posted
How did he leave that out? The same way millions of people contract their language on occasion.
I'll give you an example: People in southwestern pennsylvania, even some of the most literate, often contract "all that" into "alls."
My comments about it maybe not being offensive was a shot at the obvious oversensitivity of the press, as in, 'why are you even writing a story about this if no one was even offended?,' and a shot at these folks who are grasping at any straw to say something bad about Bush II. I mean, okay, you have free speech and all... but try at least to say something of substance.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I listed six examples above where the "stani" is supposed to be left out. Apparently, "Pakistani" is the only one where it isn't. So his "leaving it out" actually makes sense, more so that leaving it in.
And we aren't called "Ameris" because we live in "America", not "Ameristan".
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:So his "leaving it out" actually makes sense, more so that leaving it in.
Right. So Bush should be allowed to call the inhabitants of Iceland "Iceish," since the inhabitants of Ireland are Irish, Scotland Scottish, and Finland Finnish. And how about those Iranis, tucked in that part of the world near the Saudis and Iraqis and, um, Pakis. Indeed, aren't the Turkis over there, too?
There is absolutely no regular system for matching the placenames to the name used by inhabitants. "Making sense" doesn't factor into it.
In the circles of international diplomacy, you simply are expected to know things like that, indeed, sillier things, too. If you don't know, you're supposed to have teams of advisors handing you a dossier on Air Force One to make sure you know the name of Musharaf's wife(s), the GDP and principal exports of Pakistan, and the small matter of the correct way to refer to its inhabitants.
I don't buy the "he shortened it" excuse. I can't say I've ever "spoken off the cuff" and unintentionally shortened "Japanese" to "Jap." He simply exercised his patented Dubyaist wit and blundered ignorantly into another situation, presumably ignoring his advisors. Oops.
-------------------- "I was surprised by the matter-of-factness of Kafka's narration, and the subtle humor present as a result." (Sizer 2005)
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quote:My comments about it maybe not being offensive was a shot at the obvious oversensitivity of the press
This wasn't reported, as far as I can tell, by CNN, or The Washington Post or The New York Times. It was one internet paper that published it -- and for that you blame all of them? So, if one guy in Pennsylvannia commits a crime, we can say "All those people in PA are criminals!"?
But, you're right. There's no reason to bring any more attention to the fact that George W. Bush is known for not being the sharpest bagel cutter in the world (especially when many Republicans seem to think a certain ex-President had his dog whacked).
posted
Many? I haven't heard ONE yet. Not even a joking one.
The only one I've heard suggest it is YOU.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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posted
Considering that no one could possibly take what you said to be a joke...
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
Registered: Mar 1999
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You, unfortunately, are currently about as funny as an overturned school bus on fire.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
So you believed me when I said Republicans thought Bill Clinton had Buddy whacked? Well, hey, if it's got Omega's endorsement that's gotta be good enough for Rob ...
posted
No, I take that back. I can think of an instance in which I might even find that school bus funny.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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posted
'Test for oh-so-brilliant, "I know more than the US President" types:'
Complete bollocks. Sorry. But knowing words for people from individual US states is hardly the same as knowing an insensitive word for an entire country (and several others), especially since the entire English-speaking world (apart from, apparently, the US) seems to know it.
The scale is completely different, and the questions unresonable. I'd expect other English-speaking countries to know, for instance, that Britain uses pounsd for it's currency. I wouldn't expect them to know how much a shilling is now worth. Or, to use a more related example, it's the difference between knowing that Liverpool is a city in the UK, and knowing what scousers are. No-one expects other countries to know that. But, if someone had gone to Newcastle to try and foster good relations, it would make a lot of sense if they learnt what "Geordie's" were beforehand.
And in any case, none of us are President of the USA, and none of us are trying to maintain good diplomatic relations with Utah. There is no need for us to know that. There is every need for Bush not to insult the country he's trying to be friendly with.
'And the Brits call the Argentine "Argies." Of course, that's cause they hate them.'
We do? And, er, we do? That was almost 20 years ago anyway. We are actually capable of not holding onto a grudge, you know. Or have you confused us for O'Brien? I know he was Irish, and therefore almost British (*cough*), but there's still a slight difference. Reality mainly.
[ January 11, 2002: Message edited by: PsyLiam ]
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
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posted
I got the "Argies" part out of a year-old dictionary of names people from different places are called, and by whom.
Incidentally, the answers to 1-4 are
1 Utahn
2 Yes
3 Djibouti
4 Duluthian
The other ones were answered correctly.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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