Top 14 stereotypes about the countries of the world that cause confusion among locals
'06.05.2022'
Source: Adme
Perhaps there is no country in the world for which there would be no stereotype. After all, everyone knows that the British cannot live without tea parties, and the French will not have a day if they do not start it with a cup of coffee and a croissant. But, perhaps, all this is just the case when the majority is mistaken? It is very important to debunk myths, especially if they concern other countries and their inhabitants. After all, nothing brings people together like the absence of false ideas about each other, writes Adme.ru.
United Kingdom
Many attribute to the British restrained politeness and pallor, because the inhabitants of Foggy Albion are unlikely to see the sun often. Well, where without a sincere love for tea parties. And if all this is not far from the truth (except that the statement about the lack of good weather can be argued), then there is one circumstance that confuses almost every Briton.
“People regularly ask if I personally know anyone from the royal family. And every time I come up with a new joke about the last time we had fun hanging out with one of the monarchs. " © feijis / Reddit
France
The stereotypes about the French are very controversial. On the one hand, they are called very romantic, and their language is the language of love. On the other hand, they are considered rude. After all, who did not hear the history of tourists who encountered in Paris with the reluctance of local residents to switch to English in a conversation. In fact, the French are offended that they are all judged only by the Parisians. But this is not what makes them crazy.
“No, we don't wear berets to buy baguettes. And no, we don't eat stinky cheeses for breakfast. ” © Gilles Reynaud / Quora
Ireland
Residents of this country are considered fun people who know exactly where in the district you can have a good time with a glass of foamy drink. And this is not the most annoying Irish stereotype. In fact, they often have to face the fact that all of them are considered in absentia to be red-haired, although in fact this is true only for 10% of the country's population.
“Not all Irish people are red. Unfortunately, leprechauns are a myth. ” © isincerelyapologize / Reddit
Australia
There is a meme: "Everything in Australia wants to kill you." And this could be a common joke from the Internet, but after all, many people are really afraid to come to Australia because of this. Although in fact, people who grew up in the suburbs of Sydney may never see a snake in their entire life. In general, of course, there are poisonous snakes and spiders in Australia. Does this mean that they will try their best to kill you? No. Unless, of course, you do your best to poke them with a stick.
“Some people think that we speak Australian and that there are sheep everywhere and Middle-earth all around. Of course, The Hobbit was filmed in my backyard. ” © lisilocket / Reddit
On the subject: How Americans Relate to Accent and Weak English: The Immigrant Experience
Kenya
This distant country attracts travelers with its exoticism. And some people quite seriously think that lions or herds of elephants walk here along city streets. Of course, this is not so. Another popular misconception that annoys locals concerns not only Kenyans, but all the inhabitants of the continent in general.
“That we (and indeed all Africans) live in adobe huts, starve, and that we are savages. I'm actually a sysadmin, I work from home, and I love Rick and Morty and a bunch of local Nigerian movies.” © kwnet / Reddit
Finland
They say that the biggest nightmare in Finnish life is when someone suddenly crouched on a nearby chair in a bus and decided to start a conversation. In fact, of course, the closeness of the inhabitants of this country is exaggerated. But another stereotype about their love of saunas is pure truth. Enrages the Finns completely false idea of their country.
“Many people seriously believe that we have polar bears here, and we live in an igloo. No guys, it's too warm here for that. ” © saara7a / Reddit
Norway
Norwegians appear to people from other countries as blond-haired and blue-eyed Scandinavian gods, whose ancestors were formidable Vikings. Well, can such a stereotype be offensive? Indeed, most Norwegians are not annoyed by this.
“Some people are incredibly surprised that it's warm here in summer. One guy even wrote on the Internet that he was going to come to Oslo in August to go skiing. ” © NorseLibrarian / Reddit
Spain
Spain is presented to tourists as a country of sea, beaches and siesta. Yes, holidays on the Mediterranean coast are simply amazing. But the siesta practically does not concern the residents of big cities, and life does not stop there. Only a small cafe with traditional cuisine can close after lunch, but not a bank or even a shop. And many tourists are well aware of this. But some ideas about the Spaniards are quite exotic.
"Some people think that as soon as we have a free minute, we immediately start dancing flamenco." © Naaram / Reddit
India
Terrible English, which is simply impossible to understand if you were not born in India yourself, slums, spicy food, cows right on the city streets and women who always wear bright saris. There are a dime a dozen stereotypes about India, and they all turn out to be wrong. Yes, yes, and about the sari is also not true.
“India has over 20 official languages and over 500 dialects. What Indian accent are you talking about? And we are not all poor, and besides the slums, we also have incredibly expensive areas. There is no such thing as "just curry" - each state has its own cuisine. And a bonus: we don't roam the streets looking for cows to worship them. ” © weirdlytwisted / Reddit
On the subject: Why one of the most beautiful women in the world was called 'the shame of the nation': the successes and failures of Aishwarya Rai
Switzerland
In the eyes of many foreigners, the inhabitants of Switzerland are punctual (thanks to their precise watches), they know several languages (of course, there are 4 official ones in the country) and they always sing yodelling. And the fact that this is all quite far from the truth is a little disappointing. But the residents of the country themselves are surprised by another stereotype.
"People think that having a Swiss bank account is something special." © Zurich0825 / Reddit
Germany
In fact, the Germans do not eat only fatty sausages. Moreover, approximately 10% of the locals are vegetarians. And men's leather breeches with suspenders, which the imagination involuntarily draws when we think about the Germans, are in fact characteristic only of Bavaria. In other regions of the country they are not worn. But one more stereotype about the Germans can even be recognized as true. And even they themselves confirm this.
“There is a stereotype that we don't have jokes. It’s not true, they exist, although they are not funny.” © CrispyJelly / Reddit
Mexico
Thanks to Hollywood films, many believe that Mexicans live in dusty cities in the middle of nowhere and everyone must have a mustache, a poncho and a cowboy hat. The first stereotype will be shattered as soon as you visit Mexico City or Monterrey. Cowboy hats are, as the name implies, an attribute of cowboys, but ponchos are common in other countries: Ecuador, Chile and Peru. These myths about Mexico, though annoying to the locals, do not offend them, like the next stereotype.
"We are considered lazy, but in fact we work more hours a year than residents of the vast majority of countries." © huevosteve / Reddit
Canada
Canadians are considered nice and polite people who love hockey and maple syrup the most in life, and it's true. And yet, according to many, it is very cold in Canada. And this is also true, but not for the whole country.
“People think Canada is covered in snow all year round. In fact, our country is huge, and the climate changes depending on the region. In some of them, it is very soft. For example, there is almost never snow in Vancouver. ” © Leah Charlesworth / Quora
Iceland
We know quite a bit about the inhabitants of this country. Unless they have heard that their language is very complex, and local celebrities are quite extravagant (remember at least Björk). But one myth that appeared because of the fake article annoys all the inhabitants of the country, especially women. For some reason, foreigners believed that there were too many of them in Iceland.
"This may disappoint you, but our government will not pay you extra for marrying an Icelandic woman." © zuezyde / Reddit
What stereotypes exist about your country? And how do you feel about them - are you annoyed or perceived with humor?
