Well folks, I have the true experience and situation to knock out all your theories. First off, Englishman, good post up there at the top. I like the subject matter.
Next, Prisca, you're a prejudiced person, but then again, so am I. Having lived in Australia the past 2 1/2 years, and having been born and raised in middle America, and now being married to a man born and reared in Germany, but now Naturalized Australian, I believe I can speak with some authority on the subject of cultures and their knowledge of one another. I have made some close friends here in Australia, ones I will keep for the rest of my life, hopefully. But one thing I find very funny and very telling in light of Prisca's post about the knowledge/education level of Americans: Both my European husband and my American self both agree: Australians are not the most educated or enlightened people in this world as a whole. In fact, I have found many of them to be a bit "thick" if you get my drift. But that's just this American's opinion, and my European Naturalized Australian husband shares it wholeheartedly.
My husband and I share many a laugh over the differences in our cultures, upbringing, education styles, you name it. And many times one or the other of us will say something that makes the other one go "huh?". But one universal thing we do share, is RESPECT for the other one's place in the world, for their right to have their culture and practice it. I have now picked up a few Australian phrases that I didn't use before, (as Comf said, you have to have knowledge of it before you can use it) and I've taught my Aussie friends/acquaintances a few things they didn't know about Americans. But they as well as myself were willing to learn and change. And that's what it's all about, folks.
Now,Engligshman, back to the central reason for your post. Yes, I believe that the WTBTS is basically an American religion that spread itself over the earth, with the usual Watchtower hoity-toity attitudes toward other cultures it was infiltrating and assimilating. If American men were primarily writing the articles, then American colloquialisms are what you're going to read in their publications. But let me say what has already been said, "The WatchTower Society doesn't speak real American! They speak WATCHTOWER SPEAK.: Thank you for your time and attention to this lengthy post.
RCat
