[*]We change the spellings of a few words from how England spells it, and we catch hell. Despite the fact that the changes we made are relatively minor, probably much smaller than how the language evolves naturally anyways. For that matter, England adopted many parts of English from existing languages.

 

 

That is the only reasonable argument in that list. The problem is that Americans change the language yet don't change the name, so two English languages exist. The English language has been adapted from many other languages, but it also hasn't taken their name as well. It is American-English, not English.

I agree, let's keep this civil. Happy early 4th guys!

 

The one thing that's becomes a problem around my town though is that people, besides the fireworks and stuff, seem to take it as "National Badmouth the Brits Day." We're allies now, get over it.

Agreed, some Americans make our country look like crap. But as the old saying goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover"

 

 

[*]We change the spellings of a few words from how England spells it, and we catch hell. Despite the fact that the changes we made are relatively minor, probably much smaller than how the language evolves naturally anyways. For that matter, England adopted many parts of English from existing languages.

 

 

That is the only reasonable argument in that list. The problem is that Americans change the language yet don't change the name, so two English languages exist. The English language has been adapted from many other languages, but it also hasn't taken their name as well. It is American-English, not English.

I agree there are some minor parts to American language that are different from England's language. For example; "college" is also known as high school in England -- if I'm not mistaken, that is what my British friends in RS tell me --, but in America it means a school above the high school average. Although, there is one thing I envy of England, and it is their epic accent. I really want it.. :l

 

 

[*]We change the spellings of a few words from how England spells it, and we catch hell. Despite the fact that the changes we made are relatively minor, probably much smaller than how the language evolves naturally anyways. For that matter, England adopted many parts of English from existing languages.

 

 

That is the only reasonable argument in that list. The problem is that Americans change the language yet don't change the name, so two English languages exist. The English language has been adapted from many other languages, but it also hasn't taken their name as well. It is American-English, not English.

Could just call it a dialect and be done with the arguing. The differences aren't that big.

I don't like July 4th because American nationalism is very special in the world. Not that other countries don't experience nationalism, or exhibit it, but there's something about American nationalism in particular that irks me. Maybe it's our constant banter about being the best at everything, when it's far from it; or the American Dream, which as George Carlin always said, it's called the American Dream 'cause you have to be asleep to believe it. That's putting aside the fact that I hate nationalism (and most patriotism) to begin with. Still, I will get drunk and eat some food, and if there's a reason to drink, I'll be there.

 

edit: Lol, why the badmouting of the Brits, btw? Christ, they've been like our foreign policy lapdog since the end of WWII and are complicit in our own war crimes in Iraq.

 

We should be thanking them.

Removed

That's putting aside the fact that I hate nationalism (and most patriotism) to begin with. Still, I will get drunk and eat some food, and if there's a reason to drink, I'll be there.

 

How is celebrating your nationality (Independence Day) any different from celebrating your heredity (Black History Month) [that is, if you still support the cause behind celebrating that month]? As for that second part, couldn't agree more. I don't really care what holidays are about. For me, they're just an excuse to party.

I don't really care what holidays are about. For me, they're just an excuse to party.

The fourth is more or less an excuse to do just that with fireworks going off in the background.

That's putting aside the fact that I hate nationalism (and most patriotism) to begin with. Still, I will get drunk and eat some food, and if there's a reason to drink, I'll be there.

 

How is celebrating your nationality (Independence Day) any different from celebrating your heredity (Black History Month [that is, if you still support the cause behind celebrating that month])? As for that second part, couldn't agree more. I don't really care what holidays are about. For me, they're just an excuse to party.

 

I don't see the two in equivalent terms. I see the celebration of Black History month more about a celebration of overcoming oppression; Muslims, Jews, homosexuals, immigrants, women, all of these groups are discriminated or prejudiced against in one way or another. There will be someone who comes in to say "But what about the British oppression!" no doubt, but they're simply not on the same playing field, ballpark, or sport. In any case, it's a difference in identity. There are proceeding layers to where one's pride comes from. Identifying with and being proud of your own family members, even though you had no choice of which family you were born into and had no bearing on their accomplishments, may be where one's identity lies. For other's, it goes further and farther to their country. Myself, I identify more with the world in general. National pride and ethnic pride are two different things, and there's levels of nuance that must be taken into account. Although, as some in the Things Gay People Can't Do thread tried pointing out, this pride in racial or gender identity isn't necessarily about pride in the nationalist sense, but a feeling of "here I am, who I am, and I can be this person without being persecuted."

 

Anyway, it's not that I dislike the celebration of one's independence day, it's the American one in particular.

 

We celebrate our triumphs at the expense of ignoring the woes of others. My love for humanity does not stop at the border, and American patriotism seldom takes the form of remembering the glorious things we have wrought for the world's benefit, only the glorious things we have wrought for our own benefit. And who is we, in any case? Our urban poor, the hundreds of homeless people with whom I interact on a daily basis at work, many of them veterans of our dirty wars, are they reaping the benefits of this great society of which we so self-indulgently pride ourselves on being a part? Our despised illegal immigrants, who do the work of slaves with almost nothing in the way of recompense so that we can enjoy our bloated standards of living while reviling the very people who make them possible? The millions upon millions in this nation who don't have access to even basic health care?

