dan-cat
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Happy Birthday, America
- Thread starter Joe8915
- Start date
R
Rich
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But if you were united, why did you have a civil war
Pauldohert
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Have you got a point mate ? erm Read it closely - NO you haven't - shut the fuck up!
ColinEssex
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dan-cat
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OK, reality checkpoint time here.
I've bantered with Rich and Col for ages on these forums. It's been heated several times but it's all just for fun. I'm just playing the nemesis that's all. They love it.
Please don't take my posts too seriously.
Pauldohert
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I try not to! You have to let up some time!
We gotta move on - or it will be 4 July again. Next subject pleeeease!
The Phil Collins is a joke right?
We gotta move on - or it will be 4 July again. Next subject pleeeease!
The Phil Collins is a joke right?
ColinEssex
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Thats the way we think of it too. But it seems there's a dark force around deleting posts that obviously don't meet their higher standards.
This British forum is now under USA rule I think.
Not much longer, then I'll be gone.
Col
Guys - we all like to argue occasionaly - but can we at least cut the swearing down ...
as to the americas and the USA
it does depend on the defination you are using at the time - to go back to king george (whatever number it is-first, second etc) is a bit short sighted
a bit like the calling world war 1 - it wasn't called that until after the second war ie orgainal it was called the great war ( the war to end all wars) -
the defination of the americas and the USA has kinda become blurred.
pretty much like how many contintents are there - check the definations on this are there 5 or 7 - go back to pre 1900 and there are 5 after this they extended it to 7 -
to check on this check the defination of the olympic flag
(one ring for each continent)
it all up in the air . (tits up and pear shaped)
g
as to the americas and the USA
it does depend on the defination you are using at the time - to go back to king george (whatever number it is-first, second etc) is a bit short sighted
a bit like the calling world war 1 - it wasn't called that until after the second war ie orgainal it was called the great war ( the war to end all wars) -
the defination of the americas and the USA has kinda become blurred.
pretty much like how many contintents are there - check the definations on this are there 5 or 7 - go back to pre 1900 and there are 5 after this they extended it to 7 -
to check on this check the defination of the olympic flag
(one ring for each continent)
it all up in the air . (tits up and pear shaped)
g
dan-cat
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Yep, granted I do get carried away moving on...
Sorry wasn't playing on that one
dan-cat
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dan-cat
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Rich
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dan-cat
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Brianwarnock
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R
Rich
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Several times...like I said you people know nothing about me
Duly noted and will now be used in evidence against you
R
Rich
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ColinEssex
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I have tried to use USA consistently ever since I visited Canada and mangled my French into an inadvertant insult. That was graciously corrected by someone who understood I was fighting the language, not the country, so took it good-naturedly and advised me of the error of my ways.
But the only fly in that ointment is that the common name of the country and the name by which many know us both contain "of America" as part of those names. Assuming we are separated by a common language, and given that folks like to abbreviate, the colloquial use of the word "American" clearly refers to the USA when not prefixed by "North" or "South" or "Central."
Further, for you nit-pickers, NO OTHER NATION ON THIS CONTINENT uses the name America. So if I claim to be an American, check the context. If it appears by context that I am referring to citizenship (by the absence of the qualifier "North"), then I clearly am NOT naming myself as Canadian or Mexican. Or Panamanian, or... go ahead, pick any other country on EITHER continent. What other country uses America as part of its name? Whether the purists like it or not, the usage is actually unambiguous. If I claim to ba an "American citizen" then you cannot possibly misunderstand me, any more than if I claimed to be a Canadian citizen or Mexican citizen.
But I actually do agree that it is a LOOSE usage. Not like THAT's never happened before in the English language...
So come on, gang, lighten up. Sheesh!
As to what one does on July 4th... weather permitting, a small family gathering will converge around a barbecue pit as we pour exotic annointing fluids over (usually non-living) sacrifices based on animal flesh - which we then char into inedibility and unrecognizability, neither factor being a barrier to then consuming said burnt offering.
As an alternative in South Louisiana, we boil living crustaceans in water heavily spiced with cayenne and other peppers, garlic, onions, and a few other herbs and plants. The two most common such living sacrifices being shrimp (prawns to some) or crawfish (ecrevisse to some). Just so they won't get lonely, we toss in some plant sacrifices such as small ears of corn still on cob and small new red potatoes.
Whether we implemented the living sacrifice or the burnt offering, we lay back and eat the sacrifice once it has been properly consecrated by the rituals of fire and such. (Plus in South Louisiana, which is strongly religious, we really DO consecrate the food by appropriate blessing.)
