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» babble   » right brain babble   » humanities & science   » What do you call an american...

   
Author Topic: What do you call an american...
dale cooper
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Babbler # 2946

posted 28 February 2003 04:01 PM      Profile for dale cooper     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
So I just had an amazing take-out lunch from a "south american" grocery/lunch store, and it got me to thinking - we call people from the US "americans", but this feels wrong. I feel that in doing this, I'm short-counting the achievements of the rest of the americas. What can we call US citizens, that's not overly derogatory, that would suffice to give them identity without taking away from the rest of the americas?
From: Another place | Registered: Aug 2002  |  IP: Logged
Lima Bean
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3000

posted 28 February 2003 04:08 PM      Profile for Lima Bean   Author's Homepage        Edit/Delete Post
an USion?
From: s | Registered: Aug 2002  |  IP: Logged
Black Dog
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2776

posted 28 February 2003 04:20 PM      Profile for Black Dog   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
USAsian?
From: Vancouver | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
satana
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Babbler # 2798

posted 28 February 2003 04:58 PM      Profile for satana     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
Washingtonians?
From: far away | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
Willowdale Wizard
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Babbler # 3674

posted 28 February 2003 05:02 PM      Profile for Willowdale Wizard   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
i got into too many discussions whilst in europe that went something like this:

them: "you're an american"
me: "no, i'm a canadian"
them: "but you're from the americas?"

then there was the girl in the hostel in san fran who heard that i was canadian, and she exclaimed "oh, you're an upper american!"


From: england (hometown of toronto) | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged
nonsuch
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Babbler # 1402

posted 28 February 2003 05:55 PM      Profile for nonsuch     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
Sammies.

On second thought, that's no good, is it? Sam is their uncle's name. Nieces and Nephews might work, if sexual characteristics in evidence, but this might not always be the case.
According to LeCarre novels, the British secret service used to call its American counterpart 'the cousins'...
Cousins it is.
(In various parts of the world, people would probably want to qualify this as 'second', 'third' or 'distant')

[ 28 February 2003: Message edited by: nonesuch ]


From: coming and going | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
Zatamon
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posted 28 February 2003 06:08 PM      Profile for Zatamon     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
Immature

A big part of the population is incredibly naive and often ignorant of the world outside their borders. Their leaders often remind me of juvenile delinquents. Of course there is a large very talented, energetic, highly aware segment of the population, but they are still a minority of the whole. On the plus side Americans are often very generous and warm hearted and mostly mean well. However, due to their lack of awareness of history and current international realities, it is extremely easy to manipulate them by their unscrupulous leaders. So, while mostly meaning well, they can cause enormous hardship and suffering worldwide.


From: where hope for 'hope' is contemplated | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
dale cooper
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posted 28 February 2003 06:12 PM      Profile for dale cooper     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
Is there some way to abbreviate that Zatamon? It doesn't role off the tongue too well.
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Zatamon
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Babbler # 1394

posted 28 February 2003 06:17 PM      Profile for Zatamon     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
OK. Call them "United Delinquents".
From: where hope for 'hope' is contemplated | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
paxamillion
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posted 28 February 2003 06:24 PM      Profile for paxamillion   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
How about "human?"
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Michelle
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Babbler # 560

posted 28 February 2003 06:25 PM      Profile for Michelle   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
So what do you call mature Americans then?

A lot of people I know call them "Yankees" or "Yanks". I guess that's not really appropriate since all Americans aren't Yankees, but that's what the vernacular now seems to mean to some of the people I know.

I remember working with this one woman who collected "Yankee coin" (we were cashiers) so that she could take it over the border and spend it. She would buy it from the till since people don't get exchange for US coins, just bills.

[ 28 February 2003: Message edited by: Michelle ]


From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Zatamon
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posted 28 February 2003 06:28 PM      Profile for Zatamon     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
I call them "mature Americans"
From: where hope for 'hope' is contemplated | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
Michelle
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posted 28 February 2003 06:30 PM      Profile for Michelle   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
So the "Immature" thing would be the default term, with "mature Americans" being a qualifier?
From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Zatamon
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posted 28 February 2003 06:32 PM      Profile for Zatamon     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
More like 'rule' and 'exception'.
From: where hope for 'hope' is contemplated | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
DrConway
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posted 28 February 2003 09:11 PM      Profile for DrConway     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
quote:
A big part of the population is incredibly naive and often ignorant of the world outside their borders. Their leaders often remind me of juvenile delinquents. Of course there is a large very talented, energetic, highly aware segment of the population, but they are still a minority of the whole. On the plus side Americans are often very generous and warm hearted and mostly mean well. However, due to their lack of awareness of history and current international realities, it is extremely easy to manipulate them by their unscrupulous leaders. So, while mostly meaning well, they can cause enormous hardship and suffering worldwide.

You know, this is as perfect an encapsulation of my thoughts on USAians ever. While I've been blunter and less urbane about my characterization of the more ignorant segment of the USAian population (and gotten some people mad because of it ) , the basic thrust of Zatamon's and my statements is the same.

Just wanted to praise Mr. Z


From: You shall not side with the great against the powerless. | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
SHH
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posted 28 February 2003 09:49 PM      Profile for SHH     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
quote:
However, due to their lack of awareness of history and current international realities, it is extremely easy to manipulate them by their unscrupulous leaders.
I recall a discussion here many months ago that ended up more or less concluding (polls, test results, etc.) that Americans were no less informed as to history as Canadians and many Europeans. I was a little surprised, frankly, because Americans usually rank poorly overall on education when compared to other 1st world nations.

That said, the idea that Americans are somehow more easily manipulated than our more informed betters is hilarious.


From: Ex-Silicon Valley to State Saguaro | Registered: Oct 2001  |  IP: Logged
Zatamon
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Babbler # 1394

posted 01 March 2003 01:29 AM      Profile for Zatamon     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
quote:
SHH: That said, the idea that Americans are somehow more easily manipulated than our more informed betters is hilarious.
SHH, you contradict yourself when you compare yourself with your "more informed betters". By simple logic it is easy to prove that "more informed betters" are less easy to manipulate!

I have been speaking from decades of personal experience when assessing the 'typical and average' American character. I stand by my assessment.

PS. Thanks for the praise, Doc

[ 01 March 2003: Message edited by: Zatamon ]


From: where hope for 'hope' is contemplated | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
flotsom
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posted 01 March 2003 01:35 AM      Profile for flotsom   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
quote:
So what do you call mature Americans then?

Commies?


From: the flop | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged
vaudree
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Babbler # 1331

posted 01 March 2003 01:40 AM      Profile for vaudree     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
ex-patriots.
From: Just outside St. Boniface | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
Sisyphus
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Babbler # 1425

posted 01 March 2003 01:49 AM      Profile for Sisyphus     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
Since they're located below us, how about Subcanadians?

Or we could be Uberamericans.

[ 01 March 2003: Message edited by: Sisyphus ]


From: Never Never Land | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
rasmus
malcontent
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posted 01 March 2003 04:03 PM      Profile for rasmus   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post
Moving to "Ask the Rabble Rousers"
From: Fortune favours the bold | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged

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