Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Unamerican

From:DOUGLAS KOLLER <laokou@...>
Date:Tuesday, May 2, 2000, 1:12
I was watching part of the Gay Rights Rally in Washington yesterday on
CSpan, and at some point, the term "unamerican" (by a gay speaker) popped
up. "Unamerican" is, obviously, an extremely loaded political term which
means "going against the American ethos", which might mean "being against
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" plus a surfeit of connotative
layers (and -- I don't wish to open a can of politcal worms -- can be
co-opted by *any*one trying to diss opposing political views).

My question to non-English speakers -- Irina, Christophe, Carlos, BP,
Lars... (and perhaps to non-American, English speakers, though "unenglish,
unBritish" doesn't sound like a big reach to me [unAustralian?]):

Does political rhetoric in your country play this card?  Is there
"un-Dutch", un-French", "un-Argentinian", "un-Swedish", "un-Danish"....
behavior?  How is it codified (by which I mean, what prized views of your
country is it supposed to be antithetical to?), and what is the push-button
term in your various languages? "osvensk"?

Kou