to state, let alone from country to country...it's so much effort that no one has bothered to undertake that monster...

If we all ignore it maybe it will just go away...

*hides*