Then, just to show that we understand the past, we shoot off fireworks. Hmm... an old Chinese custom to scare away evil spirits. Oh, well, we are quite ecumenical about it. Heck, some of us will even consume imported beer or ale. Myself, I'm not a fan of ANY beer, but more than one of us probably consume a bit of Guiness Ale or some other brand of imported spirits.
But the only fly in that ointment is that the common name of the country and the name by which many know us both contain "of America" as part of those names. Assuming we are separated by a common language, and given that folks like to abbreviate, the colloquial use of the word "American" clearly refers to the USA when not prefixed by "North" or "South" or "Central."
Further, for you nit-pickers, NO OTHER NATION ON THIS CONTINENT uses the name America. So if I claim to be an American, check the context. If it appears by context that I am referring to citizenship (by the absence of the qualifier "North"), then I clearly am NOT naming myself as Canadian or Mexican. Or Panamanian, or... go ahead, pick any other country on EITHER continent. What other country uses America as part of its name? Whether the purists like it or not, the usage is actually unambiguous. If I claim to ba an "American citizen" then you cannot possibly misunderstand me, any more than if I claimed to be a Canadian citizen or Mexican citizen.
But I actually do agree that it is a LOOSE usage. Not like THAT's never happened before in the English language...
So come on, gang, lighten up. Sheesh!
As to what one does on July 4th... weather permitting, a small family gathering will converge around a barbecue pit as we pour exotic annointing fluids over (usually non-living) sacrifices based on animal flesh - which we then char into inedibility and unrecognizability, neither factor being a barrier to then consuming said burnt offering.
As an alternative in South Louisiana, we boil living crustaceans in water heavily spiced with cayenne and other peppers, garlic, onions, and a few other herbs and plants. The two most common such living sacrifices being shrimp (prawns to some) or crawfish (ecrevisse to some). Just so they won't get lonely, we toss in some plant sacrifices such as small ears of corn still on cob and small new red potatoes.
Whether we implemented the living sacrifice or the burnt offering, we lay back and eat the sacrifice once it has been properly consecrated by the rituals of fire and such. (Plus in South Louisiana, which is strongly religious, we really DO consecrate the food by appropriate blessing.)
Then, just to show that we understand the past, we shoot off fireworks. Hmm... an old Chinese custom to scare away evil spirits. Oh, well, we are quite ecumenical about it. Heck, some of us will even consume imported beer or ale. Myself, I'm not a fan of ANY beer, but more than one of us probably consume a bit of Guiness Ale or some other brand of imported spirits.
Pauldohert
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I try to help the USA improve its image with a less parochial outlook and a bit of respect for others. Its completely up to you................ I will shut the ** up now. I have done all I can do! 
While many in the United States of America generally refer to the country as America and themselves as Americans,[29] many people elsewhere in the Americas resent what they perceive as appropriation of the term in this context and, thus, this usage is frequently avoided.[30][31][32] In Canada, their southern neighbour is seldom referred to as "America" with "the United States", "the U.S.", or (informally) "the States" used instead.[31] English dictionaries and compendiums differ regarding usage and rendition.[4][5]
[edit] American
Main article: Use of the word American
[edit] English usage
Whether usage of America or the Americas is preferred, American is a self-referential term for many people living in the Americas. However, much of the English-speaking world uses the word to refer solely to a citizen, resident, or national of the United States of America. Instead, the word pan-American is used as an unambiguous adjective to refer to the Americas.
In addition, some Canadians resent being referred to as Americans because of mistaken assumptions that they are U.S. citizens or an inability—particularly of people overseas—to distinguish Canadian English and American English accents.[31]
[edit] Spanish usage
In Spanish, América is the name of a region considered a single continent composed of the subcontinents of Sudamérica and Norteamérica, the land bridge of Centroamérica, and the islands of the Antillas. Americano/a in Spanish refers to a person from América in a similar way that europeo or europea refers to a person from Europe. The terms sudamericano/a, centroamericano/a, antillano/a and norteamericano/a can be used to more specifically refer to the location where a person may live.
Citizens of the United States of America are normally referred to by the term estadounidense instead of americano or americana. However, the term norteamericano may refer to a citizen of the United States contrary to the geographical definition of this words, so the context may be needed to determine to where the speaker is referring. The term is primarily used to refer to citizens of the United States, rarely those of other North American countries.[33]
[edit] Portuguese usage
In Portuguese, the word americano refers to the whole of the Americas. But, in Brazil and Portugal, it is widely used to refer to the citizens of the United States. Sometimes "norte-americano" is also used, but "americano" is the most common term employed by people and media at large, while "norte-americano" (North American) is more common in books. The least ambiguous term, "estadunidense" (used more frequently in Brazil than in Portugal, something like "United Statian"), and "ianque" - the Portuguese version of "Yankee" - are rarely used.
