On Sat, Sep 04, 2004 at 12:16:18PM -0700, Thomas Bushnell BSG wrote:
> "John H. Robinson, IV" <jaqque@debian.org> writes: 
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Place names are not logical; they simply are what they are.  The only
> adjective we have in the English language to refer to people in the US
> is "American"; and it's really outrageous for Frenchmen or Australians
> to presume to decide what North Americans should call ourselves.

How about "from the United States of America"? That what I usually use
when addressing company where the meaning of "American" may be
ambiguous. (Which isn't often that I can think of)

> If it don't stop, I'll adopt "felon" for people in Australia, and
> "barbarian" for people in France.  How's that!

The only one here _telling_ others how to refer to themselves is
yourself, if you read back. You've even done it above to someone
who (to the best of my understanding) _isn't_ some foreigner
presuming to tell you how to refer to yourself and your countrymen.

_And_ you manage to pick words that have other negative connotations
largely irrelevant to the nationalities involved.

Weren't you the one telling _me_ what was and wasn't rude earlier?

-- 
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Paul "TBBle" Hampson, MCSE
7th year CompSci/Asian Studies student, ANU
The Boss, Bubblesworth Pty Ltd (ABN: 51 095 284 361)
Paul.Hampson@Anu.edu.au

"No survivors? Then where do the stories come from I wonder?"
-- Capt. Jack Sparrow, "Pirates of the Caribbean"

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