[melissa]

If in Europe people are referring to "Americans" they are talking about the inhabitants of the United States of "America".

And here I thought the Euros had a whole set of other words for us...

-Charles

[Nppracph]

I hate this "American means anyone from one of the continents containing the word 'America' in its name" trend. I especially hate the (in my opinion) asinine fad of calling Americans "Usians".

Dude, never heard of either of those things. Maybe you've been hanging with the wrong sorts of folks... ;o)

-Charles

[skydaypat]

I hate this "American means anyone from one of the continents containing the word 'America' in its name" trend.

You've got to be kidding. A "trend"? Is it a trend to call people from Europe "Europeans"? Or from Asia "Asians"? Or just the fact that people from certain regions are called by that region proper adjective? For America (name of the supercontinent comprising South America and North America), said proper adjective is "American", like it or not, and not a "trend". I'm Uruguayan, therefore American. Once again, you like it or not. The name America for the region was in use for a good quarter of a milennium prior to the foundation of USA. From where do you think they got the name? (By the way, "United States" doesn't cut it either... There are more United States in America.)

I have to recognize that this may be a lost battle, however. On certain Asian country I was asked by person in the street if I were American. I answered "Yes, of course"... and then was insulted. Since it was in the local language I have no idea what he said (only recognized the word "America" a couple of times). My host, the one that told me I had been insulted, refused to translate and just told me not to pay attention to ignorant people... what I did.

I especially hate the (in my opinion) asinine fad of calling Americans "Usians".

Never heard that word before... But thanks!

[Dilangfh]

I'm Uruguayan, therefore American.

So are you Uruguayan first and American second, or American first and Uruguayan second?

Just asking...;o)

Once again, you like it or not. Many people don't use the label "American" that way, they're referring to folks from the U.S., and sometimes possibly Canadians. Seriously. You like it or not.

I personally don't care. I think we should all just be glad we're not from Vespuccia. And therefore Vespuccians. Because, as a group, Americans (ie folks from the U.S. of A) aren't generally good spellers, and that double 'c' would nail 'em. It's bad enough that three out of four of us can't find ourselves on a globe...

There ya go..

-Charles

[bunkalapa]

You've got to be kidding. A "trend"? Is it a trend to call people from Europe "Europeans"? Or from Asia "Asians"? Or just the fact that people from certain regions are called by that region proper adjective? For America (name of the supercontinent comprising South America and North America), said proper adjective is "American", like it or not, and not a "trend".

You might be correct from a grammatical standpoint, but that is not how the term is used in the English language. Of course in Spanish, Portuguese and other languages it is a different context. I remember learning this distinction back in high school Spanish.

I'm Uruguayan, therefore American. Once again, you like it or not. In American English you would typically be referred to as South American. English typically distinguishes between the North, South and Central Americas.

The name America for the region was in use for a good quarter of a milennium prior to the foundation of USA. From where do you think they got the name? Amerigo Vespucci?

(By the way, "United States" doesn't cut it either... There are more United States in America.) True, but there is only one united States of America.

On a related note, try calling a Canadian an American and see what reaction you might get.

If you want to be pedantic, Columbia usurped its name from the U.S.A.

[Evelinessa]

You've got to be kidding. A "trend"? Is it a trend to call people from Europe "Europeans"? Or from Asia "Asians"? Or just the fact that people from certain regions are called by that region proper adjective? For America (name of the supercontinent comprising South America and North America), said proper adjective is "American", like it or not, and not a "trend". I'm Uruguayan, therefore American. Once again, you like it or not. The name America for the region was in use for a good quarter of a milennium prior to the foundation of USA. From where do you think they got the name? (By the way, "United States" doesn't cut it either... There are more United States in America.)

So what do we call people from the United States of America? USians - err...no. Americans? err..whole continent... USAi-ians? omg...lol

You've got to be kidding. A "trend"
I have to recognize that this may be a lost battle, however. On certain Asian country I was asked by person in the street if I were American. I answered "Yes, of course"... and then was insulted. Since it was in the local language I have no idea what he said (only recognized the word "America" a couple of times). My host, the one that told me I had been insulted, refused to translate and just told me not to pay attention to ignorant people... what I did.

so, you are relinquishing the name "American" when you find out that, by calling yourself American, you get insults thrown at you??

[ZesePreodaNed]

I forgot to say one other thing. I was going to edit it, BUT, my computer is going SO SO SO SOOOOOO slow, it seriously took over 5 minutes to post it, then reload the page, then click the edit button- by then I'd timed out!

Anyway, my point is, that it's just words. I guess I made my last post seem kind of snappy, which it wasn't meant to be. I'm just saying, why are we stressing our about words!?

Anyway... carry on...

[Frjrbefd]

This survey has created a mess. Someone please clean it up. As worded , it is apparently a tinder box and sparks are flying. There are way too many sensitive folks here to get meaningful responses.

[Z1IRo4Ap]

This survey has created a mess.

At any moment we'll find out that the REAL purpose of the survey was to measure how quickly we derail...

-Charles

[BinasiDombrs]

-Question 1
How long have you been doing kendo?
Five years.

