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[elrechazado]

The true mean doesn't but that doesn't keep people from developing slang with a particular word. That's why Etymology is a study.

Etymology is about word origins, not "true meanings".

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[cobragt4001]

No one has addressed my point earlier with logic. So if you're a US citizen, that makes you an American citizen? But who has ever became a citizen of a continent?

 

[DarkFlow]

Connotation and denotation obviously.

Spoiler

It is a thread backfire. One of the best so far this year.

It would need to have a point for this to be a thread backfire.

 

[Necromanti]

The true mean doesn't but that doesn't keep people from developing slang with a particular word. That's why Etymology is a study.

It kind of does when words don't have a set and objective meaning, though. And if we were to make that argument, then you'd be arguing that the entire world should be speaking some (agreed-upon?) protolanguage.

 

[cobragt4001]

Etymology is about word origins, not "true meanings".

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omg so true meaning couldn't be used as origin?

 

[sfedai0]

ITT OP tries hard to be a self righteous pedantic, instead comes off as a buffoon.

 

[Kerned]

No one has addressed my point earlier with logic. So if you're a US citizen, that makes you an American citizen? But who has ever became a citizen of a continent?

You're just being pedantic and you know it.

 

[Freaky Fred]

No one has addressed my point earlier with logic. So if you're a US citizen, that makes you an American citizen? But who has ever became a citizen of a continent?

well America isn't a continent. North America and South America are

 

[elrechazado]

No one has addressed my point earlier with logic. So if you're a US citizen, that makes you an American citizen? But who has ever became a citizen of a continent?

. This revelation is going to bring continents to their LITERAL (yes you heard me) knees.


Semantic gold.

 

[Brakke]

Remember way back in the OP when he suggested classifying people by "pedigree".

 

[gutter_trash]

omg so true meaning couldn't be used as origin?

over centuries, people change, countries change, what was once what you think people to be like centuries ago... today they are nothing like that at all

 

[figadapaura]

The true mean doesn't but that doesn't keep people from developing slang with a particular word. That's why Etymology is a study.

The only 'true' meaning of any word is the one that is currently agreed upon by the majority. Of course the original meaning will never change (as in it will always be the original meaning), just like the current meaning will always be the one that was used in this current period of time. I'm not sure what any of this has to do with people being American though.

 

[Cocaloch]

The true mean doesn't but that doesn't keep people from developing slang with a particular word. That's why Etymology is a study.

Wittgenstein would like a word with you buddy.

Besides the fact that pretty much nothing you say makes sense, what in god's name is the "true mean" of a word?

 

[cobragt4001]

well America isn't a continent. North America and South America are

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that are separate continents as well. America encompasses it all be it north or south and even the Islands.

 

[daydream]

Wittgenstein would like a word with you buddy.

I honestly don't think he would.

 

[ISOM]

No one has addressed my point earlier with logic. So if you're a US citizen, that makes you an American citizen? But who has ever became a citizen of a continent?

Stop being stupid. American is short hand for the United States of America.

 

[Kerned]

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that' separate./

What are you even talking about? Seriously.

 

[Freaky Fred]

omg so true meaning couldn't be used as origin?

No. Origin is how that word came to be, true meaning is what the word means to people

 

[Brakke]

Remember when the American Revolution and then the French Revolution and then all of the nineteenth century happened and the entire Western conception of "state" completely changed forever.

 

[elrechazado]

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that' separate./

I see you are as well versed in geography as you are in language.

 

[davepoobond]

No one has addressed my point earlier with logic. So if you're a US citizen, that makes you an American citizen? But who has ever became a citizen of a continent?

North America is a continent.

"America" is not a continent. It's like North and South Dakota. There is no "Dakota" state in and of itself.


If you want to talk about all of the Americas you say "THE" Americas

 

[Gobias]

What are you even talking about? Seriously.

Connotation and denotation, bro

 

[……forgetit]

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that' separate./

And this is the moment we all except this is a troll thread.

 

[Gray Matter]

no, but you're choosing to become a US citizen are you not? You can always just stay a permanent resident and then consider yourself dominican.

I am because I came here when I was 10 years old, this country is my home, and it has been for the last 9 years. Now, when I get my citizenship will people call me an American, yes. But at heart I will always be a Dominican.

 

[figadapaura]

It's not just us referring to ourselves. People from around the world regularly refer to people from the United States as Americans, even the Brits when they're not calling us Yanks.

lol American is far more common than Yank. I can't remember the last time I actually heard the word Yank.

 

[Makonero]

It would need to have a point for this to be a thread backfire.

That depends on the connotation of "backfire" which differs from the original etymology, which clearly denotes a person's posterior set ablaze.

 

[ISOM]

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that are separate continents as well. America encompasses it all be it north or south and even the Islands.

