Generally American (A Journey in American English): Recent Episodes
Christopher M. Chandler, Kris Schauer
Hello, Hola, Guten Tag, Bonjour, こんにちは !
Welcome everyone,
this is a podcast for those wanting to learn about U.S. Culture through Standard American English, also known as General American. We talk about various different topics related to the U.S. and the U.S.'s relations with other countries.
My co-host and I would like to think of this as more of a journey because you never know where it’ll take us. Plus, since the journey’s more important than the end or the start, we hope that you’ll be willing to join us!
Let’s see where it takes us !
Description:Unions and strike have always been seen as controversial in the U.S. This time, the actors and writers are striking for better compensation and more respect. But, how do unions and guilds work in general?
Contact:
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Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/generallyamcn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generally_american/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/9405318
Description:Cartoons, Anime, Comics - What's the difference?
Contact:
Poll: https://forms.gle/EDqw565Wus4JHsut8
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/generallyamcn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generally_american/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/9405318
Description:The modern cowboys - Truckers and how they are crucial to the American way of life.
Contact:
Poll: https://forms.gle/EDqw565Wus4JHsut8
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/generallyamcn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generally_american/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/9405318
Description:Touching on last time, Kris and I discuss the various sub and counter cultures within the U.S.
Contact:
Poll: https://forms.gle/EDqw565Wus4JHsut8
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/generallyamcn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generally_american/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/9405318
Description:Thanksgiving came and went. Kris and I touch on how we spent our thanksgivings. Also, we delve into some side topics like the NFL being in Germany and winter weather.
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:Not quite like the office, but Kris and I discuss our work place experiences. Work culture and going back to the office has been more important than ever in the past couple of months.
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:Continuing with last week's episode, Kris and I discuss how medical insurance and medical debt are intertwined. On an final note, we include public assistance and how that ties in with medical assitance
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
The amount of debt that Americans are accruing is growing year by year. On the one hand, Americans use to debt to manage their lives, but on the other hand it becomes almost too much to bear. There are many ways in which Americans can fall into to debt, but we will stick to just a couple: credit, student and medical debt.
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:Kris and I discuss our trips and travels in the past two months.
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
Who built the pyramids and and were we really on the moon? There are many answers to those questions, some less serious and trustworthy than others. What do you believe? Well, that depends on where you live and where you grow up. You are shaped by your experiences. Conspiracy theories are one of the ways that try to make sense of the world. They are simply too many of them to deal with them all in this episode, but Kris and I want to give you a glimpse of some of the most well known in the U.S.
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Generally American (A Journey in American English) Live: Episode Details (September 17. 2022, 17:30 Berlin Time)
Details to the zoom are subject to change so please check back regularly.
If you have any questions that you would like us to answer, please post them or send them in the discord.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78864907412?pwd=qgmfUWkdSiBYPbZ6iYj4blZ5nmQhNy.1
Meeting ID: 788 6490 7412
Passcode: N4vTZQ
Description:we have to share space in a society, if we want to get along with other people. We also hare space in order to connect with other people from our local communities and we do so in "public space" But, what exactly is a public space and how do we go about finding them?
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:We are a bit late to the party, but Kris and I want to talk about the fourth of July and how it came about it. Also, we dive into a bit of the history and culture surrounding this favorite American tradition!.
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
It is no secret that Americans love to buy in bulk. That's no secret. In today's episode Kris and I talk about in which ways Americans love to buy in large quantities. We have a few funny stories for you and hope that you will stick around to hear them !
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
We live in a society that is quick judge, vilify and even quicker to convict those. We say 'innocent until proven guilty', but it seems like the reverse is true in the court of public opinion where defending yourself is incredibly difficult. So, in today's episode, Chris and I want to talk about some famous cases and how they were dealt with in the legal courts and the courts of public opinion.