Question 2
-Why do you start playing kendo?
My wife's idea - to lose weight, get some exercise, and to get me out of the house.

-Question 3
What do you consider to be the highlights of Kendo?
The constant struggle to understand, and the moment when I do.

-Question 4
How do you think that kendo will/can become internationalized?
Through children beginning kendo around the world, not through the adults, who make up the majority of kendo outside of Japan. Other efforts (such as making it less disciplined, softening the practice or techniques, taking out essential but "dangerous" techniques) would probably be a detriment to kendo.

-Question 5
Do you think Kendo should be considered as an Olympic event? Why or why not?
No. (1) It will ruin kendo such as it already has fencing, boxing, judo and taekwondo in the efforts to try and make it more "accessible" to the viewing masses. I could give a rat's ass about the viewing masses when it comes to kendo. (2) It will also further politicize kendo, which it does not need. (3) It places the future direction of kendo in the hands of non-practicioners.

-Question 6
Do you think that there is a difference between Japanese kendo player and yourself when it comes to way of thinking about Kendo? Yes or No, Explain.
Yes. I believe that some of the general concepts that our sensei try to instill may already be inherent in the cultural practice of the Japanese people, which those of us that had not grown up in the culture mimic, but not necessarily understand. That being said, I believe that the Japanese may also take kendo for granted as it is more ubiquitous and prevalent in Japan vs here in the West, where we long term players see the practice more as a luxury and obligation.

My C$0.02. Good luck on your thesis!

[xgnuwdd]

-Question 1
How long have you been doing kendo?

I no longer count in years. I count in injuries.
By my reckoning, I have been practicing Kendo for
four-thousand bruises, 16 hyper extended ligaments, 2 broken bones,
and one ripped muscle.
That's about 60 years in a dog's lifespan,
..but the dog died 20 bruises ago.

Question 2
-Why do you start playing kendo?

Just as "One does not simply walk into Mordor," One does similarly simply "play Kendo."
Allow me to simply cut to the chase, and spare you all the lofty sputtering about the "why we do Kendo" spiel.
The truth is, I'm a complete and utter masochist.
and don't let anyone fool you, so is anyone else who stays with Kendo.
Think on it. You are hit with bamboo poles about the head and extremities for years on end,
and all you have to look forward to is "getting better at it."
I rest my case.

-Question 3
What do you consider to be the highlights of Kendo?

The drugs and myriads of loose women mainly. That,
-and Lots and lots of Olive-loaf sandwiches.

-Question 4
How do you think that kendo will/can become internationalized?

Kendo is and always has been strictly an American sport.
In fact, we could not have tamed this savage land without it.
and I'll be damned if I'll let some filthy foreigners corrupt the sanctity of it's holy purity.

-Question 5
Do you think Kendo should be considered as an Olympic event? Why or why not?

Kendo is not about winning points, or bettering yourself as a person.
You need to understand this simple fact.

Kendo is about secretly wanting to be a Ninja.

There are no prizes given for Ninjas.
Ours is a lonely lot in life, you know, begging for handouts, killing small dwarves for licorice bits, making mud-angels in the backyard, that sort of thing.


-Question 6
Do you think that there is a difference between Japanese kendo player and yourself when it comes to way of thinking about Kendo? Yes or No, Explain.

I keep telling you, there is no such thing as a Japanese Kendo player.
Next you'll be saying that Sushi is Russian! (which it is.)

There, your questions are answered.
Now then,
Where can I pick up my check?

__________________

Best post ever.Anyways, I'm curious, what is the actual thesis? Questions seem pretty spaced out to have a concrete thesis.

[outdog]

If you want to be pedantic, Columbia usurped its name from the U.S.A.

Funny coming from the guy who brought up Amerigo Vespucci... you'd think that they took the name from Christopher Columbus.

By the way, the country is actually Colombia.

[miel]

Olive loaf sandwiches...in Yokohama?

[bashansasasasa]

As an Englishman, I choose to boycott your American-only survey.

[Savviioor]

As an Englishman, I choose to boycott your American-only survey.

I used to have this girlfriend who'd just go on and on all the time, on and on and on. When she'd get angry though, she'd give me the silent treatment. It was great, so peaceful, absolutely fabulous.

Your boycott reminds me of that.

Take that! Hah! As my four year old says, "pthhht, that's what you get! Spitting!"

-Charles

[KLIMOV25gyi]

This is no excuse but just an observation.
If in Europe people are referring to "Americans" they are talking about the inhabitants of the United States of "America". They are not discussing someone from Nova Scotia or Ecuador. The former is from Canada and the other one from South America or Latin America.
Americans are from the US of A. You can visit any European city and ask any passerby about Americans and they will refer to the US of A.
I realize that the other inhabitants of the American Continent will feel left out in this theoretical discussion, but alas this is what's happening at least in Europe. I guess that the same will apply for Africa and Asia but that's my educated guess.
If I have offended the inhabitants of the American Continent then Mea Culpa Maxima Culpa............

Oh I filled out the questionnaire and have sent it by pm to the initiator of this social experiment.
I hope that my contribution was a helpful one.

