Thank you all: was Ameriicans only

"hopitus" wrote in message
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snip
If this is a true origin of word, "Limey" (the men eating limes on a
long voyage) I fail to see anything distasteful, embarrassing, or
otherwise insulting about it. OTOH I would never call an English
person anything other than a "Brit" and if that's not good enough
"Que' La'stima!" (Spanish for "tough").
I would not call a Scot anything but a Scot.
I think this thread is way over dead.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I would never deliberately call *anyone* any term that they consider
insulting. If I do it, it is inadvertent (that is, because I did not know
the term offended). This is not "political correctness"--it is simply
common courtesy.

MaryL

MaryL -out-the-litter wrote:

I would never deliberately call *anyone* any term that they consider
insulting. If I do it, it is inadvertent (that is, because I did not know
the term offended). This is not "political correctness"--it is simply
common courtesy.

Most things that are referred to as "political correctness" boil down
to common courtesy, really. It's just that some people don't want to have
to concern themselves with anyone else's feelings. So they grumble ad
nauseum about it, and then they talk as though they are the victims, which
is pretty ironic! It's kind of like some grade school dork getting mad
because the teacher won't let him blow spitballs into Mary Ellen's hair
anymore, when he used to be able to do whatever he wanted. Some people
just won't let you have any fun anymore!

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)

Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:

OTOH I would never call an English person anything other than
a "Brit" and if that's not good enough

That one has basically the same connotations as "Yank", i.e. we'd
rather you used the same words we do but it's no big deal.

I don't know what you mean, Jack. Who would rather who used the same
words? What same words?

Is "Yank" considered insulting? I hardly ever hear it, so I don't have
strong feelings about it either way. For that matter, is "Brit" considered
insulting? I hope not - I've used it a lot.

One thing I think should be considered is the issue of expediency. A
lot of people will opt for an expression that is short, fast and easy
to say, especially if it's a term that gets used a lot. Call it laziness
if you will, but I think it's just a matter of not wanting to repeat
the same long phrase over and over. Which is one reason why I think words
like "Yank" and "Brit" have a strong appeal.

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)

"hopitus" wrote in message news:299d66c6-

This thread is way, way dead. A perfect example of why I never,
ever converse with strangers in checkout lines. One has no way
of beng sure of what gets anyone's short hairs up, so keeping
your mouth shut and your eyes open is the way to go.

It's not dead while anyone finds it interesting and would like to join in.
I don't see anyone getting offended here. I believe in "if you never ask,
you never learn" and I for one have learnt things here, not least what I
wanted to know in the first place which is how offensive the M word was.
Who else to ask about it apart from my friends on this group? My world is
not populated by Americans, I only know one American in real life and I
haven't seen her for years.
I appreciate all the input from you Merkans, please feel free to ask this
Limey about British topics. duck and run

Tweed

wrote in message
...
Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:

OTOH I would never call an English person anything other than
a "Brit" and if that's not good enough

That one has basically the same connotations as "Yank", i.e. we'd
rather you used the same words we do but it's no big deal.

I don't know what you mean, Jack. Who would rather who used the same
words? What same words?

I am guessing that Jack means English for those who live in England, Scots
for those for live in Scotland, and Welsh for those who live in Wales. It's
not a big deal for me, I do not mind being called a Brit, but those who are
very proud of their Scottish or Welsh heritage might feel differently. My
father was Scottish and was extremely proud of it so I guess he would have
preferred to be called a Scot rather than a Brit.

Is "Yank" considered insulting? I hardly ever hear it, so I don't have
strong feelings about it either way.

My understanding is that it not mean as insulting from over the pond, but
wasn't the term Yanks used for the north during the north/south war in the
USA? I am not sure about this, I did not study American history at school.


For that matter, is "Brit" considered
insulting? I hope not - I've used it a lot.

I do not find it insulting. I describe myself as a Brit on the group.

One thing I think should be considered is the issue of expediency. A
lot of people will opt for an expression that is short, fast and easy
to say, especially if it's a term that gets used a lot. Call it laziness
if you will, but I think it's just a matter of not wanting to repeat
the same long phrase over and over. Which is one reason why I think words
like "Yank" and "Brit" have a strong appeal.

We all know what phrases are acceptable to describe our nationality and
others without being racist.
I have no problem with "Brit" myself and don't know any other person from
England who does.

Tweed

Christina Websell wrote:

I am guessing that Jack means English for those who live in England, Scots
for those for live in Scotland, and Welsh for those who live in Wales.

Oh, sure, that makes sense. But I wouldn't call a Scot a Brit anyway!

"English" doesn't have too many syllables, I think I could handle that.

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)

I am guessing that Jack means English for those who live in England,
Scots for those for live in Scotland,

"Scottish" would be better. "Scots" can mean just the Lowland population
that speaks a Scots dialect, which excludes immigrants and Gaelic-speaking
Highlanders. (It doesn't *need* to have that connotation, but an outsider
wouldn't have a prayer of getting it right in every situation).


and Welsh for those who live in Wales.
Oh, sure, that makes sense. But I wouldn't call a Scot a Brit anyway!

No reason why not, or "British" (which we'd prefer). It's a geographical
term, not a political one.

I always put "Scotland" rather than "UK" as my postal address. The
time I get most annoyed about not being able to state that is with
drop-down menus on websites. These usually derive from the same
source, which recognizes the Heard and Macdonald Islands as separate
countries (they are only populated by penguins) but not Scotland.
Confronted with that, I usually say I'm from Azerbaijan.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:


Is "Yank" considered insulting? I hardly ever hear it, so I don't have
strong feelings about it either way.

My understanding is that it not mean as insulting from over the pond, but
wasn't the term Yanks used for the north during the north/south war in the
USA? I am not sure about this, I did not study American history at
school.


Tweed


"Yankees" was a term that originally meant New Englanderds and later was
used by the South to describe the North (the Union) during the Civil War.
Today, the term is likely to have either meaning. I grew up in Ohio, and it
does not offend me to be called a Yankee (or former Yankee). The Civil War
was a long time ago. I think "Yanks" was more likely to be used by
Europeans to describe Americans. During World War II, there was a song:
"The Yanks Are Coming." Either term is sometimes used with some derision
but also sometimes used with some degree of affection or good humor. Mark
Twain wrote a novel called "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court."

MaryL

MaryL wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote in
message ...

wrote in message
...
Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:


Is "Yank" considered insulting? I hardly ever hear it, so I don't have
strong feelings about it either way.

My understanding is that it not mean as insulting from over the pond,
but wasn't the term Yanks used for the north during the north/south
war in the USA? I am not sure about this, I did not study American
history at school.


Tweed


"Yankees" was a term that originally meant New Englanderds and later was
used by the South to describe the North (the Union) during the Civil
War. Today, the term is likely to have either meaning. I grew up in
Ohio, and it does not offend me to be called a Yankee (or former
Yankee). The Civil War was a long time ago. I think "Yanks" was more
likely to be used by Europeans to describe Americans. During World War
II, there was a song: "The Yanks Are Coming." Either term is sometimes
used with some derision but also sometimes used with some degree of
affection or good humor. Mark Twain wrote a novel called "A Connecticut
Yankee in King Arthur's Court."

MaryL



Old time movie star, James Cagney, made a movie called "Yankee Doodle
Dandy". It recently replayed on TV -- very entertaining. See it if you
can. MLB