textbook recommendation

[Stephen J. Bobick]

Kenneth Brostrom wrote:
> "Avoid the PC cringe."  Doesn't that say it all?  Insistance on this
> extremely narrow understanding of English usage could justify almost any
> kind of abusive terminology.  If Ukrainians who know English well feel
> strongly that 'the Ukraine' implies recognition and tacit approval of a
> historical subordination of their homeland to Russia, why should we not
> honor their preferences?  After all, this is not a simple matter of English
> grammar. To state the painfully obvious, usage is extremely complex--and
> here it is burdened with negative historical and cultural associations.
> Rather than introducing a number of analogous usages that are unmarked by
> such associations (at least in my English), Will Ryan might have discussed
> the appropriateness of Americans referring to the English as 'Brits,' or
> more to the point, as 'Limeys.'  This is the linguistic region in which
> 'the Ukraine' exists for many Ukrainians.  And to be honest, I "cringe"
> when I use the term 'Limey.'  Alyssa Dinega, I appreciate your sensitivity
> to this issue, and I think others who would like to see 'Russia' and
> 'Ukraine' as terms equal in linguistic status among speakers of English
> will applaud your apology, despite this minor quarrel from the linguistic
> peanut gallery.

Well said.  I only have a little to add in response to the original
callous, inflammatory diatribe:

>>Why should the mistaken linguistic sensitivities and ignorance of English
>>of various nationalists be allowed to dictate standard English usage

It seems the original author is taking some liberties here, especially
in generalizations and presumptions.  Many Ukrainians who protest the
use of the article "the" are fluent in English.  Indeed, quite a few of
them were born and raised in Canada, the USA and even the UK.  These
people are hardly "ignorant of English".  As for the use of
"nationalist" in the above sentence, even those who are "ignorant of
English" will readily see this as an attempt to demonize Ukrainians who
are sensitive to the use of "the Ukraine", and thus negate their
opinion, since it must follow that they are only some type of irrational
extremists, or other nasty types.  Speaking as a patriotic US citizen, I
can state without a doubt that the only "nationalist" feelings I have
for Ukraine relate to its right to exist as a sovereign, self-governing
nation, free from external meddling in its affairs.  Interesting, but
despite my lack of "ignorance of English" and "nationalist" (in the
negative sense) sentiments, I still find "the Ukraine" to be insulting.

-- Stephen Bobick

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