I read people say online that Americans are loud. What does this mean, exactly? Is it literal volume or is it our personality/presentation? Something else?
I may be moving to Australia because of my wife’s job, and I want to better understand this. I want to assimilate and I don’t want to be annoying. I’m personally pretty low key and listen more than speak, but this is my perception of myself.
Volume for sure, but also Americans seem to be largely incapable of experiencing silence. They tend to fill silence as if they love the sound of their own voice.
Obviously this isn’t all Americans, and my only experience of Americans are when they’re tourists.
You say you listen more than you speak so you’re probably fine. Even just asking about how to not be annoying shows you have more self awareness than any American I’ve ever met
Thank you so much for your reply!
The constant talking thing is definitely cultural. Americans get nervous during silence in conversations because we think there is something wrong like we’re not interesting or people don’t value us or something. It’s absolutely our own stupid hang up.