Re: Exonyms [Re: English syllable structure]

I think it's a question of context. I would never (in all seriousness) call
an American a Yank unless it were clear that it was in a spirit of fun (i.e.
"You yanks can't play proper football") and I was reasonably familiar with
the person anyway. To us Brits (not a term, incidentally, I feel remotely
insulted by) all you folks across the pond are Y***s; but, as I say, it does
sound rather abusive, so we'd never (I hope) call you by that name. "Those
poor benighted colonials" is usually sufficient.
 ;-))
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Kramer" <scooter@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 2:20 AM
Subject: Re: Exonyms [Re: English syllable structure]


> On Sun, 9 Dec 2001, Adam Walker wrote:
>
> > > > Just like there's really nothing we can do about the other rude
things
> > > > people from other countries call us like gringo, dabizi, gaijin
(though
> > > > those last two would include Aussies, too.)
> > >
> > >Yes, but `other rude'? You aren't telling me you're offended by it?
> >
> > Yes.  I'm telling you I am offended by it.  I'm not a Yankee.  I don't
like
> > the term even whenit is applied to people from the New England area to
which
> > it most properly applies.  If you'd grown up hearing the kind of
preducial
> > statement that word was usually included in that I grew up hearing,you
> > wouldn't care for the word either.  To me, it belongs in the same
emotional
> > category as nigger and spick.
> >
> ...which means you're likely from (roughly) rural Virginia or further
> south.  As a Marylander, you get called both "Yankee" by that bunch, and
> "Southerner" by the New Englanders.  Not that we haven't been confused
> about the distinction ourselves - as one of the few states to supply
> troops in great quantity to both sides of the Civil War (and the only one
> to do so at Gettysburg).  Easiest way to confuse a Californian is ask him
> whether Maryland is a Northern or Southern state.  (Actually, ask a
> Californian and he'll probably reply, "Where's that?")
>
> So am I a Northerner or Southerner?  Neither, I'm a Marylander.  But as it
> came up in a discussion of our national soccer team - we have a name.
> We're Yanks, and we're proud of it.
>
> --
>   Steve Kramer           ||           scooter (at) buser dot net
||
>   _____________________
===================================================
>  |  __/^\__        ,-^,|    "So I'm basically just like John Lee Hooker?"
>  |/~       \_     {  / |
>              \/\   |!  |     Mary Prankster, in response to criticism by
>                /  / )  |___  an Ocean City nightclub owner that her music
>               (_  \ \     /      was "just storytelling and swearing"
>                 ~v^  ?_,-'
>

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