I'm an American too!

[knight66]

I have been providing behind-the-scenes lessons at a very rerasonable price.




Dave, remember, AND the house contents.

Mike

[Dr. Dread]

David,

You have to humor him.

[knight66]

David,

You have to humor him.

I may add that to my strap line.

You better believe it.

Mike

[Dr. Dread]

I may add that to my strap line.

VICTORY FOR ME!

[knight66]

VICTORY FOR ME!

'The time for self glorification is coming to a close.'

On whom did I recently use that line?

Mike

Edit, to get it right

[Dr. Dread]

'Your time for self glorification will shortly come to an end.'

On whom did I recently use that line?

Mike

You have me down as New Mexico Dave. 

[Sergeant Rock]

I always thought it was strange, the term "American".

Why?

Sarge

[knight66]

I can harly type anything correctly; flagging now, even with the two liners!

I will change it.

Mike

[Dr. Dread]

I can harly type anything correctly; flagging now, even with the two liners!

I will change it.

Mike

0:)

[DavidW]

You're either an Ameri-can or an Ameri-can't.  Which is it?

[karlhenning]

♫ God bless Vespucci Land . . . .

[knight66]

You're either an Ameri-can or an Ameri-can't.  Which is it?

Neither thanks.

Mike

[ChamberNut]

Why?

Sarge

Because, you have two continents, North and South America, that cover all countries including all the countries that are a part of Central America.  So, we (everyone that lives in both continents) are by definition "Americans".  Yet, the USA is the only country that calls themself "Americans", exclusively.

[Dr. Dread]

Because, you have two continents, North and South America, that cover all countries including all the countries that are a part of Central America.  So, we (everyone that lives in both continents) are by definition "Americans".  Yet, the USA is the only country that calls themself "Americans", exclusively.

We are the United States of AMERICA.

[ChamberNut]

We are the United States of AMERICA.

OK, fine.  You have to admit that it is arrogant to just consider yourselves as American.  We (Canada) could just as easily be called the United Provinces of America, and call ourselves exclusively as American.

[Dr. Dread]

We (Canada) could just as easily be called the United Provinces of America, and call ourselves exclusively as American.

Too late. 

[Gabriel]

Gracias.

In Mexico (where I learned my meager Spanish), Ser y Estar both mean "to be". Ser is a permanent condition, estar is a temporary condition. You are totally correct that I should have used the "we" form of ser (somos). But I have never seen 'estar' used in the way you show here, Carlos. For example:

Estoy bien - I am well, a temporary condition.

Soy un Tejano - I am a Texan - An unchangeable condition, since no matter if I go elsewhere, I will still be a Texan.

I am not arguing that you aren't correct, I am just confused...   

In fact, both are correct. The etymological origin of "estar" is the one Carlos said, and thus, as it is to "stand", it couldn't be but transitory. But in every part where Spanish is spoken, the duality ser/estar exists. For foreign people it can be quite a trouble, but I find it very accurate and sometimes, very useful.

Because, you have two continents, North and South America, that cover all countries including all the countries that are a part of Central America.  So, we (everyone that lives in both continents) are by definition "Americans".  Yet, the USA is the only country that calls themself "Americans", exclusively.

Well, that's the problem for people from the USA, with such a long and descriptive official country name. Our Literature Nobel Prize 1945, the Chilean Gabriela Mistral, wrote that "en país sin nombre voy a morir" (I shall die in a country without name). And she died in New York in 1957.

I had an English acquaintance who thought that the name "South America" had its origin in the fact that there was an original America (the USA) and all the countries to the south of it were called "South America". She clearly ignored the notion of continent applied to this Western Hemisphere. (And, what was even more remarkable, is that even though I told her that following her theory the only country that would be in "North America" would be Canada, she insisted in her theory!)

Anyway, we Chileans are "the southernmost America".

[ChamberNut]

USA, it's not too late to change your name....Burma did it! 

What could be an alternative name for your country? 

[arkiv]

Soy un Tejano

¿Eres tejano? Tejas es una hermosa nación.

[Dr. Dread]

USA, it's not too late to change your name....Burma did it! 

What could be an alternative name for your country? 

Fred