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:The jobs that we don't want to do, the jobs that we hate, or the things that we can't do. We usually give these things off to othe people, often at a much cheaper price than what we would be willing to work for. There is also the problem of the quality not being up to par due to the cheap labor. Still, there are overlooked positive benefits to outsourcing work as it allows for comapnies to create goods that would have otherwise not been possible. It also creates industries, both good and bad. What do you think about outsourcing? Let us know by contacting us
Contact:If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
The current American situation is highly volitale at the moment due to the discussion of reproductive rights and debates.
It is a fine line to walk, and so knowing where to step is not always clear.
Contact:
If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
It is hard to know what culture is and how to define, but many people take the you-know-it-when-you-see-it kind of approach. The U.S. has often been accused of not having a culture, or its culture being very young and refined. There is a famous quote that serves as the basis of our podcast which sums up a lot of Americans attitudes about culture and what it means to be American.
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
― Theodore Roosevelt
So, Kris and I discuss culture and what are some ways that Americans view their own culture.
Contact:
If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
It is said that if you want to truly express your opinion, then you should put your money where your mouth is. So, that means that you can vote with your wallet and boycott products that you disagree with. In this day and age, it is becoming increasingly diffiuclt to buy goods that have not been created unethically. However, even if it is difficult, we still believe that it is worth a try. Kris and I talk about the difficulties facing those who to buy in a fashion that is in more in lines with their values.
Contact:
If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Description:
Whether it is music, weather, old memories or t.v. shows, there is always something that reminds you of home. In this case, we want to discuss what it is that truly reminds of the United States in a truly American sense. We come it at from different perspectives and show that there is more than one way of remembering your country. Music, rural pastures, culture footnotes, there are many things that could be classic icon symbols or Americana.
Contact:
If you would like to get in contact with us, please contact us in the following ways:
Discord: https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
E-mail: christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
If you would like to get in contact with us, please check contact us at our discord:
https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
or by e-mail
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
If you would like to get in contact with us, please check contact us at our discord:
https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
or by e-mail
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
If you would like to get in contact with us, please check contact us at our discord:
https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
or by e-mail
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Contact us at
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
or at the discord https://discord.gg/GQymQXmTVe
Chris and I talk about various sitcomes that ran from the 1950 until the modern era.
Here is a list of some of the sitcomes that we discussed in todays Episode
I Love Lucy
M.A.S.H (technically not a sitcom)
Brady Bunch
Hogan's Heroes
Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Growing Pains
Saved by the Bell
Bill Cosby Show
Full House
That 70's Show
How I Met Your Mother
Big Bang Theory
The internet has been around for over thirty years now, much to the surprise of many people. Kris and I talk about our experiences growing up with the internet and how this has shaped our online word view. We hope that you enjoy this episode and please feel free to get in contact with us !
Kris and I talk about the various holidays in the U.S. and how they are celebrated. We get into the details of particular ones and how they have been adpated to fit American tastes.
Gun ownership is a big point of contention and debate in the U.S. That is why Kris and I want to talk about it in today's episode !
Hello everyone,
in today's episode, Chris and I will be discussing economic booms in the u.s. !
Hey everyone,
another week, another new episode. We kept you waiting, but we haven't forgotten about you!
In this week's episode, Chris and I want to talk about the differences between "past time" and "down time" in the context of the U.S.
I found this to be most interesting because Kris and I seem to have different views on what exactly those terms me. So, stick to the end if you want figure out where the differences lie !
We hope that you enjoy this episode and with that being said, let's begin
Hello and welcome back ,
Kris and I are not very political, or at least, we try not to be. Still, every now and then we touch on some political topics when it fits in with the theme of our pocast. In today’s episode, Kris and I will be discussing the First Amendmet, which belongs to a list of amendments know as the bill of rights. This amendment deals with a lot of the freedoms that Americans. And we hope that you enjoy this epsiode. Without further adue, let’s begin!
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Discord Link
https://discord.gg/8E7sgVha
Hello everyone and welcome back to a brand new episode.
I would like to start with asking you to please excuse our absence. It is not Kris’ fault or anything.
Actually, it was my fault because it was my birthday last week. Since I did not feel like recording an episode on my birthday, I decided to give us off for the weekend. I am not sure if we had mentioned that last time or not, but now you know!
