# Uniquely Distinct Americanisms **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676 "2004-01-22T22:56:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/181 "2004-01-26T16:48:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Maybe it’s the whole concept of a father naming a son after himself that is American? No evidence, just a meandering thought I’m pretty sure we learned this from the English, who would often give entire families (maybe even villages) the same name. That’s why they had to come up with varying diminutives like Robin, Bob, Dobby, and Hob for Robert. It might not be so common now in England, but I believe it was the case for several centuries. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/182 "2004-01-26T16:54:54Z")
Guys with “III” often use nicknames such as “Trip” or “Trey.” I new a Carl IIIrd who was often addressed as “C3.” The only "IV"s I can come up with off the top of my head are author Theodore Roosevelt IV and U.S. Sen. John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.). They’re both from prominent bloodlines, much like all the Dukes of Wellington who were all named Arthur Wellesley. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/183 "2004-01-26T17:08:10Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I’m pretty sure we learned this from the English, who would often give entire families (maybe even villages) the same name. That’s why they had to come up with varying diminutives like Robin, Bob, Dobby, and Hob for Robert. It might not be so common now in England, but I believe it was the case for several centuries. As a genealogist, I ask: cite? ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/184 "2004-01-26T19:08:09Z")
> [@depocali](#): > > Another unique feature, to me at least, is the amount of ice served in all drinks. I was just thinking about this at lunch today. You’re absolutely right-- American restaurants tend to shovel in a whole glassful of ice with water and sodas. I’ve occasionally seen ice in drinks outside the U.S., but it’s usually just a few ice cubes. ---
**Author:** ![lawboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c67d28/32.png) [@lawboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawboy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/185 "2004-01-26T19:22:25Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Because I think that a person’s vote should have the same weight no matter where they live. Your whole response assumes that states are voting - you even added the title that says I think that minority votes have no value (for some reason the titles disappear in preview so I can’t see what it says exactly). This is exactly the opposite of what I am saying. I am saying that everyone’s vote should have equal value. I don’t care which state they live in. This has been discussed in GD a lot of times, and while I am risking GD territory here, let me clarify two things: The original assertion that the 14th Amend. (too lazy to see who posted) is violated by the Electoral College is incorrect at best (some would call the assessment much worse). Speaking of which, I don’t believe in one vote having equal value across all states, b/c surely the smaller states will get crushed in the representation. Voting will be concentrated in CA, NY, and IL. It will be impossible to win the election without at least one of those states. In terms of campaigning, those are the only three states one should really be worried about. But, this is GD stuff, so I apologize for it’s placement in this thread. Oh, and lastly, Arnie is a republican! Bustamante is a democrat! ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/186 "2004-01-26T19:54:10Z")
> [@Skopo](#): > > I was just thinking about this at lunch today. You’re absolutely right-- American restaurants tend to shovel in a whole glassful of ice with water and sodas. I’ve occasionally seen ice in drinks outside the U.S., but it’s usually just a few ice cubes. Occasionally? Where on Earth doesn’t put ice in drinks? ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/187 "2004-01-26T19:55:38Z")
> [@The Gaspode](#): > > From Sweden \ > Eating with the fork in the right hand. Very rude, where I come from. Maybe there is no known reason…but I’ll try anyway. Can you provide any reason why this might be considered rude. Why do people in Sweden care what hand other people use for their utensils? It’s just that it seems like a silly thing to get worked up about, seeing as it has no impact at all on the observer. But, maybe that’s a very American way of thinking. ---
**Author:** ![porkchop\_d\_clown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@porkchop\_d\_clown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porkchop_d_clown)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/188 "2004-01-26T19:56:31Z")
[QUOTE=Skopo] My mom finds the “European” custom of keeping the fork in the left hand rude, but I must admit that find it much more convenient to eat that way-- it seems clumsy to switch things back and forth. But it’s taken me a long time to get over my conditioning, and I still sometimes revert back to the “switching hands” method. QUOTE] I find this whole “fork in left is rude” thing very weird, because I’m left handed and I’ve always eaten with my fork in my left - but being American, when I use my knife, I switch my knife to my left hand and my fork to my right when I’m cutting my food. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/189 "2004-01-26T19:57:11Z")