Fonsz, I understand what you mean. It has been really spread the usage of "American" refeering to the Yankees.
At the end, the name of my continent (not that I bought ti guys, I mean that I'm an American too) was given from our European ancestors, adn it refeered to teh colonies that Spain and other European countries had in The Americas (which also is a correct name). The Yankees began to spread that ambiguos meaning of American, and as far as I can tell, Any person from America that goes outside the continent, is an American, and they com from AMERICA.

And the last time I saw an US passport, in the area that refeers to the nationality, it says "United States of America", not American.

Is for us, the other Americans to use it properly and give it back the real meaning of the word.

[IoninnyHaro]

Ditto for Japanese people. アメリカ always means the United States of America and thusly アメリカ人 always means "a person from the United States of America".

I hate this "American means anyone from one of the continents containing the word 'America' in its name" trend. I especially hate the (in my opinion) asinine fad of calling Americans "Usians".

I wouldn't expected more with that "trend" stuff. But I can't say much since many Yankees have also an idea of how a Latin American and MExican looks like or should be.. Just recalling a Texan girl who I coudln't make her believe me that I'm Mexican because,a s she said "No, you're not Mexican because I know Mexicans".

In official documents in Japan they add the other two kanjis that means "United States". I can't rememebr how to read them though. Also those kanjis are after the "Mekishiko" part of the name. I wouldn't trust much of them (not meaning to offend, but sometimes there is a lack of education in some points) with the easy way to make them to believe that Czsech Republic is an island near Hokkaido and also in Japan, in some official sites you can find that Mexico is in Central America, but in general, Japanese pple doesn't know much about America in general, and that's why is the association with the Yankees.
As for my personal opinion, Mexico wouldn't have to be called Mexicans United States, since that name was inspired form the first United States in America (yeah, I mean the continent, and yeah, I mean also the name of your country), and was suggested by one of our ex presidents that was a Mason and got in many relations with teh Masons of the USA.

Lemme quote someone: "And there will be not distinction between each AMERICAN except for the vice and virtue".. No, that wasn't said by one Yankee, it was said by one Novohispanic (Mexican) during the independence war of Nueva España against Spain around the 1810's decade.
What I'm trying to show hre is teh identity of being AMERICAN, also before the United States of America were spread a lot the usage of American as a synonim of Yankee.

American was the way of calling the pple that was living or born in the continent called America, and sometimes refeered to the indians (Amerindian pple). Not necesarilly a lie said 100 times become a true, and for mentioning now how proud is the United States of their pluricultural heritage, they should know that by using in general "Latin America" for the rest of us is discriminative and even racist..

And well, in Spanish we have "Estadounidense (UnitedStatian)", and Gringo (no,it is NOT an insult, as many Yankees think). But what about the well known and spread "Yankee"? So there are real words to call the pple from USA.

Just for clarify, I do not hate and I'm not an anti Yankee idealistic. I have many friends form teh United States and I know that goverment issues has nothing to do with what the pple really are and think. And please Atgm, I apologize if you think or if I said something that would offend you.

[Preorbtat]

So are you Uruguayan first and American second, or American first and Uruguayan second?

Just asking...;o)

You can't get it separeted. Both are as strong as one. An Uruguayan is definetly American, but being just American means that you are from one of teh countries that America is.

It is a pleonasm (do you have that word in English? It exist in Spanish and FRench at least) calling pple "Mexican American", since being MExican makes you authomaticaly American.. I think what you mean is "Mexicano Estadounidense"


[/QUOTE]Many people don't use the label "American" that way, they're referring to folks from the U.S., and sometimes possibly Canadians. Seriously. You like it or not.

I personally don't care. I think we should all just be glad we're not from Vespuccia. And therefore Vespuccians. Because, as a group, Americans (ie folks from the U.S. of A) aren't generally good spellers, and that double 'c' would nail 'em. It's bad enough that three out of four of us can't find ourselves on a globe...

There ya go..

-Charles[/QUOTE]

Canadiasn because they confund them with Yankees. But of course Canadians are Americans (our northern brothers!)

[jaydicassdhy]

You might be correct from a grammatical standpoint, but that is not how the term is used in the English language. Of course in Spanish, Portuguese and other languages it is a different context. I remember learning this distinction back in high school Spanish.



In American English you would typically be referred to as South American. English typically distinguishes between the North, South and Central Americas.



Amerigo Vespucci?



True, but there is only one united States of America.

On a related note, try calling a Canadian an American and see what reaction you might get.

If you want to be pedantic, Columbia usurped its name from the U.S.A.

Because it has been readapted! Not taht it always was like that..
Why is teh point also to the "Two continents" of Teh Americas?

How would you call a Mexican in teh context of being American?

I second that about only one country called Unites States of America... But that means that in teh land of America (yeah, a Continent!!!) a group of States got United and formed the first free country... In a continent that before was called America.

[goatteatromiag]

Olive loaf sandwiches...in Yokohama?

Surprisingly less difficult to find than you might have guessed.
It's not all Sushi and Bento boxes, you know.