This should be reason enough to take away your thread creating privileges.

 

[Freaky Fred]

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that are separate continents as well. America encompasses it all be it north or south and even the Islands.

nope. Continents, just like words and their meanings, are forever unchanging

 

[figadapaura]

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that are separate continents as well. America encompasses it all be it north or south and even the Islands.

You do that.

 

[ActStriker]

My ancestry traces back to China on both sides of my family. My father was born here and is an American and a US citizen. My mom is a naturalized American and US Citizen.

I was born here in the US and I'm an American. Naturally, I'm also a US citizen.

 

[……forgetit]

lol American is far more common than Yank. I can't remember the last time I actually heard the word Yank.

Little known fact, in the south people don't consider themselves "yanks."

 

[DarkFlow]

That depends on the connotation of "backfire" which differs from the original etymology, which clearly denotes a person's posterior set ablaze.

Connotation and denotation man.

 

[Kerned]

This should be reason enough to take away your thread creating privileges.

I wish we could vote OP off the island.

 

[Makonero]

nope. Continents, just like words and their meanings, are forever unchanging

We're all Pangeans after all.

 

[JC Lately]

The true mean doesn't but that doesn't keep people from developing slang with a particular word. That's why Etymology is a study.

Etymology is only one portion of the study of language. Semantic drift is another. And there are scores more.

You seem to be operating under the assumption that language is a science, with immutable laws. It's not (especially English). It's an art. An art that relies heavily on consensus. Gay no longer means happy. Awful no longer means full of awe. Even the word literally no longer means without exaggeration.

Language is changing all the time. Ask any linguist; they'll tell you this in excruciating detail.

 

[Mxrz]

While we're at it, lets make a East America and a West America that are separate continents as well. America encompasses it all be it north or south and even the Islands.

Which education system is responsible for this.

 

[Kerned]

Which education system is responsible for this.

I'm guessing the "home schooled by crazies" system.

 

[ISOM]

Little known fact, in the south people don't consider themselves "yanks."

I always thought that it must be weird and funny for southern people who travel outside the US to be called Yanks.

 

[elrechazado]

Which education system is responsible for this.

Not an American one because how could a continent teach a child?????

 

[Levyne]

Etymology is only one portion of the study of language. Semantic drift is another. And there are sores more.

You seem to be operating under the assumption that language is a science, wqith immutable laws. It's not (especially English). It's an art. An art that relies heavily on consensus. Gay no longer means happy. Awful no longer means full of awe. Even the words literally no longer means without exaggeration.

Language is changing all the time. As any linguist; they'll tell you this in excruciating detail.

but

denotation and connotation

 

[Makonero]

Which education system is responsible for this.

I'd say "American" but since I don't know the OP's pedigree, I can't say for certain. Also I would probably need to say "USian" or something.

 

[gutter_trash]

we are mostly an English language forum so lets not play with etyomonology of what the word America means in Spanish, Latin or Italian or whatever

in English,
America = the US.
The Americas = the continents of the Americas

what continent Canada, USA and Mexico in? North-America.

North-American includes whatever person from the continent.

American means, a USA citizen person human people

 

[Brakke]

Not an American one because how could a continent teach a child?????

Actually laughed out loud.

 

[figadapaura]

Not an American one because how could a continent teach a child?????

lol

 

[davepoobond]

Not an American one because how could a continent teach a child?????

I love it.

 

[……forgetit]

I always thought that it must be weird and funny for southern people who travel outside the US to be called Yanks.

I know plenty who take in personally, they get insulted lol.

 

[cobragt4001]

No, you did not. You posted something from some random website. Would you like to see page H1303 from the Congressional Record for March 17, 1993?

Here is the entirety of Traficant's comments:



I've bolded the portion actually quoted by your link. The rest of your link has nothing to do with the Congressional Record, despite the creative use of quotation marks.

Dude, you quoted congressional record 103rd, get the fuck out of here. What I posted was congressional record H1303.

 

[Freaky Fred]

so what would East America and West America even be?

Would it be North America divided along the Mississippi, or does it also include South America? Would we need Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast Americas?

and what do we do about Canada?

 

[JC Lately]

No one has addressed my point earlier with logic. So if you're a US citizen, that makes you an American citizen? But who has ever became a citizen of a continent?

The full name of this country is the United States of America.

So yes if you’re a US citizen you are an American. It’s convenient shorthand. Like a citizen form The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland referring to themselves as simply “British.” If a given individual chooses to identify as such however is their own affair.

 

[eBay Huckster]

Dude, you quoted congressional record 103rd, get the fuck out of here. What I posted was congressional record H1303.

This is congressional record H1303.

(From 1998. Let's see if I can pull up a PDF from 1993!)