"América", however, is not that frequently used as synonym to the country, and almost exclusively in current speech, while in print and in more formal environments the US is usually called either "Estados Unidos da América" (i.e. United States of America) or only "Estados Unidos" (i.e. United States). There is some difference between the usage of these words in Portugal and in Brazil, being the Brazilians less prone than the Portuguese to apply the term América to the country. A well-known example of such use is the translation of the title of Alain Resnais' movie "Mon Oncle d'Amérique": "O Meu Tio da América".
[edit] French usage
In French, as in English, the word Américain can be confusing as it can be both used to refer to the United States, and to the American continents. The noun Amérique sometimes refers to the whole as one continent, and sometimes two continents, southern and northern; the United States is generally referred to as les États-Unis d'Amérique, les États-Unis, les US, or les USA. However, the usage of Amérique to refer to the United States, while technically not correct, does have some currency in France. The adjective américain is most often used for things relating to the United States; however, it may also be used for things relating to the American continents. Things relating to the United States can be referred to without ambiguity by the words états-unien, étasunien or étatsunien, although their usage is rare.
While many in the United States of America generally refer to the country as America and themselves as Americans,[29] many people elsewhere in the Americas resent what they perceive as appropriation of the term in this context and, thus, this usage is frequently avoided.[30][31][32] In Canada, their southern neighbour is seldom referred to as "America" with "the United States", "the U.S.", or (informally) "the States" used instead.[31] English dictionaries and compendiums differ regarding usage and rendition.[4][5]
[edit] American
Main article: Use of the word American
[edit] English usage
Whether usage of America or the Americas is preferred, American is a self-referential term for many people living in the Americas. However, much of the English-speaking world uses the word to refer solely to a citizen, resident, or national of the United States of America. Instead, the word pan-American is used as an unambiguous adjective to refer to the Americas.
In addition, some Canadians resent being referred to as Americans because of mistaken assumptions that they are U.S. citizens or an inability—particularly of people overseas—to distinguish Canadian English and American English accents.[31]
[edit] Spanish usage
In Spanish, América is the name of a region considered a single continent composed of the subcontinents of Sudamérica and Norteamérica, the land bridge of Centroamérica, and the islands of the Antillas. Americano/a in Spanish refers to a person from América in a similar way that europeo or europea refers to a person from Europe. The terms sudamericano/a, centroamericano/a, antillano/a and norteamericano/a can be used to more specifically refer to the location where a person may live.
Citizens of the United States of America are normally referred to by the term estadounidense instead of americano or americana. However, the term norteamericano may refer to a citizen of the United States contrary to the geographical definition of this words, so the context may be needed to determine to where the speaker is referring. The term is primarily used to refer to citizens of the United States, rarely those of other North American countries.[33]
[edit] Portuguese usage
In Portuguese, the word americano refers to the whole of the Americas. But, in Brazil and Portugal, it is widely used to refer to the citizens of the United States. Sometimes "norte-americano" is also used, but "americano" is the most common term employed by people and media at large, while "norte-americano" (North American) is more common in books. The least ambiguous term, "estadunidense" (used more frequently in Brazil than in Portugal, something like "United Statian"), and "ianque" - the Portuguese version of "Yankee" - are rarely used.
"América", however, is not that frequently used as synonym to the country, and almost exclusively in current speech, while in print and in more formal environments the US is usually called either "Estados Unidos da América" (i.e. United States of America) or only "Estados Unidos" (i.e. United States). There is some difference between the usage of these words in Portugal and in Brazil, being the Brazilians less prone than the Portuguese to apply the term América to the country. A well-known example of such use is the translation of the title of Alain Resnais' movie "Mon Oncle d'Amérique": "O Meu Tio da América".
[edit] French usage
In French, as in English, the word Américain can be confusing as it can be both used to refer to the United States, and to the American continents. The noun Amérique sometimes refers to the whole as one continent, and sometimes two continents, southern and northern; the United States is generally referred to as les États-Unis d'Amérique, les États-Unis, les US, or les USA. However, the usage of Amérique to refer to the United States, while technically not correct, does have some currency in France. The adjective américain is most often used for things relating to the United States; however, it may also be used for things relating to the American continents. Things relating to the United States can be referred to without ambiguity by the words états-unien, étasunien or étatsunien, although their usage is rare.
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