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Silly questions asked by yanks

  • 12-05-2011 01:17AM
    #1
    Daegerty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,864 ✭✭✭Daegerty


    A few to get started. Nothing against them by the way but some of the things they say can be amusing.

    "Why are there so many African-Americans living in Nigeria?"

    "(obligatory question with the assumption that leprechauns are real)"

    "Where in Denmark is Amsterdam?"


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Comments

  • #2
    Raging_Ninja
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭Raging_Ninja


    When working in a hotel I was asked by an Irish woman: "Could you unlock the door to my room. My husband usually does it and I don't know how to".

    Ignorance is universal, not just limited to Americans. For instance, how well do you know the geography of North America or Africa?


  • #3
    tdv123
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭tdv123


    Raging_Ninja wrote: »
    When working in a hotel I was asked by an Irish woman: "Could you unlock the door to my room. My husband usually does it and I don't know how to".

    Ignorance is universal, not just limited to Americans. For instance, how well do you know the geography of North America or Africa?

    Pretty well.


  • #4
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    Raging_Ninja wrote: »
    When working in a hotel I was asked by an Irish woman: "Could you unlock the door to my room. My husband usually does it and I don't know how to"

    Er....never mind. You'll learn.


  • #5
    Raging_Ninja
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭Raging_Ninja


    tdv123 wrote: »
    Pretty well.

    Good for you. I know I couldn't tell you what the major cities of the Congo are, and for the life of me I don't know the capital of Arkansas or even where in the US that state is.


  • #6
    orourkeda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,918 ✭✭✭✭orourkeda


    Can I have a pint of guyness (the way they pronounce guinness)


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  • #7
    Stained Class
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,808 ✭✭✭Stained Class


    Why aren't the IRA cool anymore?:confused:


  • #8
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    Raging_Ninja wrote: »
    ... and for the life of me I don't know the capital of Arkansas or even where in the US that state is.

    Rhyme to help you - written about Bill Clinton's cat, Socks:

    "I'm a Little Rock cat from Arkansas

    So was my mom

    And so was my paw."


  • #9
    Daegerty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,864 ✭✭✭Daegerty


    Raging_Ninja wrote: »
    When working in a hotel I was asked by an Irish woman: "Could you unlock the door to my room. My husband usually does it and I don't know how to".

    Did you tell her to put oil on the key before putting it in?


  • #10
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    Daegerty wrote: »
    Did you tell her to put oil on the key before putting it in?

    No keys involved - she was looking for a card in her slot.


  • #11
    bodhrandude
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,885 ✭✭✭✭bodhrandude


    Playing a session in Taffes, Galway one afternoon and one asked my Japanese friend who was playing the fiddle if she was from Ireland.

    If you want to get into it, you got to get out of it. (Hawkwind 1982)



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  • #12
    tdv123
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭tdv123


    Raging_Ninja wrote: »
    Good for you. I know I couldn't tell you what the major cities of the Congo are, and for the life of me I don't know the capital of Arkansas or even where in the US that state is.

    I wouldnt be an expert on either continent by no means but I'd have a good idea of where most states in the U.S are situated & would know most of the the capitals as well.

    And that dosen't take much effort either. I think it's just a laziness thing with the Americans.


  • #13
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    bodhrandude wrote: »
    Playing a session in Taffes, Galway one afternoon and one asked my Japanese friend who was playing the fiddle if she was from Ireland.

    And was she?


  • #14
    Foxhound38
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,547 ✭✭✭Foxhound38


    *working as a barman, after pouring a round of drinks ordered by a yank*

    "You do accept Dollars here, right?"


  • #15
    zednanrefnomar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35 ✭zednanrefnomar


    bodhrandude wrote: »
    Playing a session in Taffes, Galway one afternoon and one asked my Japanese friend who was playing the fiddle if she was from Ireland.

    Not a silly question. It is possible for someone with Japanese or any other ancestry to have been born and lived all their life in Ireland.


  • #16
    Dan133269
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭Dan133269


    For years I've heard about these stories of yanks asking ridiculous questions about Ireland and Europe. I lived in America for a summer, didn't get asked 1 silly question at all. I spent 1 summer in Ireland working as a tour guide explaining history of Waterford to loads of American tourists, didn't get asked 1 silly question.


