How do you judge an accent as pretentious?

Wintereis   Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:28 pm GMT
<<Non-existent things can't have a North, as plain as that, otherwise you sould rename your country as the United States of Nowhere.>>

Are you mentally deficient?
Guest   Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:54 pm GMT
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerique
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am%C3%A9rica

It's seems that French and Spanish speaking people believe in non-existent things, what a insanity! What will be next? State that the United States of America are in America?
Guest   Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:56 pm GMT
We're talking about English here, not French or Spanish. If you want to talk about those languages, go to the Languages forum.
Guest   Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:19 pm GMT
The English speakers are right, however what annoys me is when the gringos come and speak Spanish and say "YO SOY AMERICANO", and when I ask what country in America they look at me like I'm crazy. And then I say "yo tambiƩn soy americano", and they are shocked and ask whether I'm an illegal immigrant.
Guest   Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:35 pm GMT
"Mexicans are not Americans."

Wintereis, what are you saying? According with the Merriam Webster -- wasn't that the guy that messed up the English language? -- dictionary of the American English, a Mexican is an American, just look it up if you know how to do it, clue American(noun). Are those people mentally deficient too?
Guest   Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:35 pm GMT
Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Wintereis   Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:03 am GMT
Guest, it seems there is a great difference in opinion as to how many continents there are and what the names of those continents are. But, since you are working with English, I think that you had better stick with the English format of North and South America. . . these also happen to be more scientifically accurate as well. Also, North and South America are collectively knows as the Americas not America in English. So, if one wishes to call everyone from the Americas something, I suggest Americasians. This would be far more correct in the English language since it would include the pluralized form and is about as rediculous as calling people from the U.S. Statians. So it should make the PC gang very happy.
Guest   Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:41 am GMT
English usage pertains to the English language only. If you want to make arguments in foreign languages, then keep it to foreign languages. They mean nothing when it comes to English.

There is no single continent called "America" but there is a continent called "Europe", so that's why Italians are "Europeans" as well as being Italians. Mexicans are both Mexicans and -North- Americans, not Americans. There is no individual continent called America. America is a nation in between Canada and Mexico.
Guest   Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:05 am GMT
American
Function: noun
2: a native or inhabitant of North America or South America
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Is this English enough for you?
Skippy   Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:11 pm GMT
3: a citizen of the United States
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Let it go...
Guest   Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:21 pm GMT
Statian
Function: noun
2: a native or inhabitant of The United States of America
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Guest   Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:29 pm GMT
America
Function: geographical name

1 either continent (North America or S.South America) of the western hemisphere
2or the Americas
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

You can keep saying that America doesn't exist as an English geographical name, continent, pieces of land floating on the sea or whateveer, but it's not like you've got much of a leg to stand on, innit?
Wintereis   Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:32 pm GMT
From dictionary.com
and you left out the third deffinition on yours, shameful editing for your own purposes.

1. United States.
2. North America.
3. South America.
4. Also called the Americas. North and South America, considered together.

You see, we can all find information, to match our arguments

but then I remembered something that was important. That this argument wasn't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-ojg9UjMk0&feature=related
Guest   Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:15 pm GMT
"and you left out the third deffinition on yours, shameful editing for your own purposes."

My only point was that, when talking in English, a Mexican is an American, and that's what I provided incontrovertible evidence for. Not being my point demonstrating that a US citizen is not an American -- Are we mad? -- I've kept silent on that.

So, as long as people keep saying things like "I am American, you are Hispanic", I claim the right to call those rednecks whatever thing I like.

Next question.
Skippy   Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:13 pm GMT
If you're from Mexico, you're a Mexican; if you're from Cuba, you're Cuban, if you're from the United States of America, you're American. It's not complicated.