> [@](#): > > The original assertion that the 14th Amend. (too lazy to see who posted) is violated by the Electoral College is incorrect at best (some would call the assessment much worse). No dispute here – there’s no question that the Electoral College is constitutional. My point is that it offends my personals views of what democracy and representative government should be about. The idea that it is states that choose the president is, in my mind, hopelessly archaic, and a gross violation of the principles of a free republic. And, no, I don’t think that a straight popular vote will disenfranchise anybody. We all have one vote. One vote in Delaware will be just as good as one vote in California. Frankly, I don’t believe that the cultural and political differences amongst Americans has much if anything to do with what _states_ we live in. That red-blue map is the big lie that fools you. There were red voters and blue voters all over that map that got wiped out by the current system. ---
**Author:** ![porkchop\_d\_clown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@porkchop\_d\_clown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porkchop_d_clown)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/190 "2004-01-26T19:59:12Z")
> [@tschild](#): > > One small thing that I haven’t seen mentioned yet in this thread is: **generational numbers in names** (e.g. Joseph Q. Public IV). What makes this stand out to a non-American is that as far as I know the rest of European-culture countries only number _monarchs_. This conveys a (wholly undeserved, I am sure) impression of megalomania to people who first see such a name. So, how do you distinguish between fathers and sons - or do you just not name your kids that way? One thing I did find weird in this vein: it took me a long time to understand why my cousin referred to her husband Fred as “Ivy”. He’s Fred IV, apparently. I keep wondering if their going to refer to his son as “A fifth of Fred”. ---
**Author:** ![porkchop\_d\_clown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@porkchop\_d\_clown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porkchop_d_clown)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/191 "2004-01-26T20:22:56Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I’m pretty sure we learned this from the English, who would often give entire families (maybe even villages) the same name. That’s why they had to come up with varying diminutives like Robin, Bob, Dobby, and Hob for Robert. It might not be so common now in England, but I believe it was the case for several centuries. With a complete and utter absence of evidence, I would assert that the tradition stems from (a) American rich emulating the British gentry followed by (b) the American middle classes emulating the American rich. Seriously, while juniors are fairly common in my neck of the woods, 3rds are almost always from wealthy families, as is the only 4th I’ve ever met. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/192 "2004-01-26T20:23:43Z")
> [@porkchop\_d\_clown](#): > > So, how do you distinguish between fathers and sons - or do you just not name your kids that way? I have seen Senior and Junior used in the UK, but never III or IV. ---
**Author:** ![toomuchtv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@toomuchtv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toomuchtv)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/193 "2004-01-26T23:39:06Z")
> [@boofy\_bloke](#): > > I don’t understand this comment. He means that baseball, like American football, morphed from a sport into a big business a long time ago. (Some might argue that it predates the 20th century.) The current, momentary locations of the teams have nothing to do with a desire to repesent a country or even a city. Their precarious perches in those cities are an accident of history and geography, and represent simply the place they haven’t left yet for a better tax deal or a bigger taxpayer-financed stadium. Sorry if I sound contemptuous. Too many of my family members are teachers who spend their own money to buy school supplies for their students. ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/194 "2004-01-27T00:15:52Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Apparently not. > > [http://www.snopes.com/business/names/worldseries.asp](http://www.snopes.com/business/names/worldseries.asp) drat. back to being silly, then. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![boofy\_bloke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@boofy\_bloke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boofy_bloke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/195 "2004-01-27T00:51:37Z")
