Mozart's nationality

Started by Lethevich, May 04, 2009, 09:47:30 AM

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What is/was it?

Archbishopric of Salzburg
3 (13.6%)
Holy Roman Empire
3 (13.6%)
Germany
3 (13.6%)
Austria
11 (50%)
Other
2 (9.1%)

Total Members Voted: 14

Florestan

Quote from: Christo on May 20, 2009, 04:52:02 AM
Yes, but: nationality? As far as I'm aware, the first meaning in most languages (or the few I know) is something like "citizenship of a particular nation, state". That, at least, is what I've been discussing here regarding Mozart's "nationality".  :)

In Romanian, "nationality" is markedly distinct from "citizenship", Thus, the former means "the fact of belonging to a nation" (and as such, all Kurds have Kurdish nationality) while the latter means "the fact of being a citizen of a state" (and as such, the Basques can be either Spanish or French citizens, while retaining their Basque nationality). For instance, the Hungarians in Transylvania are Romanian citizens of Hungarian nationality.

I hope this helps a bit for clarifying my use of both words.
"Beauty must appeal to the senses, must provide us with immediate enjoyment, must impress us or insinuate itself into us without any effort on our part. ." — Claude Debussy

karlhenning

Quote from: Florestan on May 20, 2009, 05:15:52 AM
In Romanian, "nationality" is markedly distinct from "citizenship", Thus, the former means "the fact of belonging to a nation" (and as such, all Kurds have Kurdish nationality) while the latter means "the fact of being a citizen of a state" (and as such, the Basques can be either Spanish or French citizens, while retaining their Basque nationality). For instance, the Hungarians in Transylvania are Romanian citizens of Hungarian nationality.

I hope this helps a bit for clarifying my use of both words.

A distinction with which I am familiar from residency in Russia, where the paperwork still retained those distinctions from the Soviet era (where one might be a Soviet citizen, but an Uzbek national, for instance).

Florestan

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on May 20, 2009, 05:17:50 AM
A distinction with which I am familiar from residency in Russia, where the paperwork still retained those distinctions from the Soviet era (where one might be a Soviet citizen, but an Uzbek national, for instance).

Precisely. It might be that I am linguistically accustomed to this usage of the terms, but it seems to me the distinction is logical and fact-based.
"Beauty must appeal to the senses, must provide us with immediate enjoyment, must impress us or insinuate itself into us without any effort on our part. ." — Claude Debussy

Christo

Quote from: Florestan on May 20, 2009, 05:15:52 AM
In Romanian, "nationality" is markedly distinct from "citizenship", Thus, the former means "the fact of belonging to a nation" (and as such, all Kurds have Kurdish nationality) while the latter means "the fact of being a citizen of a state" (and as such, the Basques can be either Spanish or French citizens, while retaining their Basque nationality). For instance, the Hungarians in Transylvania are Romanian citizens of Hungarian nationality.

I hope this helps a bit for clarifying my use of both words.

Yes, actually I know. And about the Russian concept of nationality as well - as I already explained somewhere earlier in this thread.

But I didn't encounter this meaning in an English-language context, which I always considered close to the French, German (and Dutch  ;)) concept. In most of these environments, "nationality" and citizenship are almost equivalents. Very different from the Russian and Romanian use of it, indeed. :)
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

karlhenning

Quote from: Florestan on May 20, 2009, 05:21:28 AM
Precisely. It might be that I am linguistically accustomed to this usage of the terms, but it seems to me the distinction is logical and fact-based.

There's even historical usage to similar effect in (say) the English of Shakespeare.  There's a dust-up in Henry V between a Welshman and an Irishman (who are both subjects of the English crown), and the Welshman remarks:

Quote from: FluellenCaptain Macmorris, I think, look you, under your
correction, there is not many of your nation--


Dr. Dread


Christo

Great quotation. But again: this is about nation, not about nationality (a much more modern word, first used in English in 1691 ...)  ;)
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

Florestan

Quote from: Christo on May 20, 2009, 05:24:51 AM
Yes, actually I know. And about the Russian concept of nationality as well - as I already explained somewhere earlier in this thread.

But I didn't encounter this meaning in an English-language context, which I always considered close to the French, German (and Dutch  ;)) concept. In most of these environments, "nationality" and citizenship are almost equivalents. Very different from the Russian and Romanian use of it, indeed. :)

I know. When living in France, it took me a rather long time to accomodate myself to the French use of those two words.  :)
"Beauty must appeal to the senses, must provide us with immediate enjoyment, must impress us or insinuate itself into us without any effort on our part. ." — Claude Debussy

karlhenning


jlaurson

Quote from: Mn Dave on May 20, 2009, 05:30:39 AM
Bemidji, Minnesota

As a former Cobber, with friends in Bemidji, I actually know your neck of the woods quite a bit.