[Ads-l] Antedating of "American" (Inhabitant of America, of European Descent)

[Baker, John]

Does the larger context make it clear that the meaning is English-Americans?  Because a plausible reading is "The cold Finlanders once might visit Africans, The Spanish [might visit] Indians, the English [might visit] Americans, Without interpreters."


John Baker


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From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Shapiro, Fred
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 7:20 PM
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Subject: Antedating of "American" (Inhabitant of America, of European Descent)

American (OED, 2., 1648)

1595 Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas _Babilon_ 23 (Early English Books Online)  The cold Finlanders once might visit Africans, The Spanish Indians, th' English Americans, Without interpreters.

Fred Shapiro


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