LL-L "Names" 2005.10.19 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Commands ("signoff lowlands-l" etc.): listserv at listserv.net
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
=======================================================================

19 October 2005 * Volume 07
=======================================================================

From: jonny <jonny.meibohm at arcor.de>
Subject: LL-L "Names" 2005.10.18 (10) [E]

Dear Ben,

you wrote:

> I don't know why, but it's a bit annoying to always
> have to stop and say, "Okay, I'm North American."
Well- the problem is: America is aspected as a continent, not any state or
country. But, Ben, you're quite well in your question, because in Germany
'an American' always had been a 'Yankee' in a friendly sense, or perhaps of
Canadian origin.
All of us often forget the fact that e.g Brazil today has more inhabitants
than the U.S.(or doesn't it??), and, looking at the whole southern part of
America, there live much more people than in U.S. and Canada summed.

Sometimes I even fear US going to isolate themselves, because today I read
there to be more than 54% of the population refuse to approve the evolution
theory basing on Darwin. It's a great example for independency but could be
suited to cause even more loneliness for the mightiest country of the whole
world, at the moment.

Greutens/Regards

Johannes "Jonny" Meibohm

----------

From: Ben J. Bloomgren <Ben.Bloomgren at asu.edu>
Subject: LL-L "Names" 2005.10.19 (03) [E]

Ron,

Yes, there's a lot of weird thinking going on, always has been, and names
reflect some of that.  But does the person using the name (for lack of a
viable alternative) have the mindset that goes along with what seems to be
an inappropriate name?

I did not mean to sound pompous or arrogant. I did not mean to sound like
we're the biggest and baddest on the block and that we deserve the name more
than the Latin Americans. I only thought that it was strange that since I
have studied Spanish over these many years, they have always used
Norteamericano. When I said that I was "annoyed", I meant that I was always
known as an American among my own and that the new monaker was different and
therefore strange. I am sorry if I started a war or at least brought a can
of petrol.
Ben

----------

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Names

Hey, Ben!

If there was a war, it must have passed me by without me recognizing it, and 
not for a second did I think you instigated anything.  Sorry if I gave you 
that impression.  My pontification was meant to point to universal human 
folly and to the fact that all countries are glass houses.

In my opinion, our Mark Brooks has a point when he says that "America" for 
the country is merely an abbreviation, just as "Brazil" is an abbreviation 
for "United States of Brazil" (_Estados Unidos do Brasil_) and "Mexico" is 
an abbreviation of "United States of Mexico" (_Estados Unidos de México_). 
But when you try to play yourself off as the "mightiest" country (and don't 
carry it off very well in every regard either), you just have to put up with 
everyone and their uncle getting their knickers in a twist and nipping at 
your heels for pretty much anything you do or do not do.  That comes with 
the territory.  (But I do not mean to suggest that I approve of Americans' 
unthinking dismissal of anything "thaim furners" have to say.)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron 

==============================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
======================================================================