In a meeting, someone referred to the Americans as 'cousins'. That seems like a perfectly reasonable nickname, but I've never heard it before now. Is it common in the UK? If so, does it carry any subtext? E.g., is it at all disparaging?
I'm an American, BTW.
no. theres no insult . It is / was what the British Intelligence community called their US counterparts and spooky allies. Not quite sure why the word ' cousins ' was used tho .
shareIt's very surprising the OP hasn't heard this expression because it's commonly used here, in America, to describe the Brits.
shareI'm not surprised, I'm an American also and have never heard it.
share"Cousins" goes all the way back into early Le Carre books so it has been in use for 50 odd years. Back then it was likely still code, hence appropriate for when this show was set, but to use it in a spy show set today would be a joke.
I think my percentage of Chimp DNA is higher than others. Cleaver Greene
When I was a kid my dad would always refer to Americans as "Our cousins across the pond".
It's been in use for a long time.
If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?
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Cousins has long been the nickname for US agencies. R.elated agencies in the UK are The Sisters.
shareUncle Sam had 320 million children, he was a promiscuous one :D
Ya Kirk-loving Spocksucker!
a lot of wrong answers on this thread
In a lot of official agencies in the UK, the Americans were and sometimes still are referred to as the cousins. Both countries are born of the same ancestors.
This is purely a description of the closeness of the relationship. The choice of cousins is because there is still some distance between the two.
There are similar reasons that Australia/NZ/Canada were considered the children of the mother country. The ties are close, and they mother gave birth to the children.
Common expression, in both the UK and USA. I am surprised some American viewers have never heard it.
share