Anywho, what do we want to talk about today? Well, we want to touch on three closely related topics.
First, we want to discuss the concept of adapting foreign media to meet American tastes. This includes creating entirely new shows based on foreign shows or employing dubs or subs so that the content can be understood by Americans.
Second, we somewhat touch on the concept of censorship in the U.S. with respect to movies and shows because it is not always clear what we are allowed show on the silver screen.
And finally, the problem of white washing in American media is a common criticism launched against home-grown movies, especially when they are adapations of foreign movies and stories. Briefly explaining what white-washing is would not do it any justice. You will get to know what white-washing means towards the end of the episode, so please stick around.
As always, Kris and I welcome any comments, questions, constructive criticism, feedback, etc. Feel free to reach out and contact us at anytime. The information to do so will be in the description of this episode.
We hope that you will enjoy the episode as much as we enjoyed making it.
With that being said, let’s begin !
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Discord Link
https://discord.gg/8E7sgVha
Whenever I think of summer, I always think of the song summer time sadness, but I don’t know why? It is a good song after all. You should go check it out though. Anyway, in today’s episode, Kris and I want to talk about the cultural aspects of summer in the U.S.
Even though Kris and I are both from the U.S., he and I have had similar and different experiences with respect to how we spend and spent our time during the Summer. Some of the summer-related topics that we touch on have to do with going camps, activities with your friends, attending summer school and seasonal work.
As always, feel free to contact us at our discord or send us an e-mail, both of which will be in the description of this podcast.
With that being said, we hope that you enjoy the episode and let’s begin.
Feel free to contact us!
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Discord Link
https://discord.gg/8E7sgVha
Feel free to contact us!
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Discord Link
https://discord.gg/8E7sgVha
In today's episode,
Kris and I want to talk about the differences between geeks and nerds. Also, we want to touch on how acceptable nerd culture has become in the U.S.
Feel free to contact us!
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Discord Link
https://discord.gg/8E7sgVha
Feel free to contact us!
https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Feel free to contact us:
https://discord.gg/NUUC2QJumv
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
In this episode, we talk a bit more about the ramifications of the war on drugs in the U.S.
We talk about the legalization and acceptance of cannabis and other drugs in modern day America.
Today's episode ties into last week'S episode of the average worker and introduces the topic of travelling.
The U.S. is a huge country, but still, we try and give you a depiction of what the average person could look like.
Since it is Kris' first episode, I thought that I would let him take the lead. So, in today's episode ,we talked about his take on various sports in the U.S..
Come contact us if you have questions !
https://discord.gg/m5gbY4CG
My guest,Nicole, and I talk about how and why she learned English. She also provides some ticks and trips on how to go about learning English.
Please come join me and Nicole in the discord! https://discord.gg/SZRHJMY8
In my language learning journey, I have noticed how English has influenced and been influenced by all sorts of languages. In today's episode, I simply want to focus on three: French, German and Japanese.
Contact information https://discord.gg/KxwgyV8v
https://chrisandamericanenglish.transistor.fm/
christophermichaelchandler@gmail.com
Discord Room:
Discord: A Journey with Chris and American English
Today's episode is about humor and how Germans and American see it differently. I also touch on the problem of things getting lost in translation and why I am convinced that learning culture is harder than learning a language.
Announcements:
I have been looking for a co-host on my podcast. I have a few potential candidates and I hope that we can do more topics soon!
I have started a discord server. Please come and join us if you are interested in being apart of the community. Everyone is welcome and I welcome your feedback, criticism and questions.
I will be conducting interviews with people about their English language learning journey and their opinions on the U.S. Also, I will be interviewing people from different parts of the U.S so that you can get a better picture of what it is like that.
In these trying times friendship and small talk are more important than every. Let's get into that.
In today's episode I want to talk about optimism in the U.S. and how it compares to other cultures.
In a new series, I want to to touch on the exporting of U.S. culture. Ever since its inception, or maybe even before, the U.S. has been at the forefront of the world's stage for better or for worse.
