Americans or British?

If I may ask, what made you say so? I am not either an american or british citizen. But, i happened to ask coz I have experienced talking to both americans and british over the phone and they have different approach in talking to people. I would say, British are more nicer than americans.

This can be quite an interesting question. The Americans and the British are like two different sides of the same coin. In many ways, the Americans shape modern culture but the British are regarded as more refined.

For me, I grew up in the UK, but allot of my relatives are American. It could be a personal thing but I find the English spoken in the UK easier on the ear than the English spoken in America. I also find it more natural to write in the style of the British. You also find people in America are more accepting of you if you speak British English than you would in Britain by speaking American English.

Generally speaking I find that the British have a bit more decorum. The British are less likely to show emotions and push for the stiff upper lip. I'm not saying this is necessarily better, but the British often provide the impression of being more polite.

I also find the British to be better informed about the world than Americans. Although America may be the world's ONLY superpower, the average Briton is more knowledgeable about foreign affairs and the world beyond their shores. Read postings by Americans on life outside the USA, particularly on the Middle East, and you'd think this was a nation of kindergarten kids who just left their homes. Perhaps its personal experience, but I often hear of Americans talking about politicians being possessed by Satan...definitely won't happen in the UK.

Having said that though, I find that Americans are intrinsically kinder. The British are decent and fair minded, but I think the Americans are intrinsically kinder - they have the innocence of children, something which you don't want to spoil. Look at foreign policy. Although it usually does not work this way, America policy is sometimes motivated by altruistic motives, but the British are very clearly acting in their self-interest (something also true of the Chinese).

I think ONLY in America, will you ever find people going out of their way to make strangers part of the family. One of my step-cousins, who is German went onto an exchange program to the USA and found himself a new family - I think this can only happen in America - no one else will open up to the world the way the Americans can.

I remember being lost in San Francisco. So many ordinary American people went out of their way to help me find my directions. I've never seen people go out of their way to help a stranger the way I have in the USA.

Great response tigertang. Being British (well, normally I call myself Scottish but for the purpose of this discussion I'll compromise!) of course I agree we're more refined and knowledgable, etc. All the good things lol! I would have a hard time agreeing that American foreign policy is motivated by altruism but you could be right - maybe I just can't see it.

Personally one of the most endearing qualities I've found in Americans I've met is their openness. It's exactly opposite to how British people traditionally behave. Of course it also has a downside but it's mostly an attractive quality I think. So I think I would say that the British are more polite etc but Americans are more approachable and "nicer" - on a superficial level anyway. But it's all generalisation of course.

I am working in a call center. I've been in the industry for quite some time. And, I've handled different accounts already both Americans and British (UK account). I just noticed one thing when we're having trainings. When we had training for US account obviously, it's an american trainer and if it's UK account, it's Briton. I noticed that both of them were telling bad things towards each other. So, I wonder...who is who and which is which?