^^ I think it could be more of a Californian thing instead of a USA thing.
Whenever I visit relatives outside of California but still in the US, they're like (I just said "like" again, lol), "Why do you guys say "like" so much? I've never heard anyone use that word so many times before."

Heehee.

~Riella

I agree with this one million percent, as a Californian(this is very much only a California thing), we use this also to describe a conversation :I was like"you need to tie your shoes" and she was like "okay". something to that degree.

So a question to east coasters, do you guys make fun of how we talk? And I actually have qute a few east coast friends IRL and they can hide their accent until they wwant to use it(its very wierd actually) can all east coasters do this?

*Seconds (or is it thirds?) that* But it makes me wonder if that adds to the sterotype of Californians being very "hollywood"???

Ithilwen, I'm not sure what you mean by freedom. Could you be a little more specific? In Australia, we have freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Here, Christianity isn't tied to politics like it is in the US. Also, wars haven't been fought on our soil. I'm not sure what else to say. Australia's probably one of the safer places to live if you disregard all the dangerous wildlife.

Not so, it's all over Oregon and Washington and Idaho too! It's so weird...

really? I have family in Oregon and have never heard that...=/

and to outlier, who are you asking your question to?

^^ I think it could be more of a Californian thing instead of a USA thing.
Whenever I visit relatives outside of California but still in the US, they're like (I just said "like" again, lol), "Why do you guys say "like" so much? I've never heard anyone use that word so many times before."

Heehee.

~Riella

I agree with this one million percent, as a Californian(this is very much only a California thing)

Actually I do that a lot, especially if I'm speaking in front of a large group of people and I'm from upstate NY (although I watched a ton of Scooby-Doo when I was little, maybe that had something to do with it.) My high school math teacher used to tease me about it (not maliciously )

Hmmmm I guess just anyone not in California and not overusing the word like... because when I put my mindset of someone who does not live in California and think of the state, I think of Hollywood/celebrities/gossip and was wondering if that was true, or if my imagination has low expectations for the state

^^ I think it could be more of a Californian thing instead of a USA thing.

I wish I could agree with this and bump all that silliness off onto the Californians. But that is rampant in Alaska as well. Even in my own family! I think it's more of an age-related issue then regional. I'm trying to curb the habit as much as possible.

It probably is more of an age-related issue. Even here in Australia, many teengage girls over-use the word 'like' in sentences. But it's been around for many years.

I don't know if this is true or not, but I heard that the word "like" used in that way originated in California, but then spread to the rest of the country and world through the media (via Hollywood, which is in CA). Any thoughts on this?

Ithilwen, I'm not sure what you mean by freedom. Could you be a little more specific? In Australia, we have freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Here, Christianity isn't tied to politics like it is in the US. Also, wars haven't been fought on our soil. I'm not sure what else to say. Australia's probably one of the safer places to live if you disregard all the dangerous wildlife.

I'm not really sure what I mean either, haha. I was basically kind of wondering what would happen if I moved there from the US -- what freedoms I would lose and what freedoms I would gain.

More and more laws are being made here, and it's becoming less free here in the US. (At least, in the place I live.) I'm always afraid the new laws will go too far, and I'm looking for a sort of "back-up" place to live, should that ever happen.

People close to us have been investigated by the government and suspected for outrageous things just because of their Christian faith, and my family has been threatened directly just because I was homeschooled.
If there is a place where I can live with more safety and freedom, I'd like to find it and move there. I just don't know what country that would be.

~Riella

Well, gun laws in Australia are much more restrictive than in the US. I think the whole world is becoming more adverse to Christians, so I don't have any suggestions concerning that one. Sorry. Otherwise Australia is a good option.

Speaking of like, I say it and it drives my dad crazy. I also use it to describe what someone said and that's about it.

By the way, if you have anything you'd like to ask an Alaskan, I'm more than happy to answer. (We don't live in igloos, btw)

narnian_at_heart, How common are wolves there? Have you ever seen one? What's it like living in the largest state in the US? Are there any venemous snakes or dangerous spiders there?

Great Britain refers to the landmass that is our lovely island, it's not a country. Regional accents aren't the same as accents of seperate countries. By your reasoning there'd be one European accent I will call the American accent a 'United States' accent if that will clear things up.

That is still not my point!
Let me see if I can articulate these thoughts more clearly:
I don't think people should say "British accent" or "American accent", but there are British accents and American accents. All accents within the area (I am and have always been fully aware that Great Britain is not a country, but an area [as I said above]) of Great Britain could be considered "British accents" since they are all accents within Great Britain. Just as all accents within America could be considered "American accents". Emphasis on the plural. You could technically say there are European accents, which would encompass all accents within Europe.

And.....how would that help? It's just calling it the same thing!

EDIT: If you want me to be specific about England, there is no difference. It also doesn't just have one accent. It has many accents, so someone who has a regional accent doesn't have the standard "English" accent. Same with America. Americans don't have a single accent, some of which foreigners can't differentiate.
http://aschmann.net/AmEng/#LargeMap

Please remember not to bring up politics, guys.

I will say that saying "Like" a lot in a sentance is definatly not a California thing. I say it like, All the time.

On another, more cereal note, I will say that America has one up in the freedom arena over the rest of the countries; we have the Freedom to own (nonconcealed) and carry (concealed) firearms. While, to the best of my knowledge Britian, Australia and the others have banned firearms.

This 2nd amendment had direct implications in WWII, in the fact that Japan, knowing that nine out of ten households in the US possesed and knew how to use a firearm decided not to invaid the mainland, which was horribly unprepared for an invaision.

But um. Beyond that I'll shut my yap. I don't wanna get in any sort of fight or bring anymore politics then nessisary.

Now I haz a Question: How the heck do yall Aussies fend off dee gators and such without shotguns?

To each other does it sound like you have accents?

Regional accents, yes. Some are stronger than others

Stayed with Lizziekins' family for three weeks in Northern England. Lizzie's Lancashire accent was much softer than her mum's except when she got excited - then she could lose me.

Ok, I have to ask one more thing that just popped into my mind: Can Brits do an American accent?

Some of us might be able to... I don't know ...

For those curious, watch House M.D. or Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Pick out the Englishman. Absolutely flawless accents.

I have some more questions for anyone who would like to answer! What is one of the best kind of places to eat in England?

Dinner of fish and chips at the Lizziekin's place. Right up there was a plate of haggis and turnips followed by single malt at Jint's flat. Totally about the people I was with.

... England, Scotland and Wales are ancient, seperate countries ... it's actually a little upsetting to be told they might as well all be the same.

I believe Jint's has corrected me on this before - thought it was going to involve a large stick.

As far as I know there isn't a super recoginizeable, pure, Canadian accent that sounds tons different from Americans.

"Brogue" is a word that comes to mind. Definitely a blending in the Northern US and Southern Canada.

*now wants to meet Auntie, and Shantih, and W4J, and Icarus, and Sailor even more ... not to mention a whole lot of others living in the US and Canada*