"nation"

[Jonathan Lighter]

In light of the continuing mistreatment of Barry in the mainstream media, I urge ADS Nation to re-commence its nuclear program for peaceful uses only.

  JL

Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU> wrote:
  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Charles Doyle
Subject: Re: "nation"
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Certainly true. However, that older sense of "nation" as a people with common interests or other characteristics (not just origins) got largely superseded by the application of the term to the post-medieval (and Western) concept of a nation-state.

At the very least, the current extended use of the term sort of trivializes it (perhaps, sometimes, in an intentionally jocular way).

--Charlie
_____________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 08:38:22 -0500
>From: David Bergdahl
>Subject: Re: "nation"
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>I'm reading a history of the Jews in France and even in the medieval period groups of people from other nationalities (e.g. Portuguese) were referred to as nations, so this usage may have a longer history than we credit.
>-db
>
>On Jan 19, 2007, at 7:55 AM, Charles Doyle wrote:
>>
>> A couple of weeks ago, we discussed the use of "nation" extended to designate the collective supporters or fans of an academic institution (its athletic program, at least) or a professional sports team ("Bulldog nation," "Red Sox nation").
>>
>> Last night on Comedy Central a series of individuals proudly identified themselves as members of "the Colbert nation."
>>
>> --Charlie

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