 

That is vanity, not pride in a high achievement. Any country can strive to make itself better, to inflate the quality of life of its citizens. That's nothing exceptional. Something to be grateful for, yes, but that gratitude must go hand-in-hand with an appreciation of the arbitrariness of privilege and an awareness of the need to redress the imbalance between what you have and what the rest of the world has not. Until these things become the dominant themes of what America calls 'patriotism' I cannot take part with my whole heart.

 

American-style patriotism ultimately serves to illustrate and enhance the differences and disparities among the human family in terms of wealth, achievement, safety, happiness, privilege, education...ultimately, indeed, to celebrate them; this I cannot bear. Maybe it's white guilt. If so, it's welcome.

 

 

[*]We change the spellings of a few words from how England spells it, and we catch hell. Despite the fact that the changes we made are relatively minor, probably much smaller than how the language evolves naturally anyways. For that matter, England adopted many parts of English from existing languages.

 

 

That is the only reasonable argument in that list. The problem is that Americans change the language yet don't change the name, so two English languages exist. The English language has been adapted from many other languages, but it also hasn't taken their name as well. It is American-English, not English.

 

I honestly don't think that it's that big of a deal, and there's only one English language. Noah Webster tried to simplify the English language, not Americanize it. Even though I disagree with him that it made English a lot easier and less complicated, it's no different from the evolution of the Language throughout the centuries. Up until recently, 'good' was spelled as 'goode'. How is that any different from spelling 'colour' as 'color' or 'realise' as 'realize'? It's not, and it's simply language evolution.

 

Hell, even many Englanders (note: to distinguish from 'English') use 'z' instead of 's' when spelling a word that ends in -ing.

 

Even though Noah Webster was American-born, he was still an Englishman. It is up to our group, as a collective, to decide the future of our language. Whether or not he was Australian, a New Zealander, Canadian, American, or from Britain is irrelevant.

 

Honestly, don't think that Noah Webster tried to damage our language. He quite certainly adored our language, otherwise I don't believe that he would have taken the time to learn our language at its earliest roots, including Old English.

 

EDIT:

 

Magekillr, Black History Month is a form of nationalism...

This video contains content from INgrooves, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.

 

cool.

I've been reading a book by a British author lately and as an American I found some words to be pretty hard to figure out. Not that they are wrong, it's just the fact that foetus=fetus and letters are added to many words that aren't in the American spelling. I find both are perfectly fine. At some points, the British spelling makes more sense than the American, but colour=color I see no point in the U.

 

I don't see the two in equivalent terms. I see the celebration of Black History month more about a celebration of overcoming oppression; Muslims, Jews, homosexuals, immigrants, women, all of these groups are discriminated or prejudiced against in one way or another. There will be someone who comes in to say "But what about the British oppression!" no doubt, but they're simply not on the same playing field, ballpark, or sport.

 

 

so u actually hav to be oppressed 2 be able 2 celebrate independence, you cant defeat it before it even happens and celebrate the fact that it didnt happen? either way we won a war and that is somethin 2 celebrate, no matter wat we won.

I've been reading a book by a British author lately and as an American I found some words to be pretty hard to figure out. Not that they are wrong, it's just the fact that foetus=fetus and letters are added to many words that aren't in the American spelling. I find both are perfectly fine. At some points, the British spelling makes more sense than the American, but colour=color I see no point in the U.

 

The 'u' is there due to the Latinisation of the English language due to the Norman conquest of England. The Normans brought French culture and language to our language, Anglo-Saxon. Approximately half of modern English is French-based and the other half is Germanic.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfaEGU45lKA

 

This is Old English. I bet you can't understand it.

Old English exists so that you can sound "intelligent" when quoting it, even if what you're actually saying is total gibberish.

Today was Canada day

Today was Canada day

Who?

Today was Canada day

Who?

 

Your country's BFF

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrA4V6YF6SA&feature=player_embedded

On the barren freezelands of the Great White North, in the main hamlet of Canadia, festivities were running strong. The villagers had congregated near the town market -- officially, to celebrate their independence from their British relatives, whose Queen was paradoxically visiting that same day; officiously, for the sea of beer-laden friends that awaited them there. Most had forgotten the initial commemorative nature of the gathering, and apart for the handful of workers in the shops or out selling patriotic merchandise, all everyone was looking for was a drink and a chat.

 

That's who.

[Alternative ending: And to this day, not a single [bleep] was given.]

[bleep] birthdays and [bleep] wars. My parents bought fireworks. :thumbup:

 

 

*also, I work 4 hours on Sunday and get paid for 12 hours.*

whose Queen was paradoxically visiting that same day

 

I worked today, and we had a Queen impersonator there as some sort of draw to the races :wall:

They blocked off 4/6 lanes of Rideau St to let the Queen go by. No one cares more about her more than they care for an animal at the zoo.

[Edit] Right this isn't a Canada Day thread. I'll stop.

I just take the day as an excuse to hang out with family and friends.

 

We should also take the time to thank the French, for without them, the Revolution would have definitely failed (I think that I've only seen one person mention the French). For the most part, it sounds like most people don't know their American history, which disappoints me :(

No one cares more about her more than they care for an animal at the zoo.

 

what did i just read

No one cares more about her more than they care for an animal at the zoo.

 

what did i just read

Read "people come, take pictures of her, and leave. She doesn't have much more value than a circus freak in a certain sense."