I even submit that you'd have to look long and hard to find a British civilian who'd make the mistake. It's the RAF.
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Your most pointless TV/movie/book nitpicks
- Thread starter Ruin Explorer
- Start date
The Soloist
Adventurer
Every time US TV show characters come to Canada they wear hunter-checkered over shirts as if we never have temperatures above 0!
Ryujin
Legend
Far too many Americans think that all of Canada is a frigid northern wasteland. The first time that I was on my friends' podcast, in Seattle, they made the point of referring to me as being their guest from the "Great White Southeast" because Toronto is further south than Seattle.
Ruin Explorer
Legend
I think there's a difference between if you got them to casually refer to it and directly asked them, quiz-style "What is the name of the air force of the UK?". If you did the latter or especially asked the acronym, I daresay most would realize they were being asked a question requiring brain engagement and get the RAF. But if you referred to the "British Air Force" I don't think 95% of people would bat an eyelid and would use the term themselves, especially in certain middle-class circles.
I was looking into it and someone was suggested (with no specific basis) that maybe the show used it instead of the real term to avoid insulting the RAF, but like, nah mate, both seasons are very specifically about British military culture and regs and so on, all this does is wind up people who actually know (esp. actual troops). And especially as S2 is about a very bizarre and specific regiment (essentially "air force infantry") which I barely even knew about and has a specific name (which is escaping me at this precise moment).
Perhaps the RAF Regiment?
In most countries, perhaps, but I think in Britain people would always say the RAF. After WWII, and all the WWII movies of the fifties and sixties, it's become part of the cultural identity. The Army, the Navy and the RAF.
Then again, I haven't lived there since I was a kid, and things might have changed.
TaranTheWanderer
Legend
In Canada it’s RCAF. Royal Canadian Air Force. I’m pretty sure RAF doesn’t stand for “British Air Force”.
Yes!
Americans need to better understand that Canada is only mostly a frigid northern wasteland. And that most Canadians huddle together in the other parts.
(I lived a couple of my earliest years in semi-remote, semi-frigid Argentia Newfoundland.)
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