Stereotypes about your country that annoy you

It's not really racist since the French aren't really a race. I'm of French ancestry, by the way. There are a lot of jokes about the French Army retreating and surrendering easily. I don't like them.

Modrigue wrote: ALotOfBottle wrote: Can you relate to stereotypes that French tanks go faster backwards? I'm sorry I don't understand the reference or to which stereotype it refers . I swear it's the first time I hear this. Can somebody explain it to me?

It's about a stupid joke that the French soldiers always "defend" or retreat during battles, so they produce tanks, which drive faster backwards than forward.

It's a poor joke, rather like:

Q: How many gears does a French tank have?
A: 4 reverse and 1 forward, in case the enemy attacks from the rear.

Atavachron wrote: Oh come on, you guys are hella polite; if "Nincompoopish tomfoolery" is the worst thing you can say, that just proves it.  (And what's this quiet mythology about Canadians and their doughnuts?)

I must say, I felt like washing my mouth out with soap after uttering those words. It's no myth about doughnuts, we are a nation of doughnut loving, doughnut slinging people. Threaten to take away our dougnuts and there will be trouble. The right to bear dougnuts is practically a constitutional right, and if it isn't, it should be. Our national anthem here is practically, "You've always got time for Tim Hortons". No joke, I ate three today (well yesterday, since it's almost 3:00 am). Like with coffee, nowadays, we've got the cheap doughnuts for the hoi polloi and the really upscale, gourmet doughnuts for the hoity toity, I want my chocolate truffles made out of real truffles, crowd.

Edited by Logan - June 30 2016 at 05:05

Modrigue wrote: Frenchs work less than other people. True, but it has been proved that Frenchs are more productive  All Frenchs buy baguettes and wear a beret... False. Frenchs can't speak proper English... this one is rather true. Frenchs go on strike... rather true, especially now

Can you relate to stereotypes that French tanks go faster backwards? Not meaning to be racist or anything, don't get me wrong.

Poles drink a lot.
Poles are right-wing and intolerant. Intolerant Poles are basically pretty loud, making everyone think that the whole country is intolerant or agressive. In fact, around 70% of Poles are happy about being in the EU, which is the highest level in the whole EU.
Poles can't speak languages... I guess this one is founded....


Edited by ALotOfBottle - November 30 2016 at 05:28

1. Canadians live in igloos: sometimes, but come late July our igloos melt and we move into Tim Hortons until winter sets in in late August.

2. Canadians drink copious amounts of beer and are always eating back-bacon: Incorrect, we also eat side-bacon.

3. Canadians are polite: What a witless thing to consider. Nincompoopish toomfoolery!, though perhaps I am being too harsh.

4. We all play hockey: most of us just watch hockey on TV from the comfort of our igloos while swigging beer and eating back and side-bacon.

5. We like fish in our drinks: Actually, true. A Caesar is a popular cocktail made with vodka and Clamato (Clamato is a tomato based drink that has clam broth in it). We like to chase it down with beer (while watching hockey in our igloos of course).

What are some stereotypes about your country that really annoy you? I will give a few examples for Germany.

1) Germans wear short leather trousers. Wrong. This may be so in rural parts of Bavaria but nowhere else.

2) Germans use the word "Scheisskopf" as an insult.  Wrong, nobody would think of using that word; it is just a literal and false translation of the English "sh*thead". Germans might say "Scheisskerl" (which would literally translate as "sh*tguy" but of course is not an English word) or "Du hast nichts als Scheisse im Kopf" ("you have nothing but sh*t in your head"), but not "Scheisskopf".

3) Germans eat Sauerkraut all the time. Wrong. Germans do eat sauerkraut but not more (probably even less) often than for example beans, peas or carrots.

4) Germans are stiff and have no sense of humour. Wrong. Germans tend to be a little reserved when meeting strangers, but that is more out of politeness. Once you get to know them Germans can be extremely funny.


Edited by BaldFriede - June 29 2016 at 17:17