Language Tips Podcast
I want to talk about the similarities between English and German. Plus, what makes English different than German and why is it not related to the romance languages? Also, I am moving my tips to my new podcast (link in the description). This podcast will be for the longer episodes.
This episode is a bit longer because I wanted to touch on a few major points: Why English spelling is so weird, how to best improve your pronunciation and the problems with fluency and perfection.
In this week's episode, I want to talk about what exactly General American English is. A potential response might be "well, the dialect of English that is spoken within the United States of America." While yes, your answer would be technically correct, it is lacking and thus leaves a lot to be desired. Over the past couple of weeks, we have been talking about English and its evolution. American English is just one of the varieties that has evolved out of European English. Furthermore, I want to go over how you can be more motivated in your English studies and then we will finish off with this week's expression.
In this week's episode, I want to talk about multilingualism in the U.S, the languages that I personally speak and how I go about maintaining those languages. The purpose of this episode is to give you a better understanding of my linguistic background and current linguistic situation. Also, I hope that if our situations are similar, then it might be of personal use to you.
Speaking from personal experience, I know that it is tempting to stay in the walled garden that is learner material, but it is not something that will help you advance in the long run. Now, it does go without saying that you have to learn how to crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run. The sooner you start familiarizing yourself with native content, the better. Plus, it provides you a realistic measure of your abilities.
Please do not believe that you have to start off with something like Shakespeare or Lord of the Rings. While those might be tempting to tackle, they are also quite daunting, even for native speakers. Therefore, it would be best to read those once you have solidified your English abilities.
There is native material appropriate for every level and I would like to go over that with you in today's podcast; Beginner, Intermediate and Beyond.
In the last couple of episodes we talked about how to use the history of a language as a language learning tool, the different stages of English and the French influence on the English language. This time, to be more true to the podcast, I want to talk a little bit about dialects. It should come as a surprise to no one that there are different dialects and variations of the English language throughout the world. This is true of most languages, of course. The two most prominent being American English, also known as General American and RP, also known as Received Pronunciation or British English. While there are problems that go along with using these labels, for the sake of brevity and history, I will stick to them. I want to go over the most obvious differences between the American and British English dialects and a a couple of American Expressions
In the last episode, we talked about the history of English; Old, Middle and Early Modern English. Now, I also touched on the fact French had a great deal of influence on English, but I did not go into detail about what that exactly means. Well, in this episode, I want to expand upon that a bit.
It should be noted that French, just like English, has undergone a lot of changes. So, the French that is spoken today is not the same as the French that was spoken almost a thousand years ago. However, it is still possible to see the parallels between modern French(1600) and Old French (700-1300).
In this episode, I want to focus on a short history of the English language. You may wonder "What does history of the language have to do with language learning ?" Well, quite a lot actually! It is only by knowing where we have come from that we can know where we are going. In my language learning journey, I have not only found it fascinating to learn about the history of a language, but I have also found it to be very insightful. It has also allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the language as well.
With that being said, let's talk a little bit about the history of the language.
Today, I have a special introduction for this podcast. I have a couple of Japanese listeners and I’d therefore like to have a Japanese introduction as well. If you don’t speak Japanese or don’t want to hear the Japanese, feel free to skip ahead.
The majority of this podcast, with the exception of the following introduction, will be in English and is geared towards all learners of English. In this episode, I would like to talk about some language learning tips; Reading native material, translating lyrics into English and shadowing.
Please stay tuned until the end of the podcast to hear a new expression !
I want to talk about a couple of differences between my home country, the U.S, and Germany, the country in which I currently reside. I do realize that this is a topic that has been covered extensively by others, but I do also feel as if though more perspectives couldn't hurt. I would also like to think that I might be able to provide a different outlook on things.
We will look at three aspects because, you know, three is a good number.
- Friendliness
- Portion Sizes
- Public Transportation
Welcome to my very first episode! This is my introductory podcast as I am still getting used to my equipment the podcast format. So, view this is getting to know me be a bit better. I hope that you will also be interested in listening to future episodes as well.
Stay tuned for the next episode !
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