Job Discussion Forums

[Mark Loyd]

[YanquiQuilme�o]

The problem lies in the fact that in casual conversation in the USA, we use the words United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England interchangeably to refer to the entire country. I know the difference between Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland, and England, but I still will refer to the whole country as England from time to time. (It's kind of like how we will call the Netherlands "Holland" even though technically Holland is only a part of the Netherlands.) I never realized how much the Scottish, Welsh, and N. Irish were offended by this until I had contact with them.

In a lot of countries, people refer to all East Asians as "Chinese" even if they are Japanese, Korean, Thai, etc.

I think it's just part of human nature or habit to simplify in ways like this ...

[Perpetual Traveller]

[Mark Loyd]

NO

I heard Bryony herself say that she is her editor. True she was the editor who recognised her.

JK is English??????

[Justin Trullinger]

I'm sorry to contradict a good rant, but, I should point out a few things. One, I am American, and have studied geography. And I know where Scotland is. Somewhere north of Liverpool Street Station, innit?

Two:

[YanquiQuilme�o]

Adding to the confusion is the fact that every time I've called someone "British", the conversation goes something like this:

"So, you are British."

"No, I'm not British. I'm English/Welsh/Scottish/Irish."

"But aren't you British, too?"

"No."

[Justin Trullinger]

Makes one wonder about the existence of this concept called "Britain," doesn't it?

But as I understand it, England, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, and Northern Ireland all are part of Great Britain, also called the United Kingdom (but only for fun) and therefore citizens of those places would be British, as well as Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Cornish, English, or whatever. (In Spanish, you can say they are "United Kingdomish," ((Reino Unidense)) but I have found no way to make this work in English.) I have asked colleagues from the UK about this, and they agree.

A little confusion here, as the org I work for has partners both in the UK and in Aire (or however the independent part of Ireland is spelled) so we receive exchange participants who are Irish, and also British, as well as participants who are Irish, and NOT British. (Capital letters theirs, not mine. ) I could call the whole lot Irish, and don't imagine they would care, but when we have to register their visas and passports, they aren't the same thing, though they are all Irish. I have had no success explaining this to Ecuadorians. Or to anyone, really.

Regards,
Justin

[matttheboy]

[Perpetual Traveller]

[Aramas]

lol - I stand corrected. Apparently most of the kings and queens of England have not been English kings and queens at all, but rather Scottish, French, German or Dutch kings and queens of England. I wonder if our English friends study 'English kings', and then study the foreign ones seperately? What's a foreign king of England called anyway? I suppose it goes: Richard the Lionheart, the French king..., um...that doesn't sound right. How about Mad George, the German king..., nope. Queen Victoria, daughter of German immigrants... Nah. Doesn't work.

As I was saying, James, the Scottish king *chortle*...Sorry, I can't do it

And while I hate to poke fun at pedants (I'm a terrible liar), the nationality used in a title describes the nationality of the entity that they have title over, not the nationality of the person holding the title. The English king is the king of the English, though not necessarily English himself. The English soccer captain is the captain of the English soccer team, though not necessarily English himself.

Meanwhile, I suggest we all try to speak the King's Scottish

Oh, and who was it that called me American? You b*stard! How dare you! Just because my country has disappeared up America's arse is no reason to rub salt in the wound. Besides, there is absolutely no chance of Australia becoming a US dependency until Our Beloved Fuhrer (who knows what's best for us) has his knighthood and his Dear Lady has her tea and scones with the Queen.

[Perpetual Traveller]

[YanquiQuilme�o]

The nationality thing is so complex. I'm American. Here in Argentina if I say to an Argentine that I am "un americano", it's very likely that'll I'll hear the response, "Me, too."

They usually call USAers "norteamericanos" which is North American. But technically that would include Canadians, right? (And I always thought Mexicans were North Americans, too ... but anyway.)

I don't really like saying I am "estadounidense" (united statsian) because it sounds really unnatural and affected, even though it's technically accurate. No Argentine refers to Americans as "estadounidenses".

I guess I could say I am a 'yanqui', but that's a derogatory term. It'd be like a German introducing himself as a kraut, or a Frenchman as a frog.

All that to say, the way we refer to nationalities is often complex and confusing, and it doesn't mean people don't know geography, but rather that things are complicated.

[Perpetual Traveller]

[Guy Courchesne]

[YanquiQuilme�o]

In the USA, Yankee does not mean American, it means someone from the Northeast. If you call someone from Alabama a Yankee, he will likely reply, "I'm not a Yankee. I'm from the South."

I've called Australians Aussies before, but Aussie isn't a derogatory term, is it? I never thought Canuck or Kiwi were derogatory either. If they are, please let me know. I will never use them again.

Yankee is most definitely a derogatory term. Almost no Argentine has dared to say the word "yanqui" in front of me. One student in my class said the word, and all the other students gasped in embarrassment.

I would never dream of using words like jap, spic, mick, or wop so I think it's reasonable to find the word yanqui disparaging.