World Series: ok, it’s like calling something a world-class conference centre or whatever, but with capital letters. > [@](#): > > ALL of the world’s best talent is playing for the United States professional leagues, with very few exceptions (Japanese players still bound by their long-term contracts, or who don’t want to move even for a few years). All the great Dominican, Canadian, Mexican, Argentinian, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican, Korean, and even some of the Cuban players are in the American/Canadian major leagues. It’s where the money is, and that’s where they’re going to go. It’s kind of weak to say that the best talent is in the USA when AFAIK there are few countries which even PLAY baseball, let alone have professional teams. Americanisms: Spray-on cheese. Re-writing history for the sake of entertainment: _U-571_. I know that there is a written mention of the Brit sailors who captured the first Enigma, but that was only on-screen for a few seconds, compared to the film which was 112 minutes. If they wanted to honour the Brit sailors they’d have written a story about Brit sailors. Is it true that Yanks on like to watch films about Yanks? (Art-house notwithstanding.) ---
**Author:** ![Marvel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marvel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvel)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/196 "2004-01-27T01:08:30Z")
Wow! The more I read this thread, the more convinced I am that I’m NOT a typical Yank! FYI - my father was Nathaniel Porter Marvel the THird, my brother is NPM the 4th and my five-year-old nephew is NPM the 5th. Kinda cool in my opinion, like there’s an invisble line tying us to a NPM the first. Patty the First ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/197 "2004-01-27T01:48:04Z")
> [@porkchop\_d\_clown](#): > > With a complete and utter absence of evidence, I would assert that the tradition stems from (a) American rich emulating the British gentry followed by (b) the American middle classes emulating the American rich. > > Seriously, while juniors are fairly common in my neck of the woods, 3rds are almost always from wealthy families, as is the only 4th I’ve ever met. Former boxing champ, George Foreman, has four sons named George. No junior, the third, or the fourth or the fifth. Just George. …and George is always smiling like this… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2004, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/198 "2004-01-27T03:47:22Z")
> [@porkchop\_d\_clown](#): > > ummm… Okay. In my 40 years of life in America, I have never, ever, heard an American spontaneously shout “God Bless America”. > > OTOH, I’ve never heard anyone shout “Allah Akbar” (sp?) first hand, either. Sheesh, I’m hoping denial isn’t a uniquely distinct Americanism. First, I never claimed Americans spontaneously shout anything. (But here’s one [anyway](http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-1/107461812974530.xml) (scroll down for quote)). Second, your President very commonly ends [speeches](http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/01103017.htm) with, “and may God bless America”. Here are [primary school students](http://edwards.senate.gov/press/2003/0605-pr.html) making a Gods Bless America banner. Here is [Democratic Senator Schumer](http://democrats.senate.gov/radio/radio091501.html) calling on God’s blessing. Here’s [Tom Daschle](http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/7756169.htm) and [Louisiana Governor Blanco](http://www.bayoubuzz.com/articles.aspx?aid=998) doing the same. I’ve seen “God Bless America” on billboards, on television ads and in print. It’s a popular patriotic song. There are “God Bless America” bumper stickers, flags and handbags. It’s a COMMON phrase, _as compared to_, say “God Bless Australia”, “God Bless the United Kingdom”, or “May God Bless Sweden”. It’s beyond doubt that public exhortations to God are more common in the United States than in comparable Western nations. Would anyone else care to labour the point? I’d happy to see some evidence to the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![tadc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@tadc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadc)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/199 "2004-01-27T04:08:05Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Where on Earth doesn’t put ice in drinks? I think a more appropriate question would be Q: “where on Earth **does** put {shovelfuls of} ice in drinks?” A: "United States, Canada, and tourist destinations of the same. Anybody know anywhere else where this custom is popular? Down under? I think this is true because in most places, electricity and therefore refrigeration is expensive. When I visited Russia in '99, for example, “cold” beverages (straight out of the “cooler”) were barely below room temperature. Not so extreme in Western Europe, but ice is still a definite luxury that Americans take for granted. ---
**Author:** ![boofy\_bloke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@boofy\_bloke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boofy_bloke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2004, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676/200 "2004-01-27T08:30:05Z")
Down under: No, not shovelsful. That would dilute the alcohol too much. Anything more than four ice cubes is a crime against humanity. Oz is so hot that EVERYTHING is refridgerated whether you want it to be or not. Even post-mix soft drinks are cold enough to dring straight from the nozzle. God bless America: didn’t Tom Hanks do this after winning an Oscar? (!) Can anyone explain to me how holding one’s eating utensils can be considered rude? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uniquely-distinct-americanisms/225676.md?page=11)