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The Differences Between Argentina And The United States In Culture.
Though both Argentina and the United States are located in the Western Hemisphere, the two countries couldn’t be more different!
From the food they eat to the way they greet one another, there are some major cultural differences between these two nations.
For starters, Argentinians tend to be more formal than Americans. They stand close together when talking and make lots of eye contact.
They also take their time when eating meals and often linger over dinner for hours. In contrast, Americans are much more informal.
They stand farther apart when talking and make less eye contact.
They also tend to eat quickly and move on to other activities after finishing a meal. Another difference has to do with timekeeping.
In Argentina, people often show up late for appointments and events. This is seen as completely normal and isn’t considered rude.
However, in the United States, being even a few minutes late is thought of as very rude.
These are just a few of the many cultural differences between Argentina and the United States.
Though they may take some getting used to, they can actually be quite interesting and fun to learn about!
10 Surprising Differences Between Argentina and the US.
Though both Argentina and the United States share some commonalities, such as both being former British colonies that eventually won their independence.
There are also many significant differences between the two countries. Here are 10 of the most surprising differences between these two cultures.
#1. Argentinians are passionate about their soccer (a.k.a. football) and will argue endlessly about which team is better.
They take their soccer very seriously! In the US, meanwhile, most people couldn’t care less about soccer and would rather watch American football, basketball or baseball.
#2. Speaking of sports, Argentinians are also crazy about basketball.
In fact, many of them grow up playing the sport and dream of one day making it to the NBA.
In the US, basketball is popular but not nearly to the same extent.
#3. Argentine men are notoriously macho.
It’s not uncommon for them to whistle or honk at women walking by, even if they’re complete strangers.
American men, on the other hand, tend to be more reserved and would never dream of behaving in such a way.
#4. Family is very important in Argentine culture.
It’s not unusual for grown children to still live at home with their parents well into adulthood.
In the US, however, most young adults strike out on their own as soon as they turn 18 (or even sooner).
#5. Argentina has a much higher percentage of people of European descent than the US.
Argentina’s population of European descent is around 85% compared to just 57.8% for the United States.
This is due to a large number of Italians and Spaniards who immigrated to Argentina during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
#6. Porteños (residents of Buenos Aires) have a reputation for being rude and arrogant. but
Porteños are just straightforward, something that can be interpreted as rudeness by outsiders who aren’t used to it.
In contrast, people from other parts of Argentina are known for being more easy-going and laid-back.
Americans, meanwhile, are somewhere in between; we can be direct but we’re also polite and friendly.
#7. Argentine Spanish is very different from other forms of Spanish.
Argentine Spanish includes a lot of “Lunfardo”, which is a secret form of coded language that developed among criminals and pimps in Buenos Aires’ red light district during the late 19th century.
You’ll likely have no idea what Argentinians are saying if you don’t know any Lunfardo!
#8. Argentine given names are often very long.
Argentine names often include both the mother’s maiden name as well as the father’s surname.
For example, former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s full name is actually Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner Villegas.
Fernández de Kirchner is her husband’s surname while Villegas is her mother’s maiden name (Fernández is her father’s surname).
In contrast, most Americans have just one given name followed by a surname such as “John Smith.”
#9. Both lunch and dinner are typically big meals in Argentina. Big meals in Argentina consist of multiple courses including an appetizer, main dish, and dessert.
Meanwhile, in the US lunch is usually smaller than dinner with just a main dish (and sometimes no dessert). And speaking of food…
#10. Asado (Argentine barbecue) is a national institution!
You’ll find Asados taking place all across the country on weekends, friends and family gather together to cook meat over an open fire then share an enormous feast. There’s nothing quite like it!
Conclusion.
Apple pie might be America’s national dish but when it comes to food, Argentinian Asado BBQ definitely takes the top spot in Argentina!
From its passionate soccer fans to its love of basketball. Not to mention its interesting form of Spanish spoken here.
There are plenty of differences between Argentina and The United States culture! Thanks for reading!