  • #17
    bodhrandude
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,885 ✭✭✭✭bodhrandude


    Donkey Oaty wrote: »
    And was she?
    Nope.

    If you want to get into it, you got to get out of it. (Hawkwind 1982)



  • #18
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    bodhrandude wrote: »
    Nope.

    So, what was it about her that made her obviously non-Irish, apart from her race, which made her statistically less-likely but of course still worthy of consideration?


  • #19
    charlemont
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,725 ✭✭✭charlemont


    Donkey Oaty wrote: »
    Rhyme to help you - written about Bill Clinton's cat, Socks:

    "I'm a Little Rock cat from Arkansas

    So was my mom

    And so was my paw."

    Thats fair funny...


  • #20
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    charlemont wrote: »
    Thats fair funny...

    Steve Bell in the Guardian. With the cartoon it's funnier.

    Edit: have just googled, and according to the Deseret Times it's a poem by Garrison Keillor.

    How the mind plays tricks with us...


  • #21
    Chuck Stone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,030 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    Oh look.. another 'Americans are dumb' thread...


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  • #22
    Foxhound38
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,547 ✭✭✭Foxhound38


    Chuck Stone wrote: »
    Oh look.. another 'Americans are dumb' thread...

    They're not dumb, they just say wacky things sometimes. The Irish aren't dumb either, they just elect idiots to run their country sometimes. Everyone has their foibles


  • #23
    tenchi-fan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,339 ✭✭✭tenchi-fan


    Foxhound38 wrote: »
    *working as a barman, after pouring a round of drinks ordered by a yank*

    "You do accept Dollars here, right?"

    That's not so dumb. Google the exchange rate on your phone, inflate it by 2.5% and lodge it to the bank account with the rest of the day's takings. Why would anyone turn down good money?


  • #24
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    Can we rename this thread "The Dumbest Suggestions For A "Silly Questions Asked By Yanks" Thread?


  • #25
    Daegerty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,864 ✭✭✭Daegerty


    tenchi-fan wrote: »
    That's not so dumb. Google the exchange rate on your phone, inflate it by 2.5% and lodge it to the bank account with the rest of the day's takings. Why would anyone turn down good money?

    The boss might not like that idea and with the scummy banks around the place 2.5% probably isn't nearly enough


  • #26
    highhigh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭highhigh


    zednanrefnomar wrote: »
    Not a silly question. It is possible for someone with Japanese or any other ancestry to have been born and lived all their life in Ireland.
    Yup, not that bad question.


  • #27
    franklyon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 617 ✭✭✭franklyon


    Some people forget that for a lot of people who travel here it is their first time outside the States.


  • #28
    LoanShark
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 949 ✭✭✭LoanShark


    zednanrefnomar wrote: »
    Not a silly question. It is possible for someone with Japanese or any other ancestry to have been born and lived all their life in Ireland.

    Just look at Jason Sherlock, and the O Halpins...


  • #29
    Funglegunk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,566 ✭✭✭Funglegunk


    "Are you guys Irish?"

    "Yes."

    "Have you ever been there?"

    "Uhhh, yes."

    I know America is a cultural melting pot and American-Irish often refer to themselves as just Irish, but we'd already been talking to this one for ten minutes. The accents should have tipped her off no?


  • #30
    shinikins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,842 ✭✭✭shinikins


    LoanShark wrote: »
    Just look at Jason Sherlock, and the O Halpins...
    Yes just look at them......Sean Og was born in Fiji, and his brothers in Sydney....the Google is weak in this one!


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  • #31
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 18,047 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Funglegunk wrote: »
    "Are you guys Irish?"

    "Yes."

    "Have you ever been there?"

    "Uhhh, yes."

    I know America is a cultural melting pot and American-Irish often refer to themselves as just Irish, but we'd already been talking to this one for ten minutes. The accents should have tipped her off no?

    Not everyone can tell an accent.. I can barely tell the difference between Canadians and Australians unless I really try. And maybe she just didn't care and was just making conversation.


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