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Tom McDonald wrote:
> In lugnet.off-topic.fun, John Neal writes:
> >
> > James Brown wrote:
> >
> > > In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Tom McDonald writes:
> > > > > > > > You don't know that I'm mortal, you only have precedent to work with.
> > > >
> > > > James Brown for Precedent! Al Gore for Vice-Precedent (cuz after all he
> > > > invented the internet)!
> >
> > And Bill Clinton did the intern-ette...
>
> Now there's a precedent for vice!
I think it's incumbent upon us to recognize this.
> > > Ugh. No thanks, I'd rather be behind the throne. Setting precedent and all
> > > that...
> >
> > Or setting on the throne. <Sorry. I know that stunk. Either sue me or • light a
> > match>
>
> I'd rather give you a swirly.
I'm bowled over by the mere thought. T'anks, I'm flush with horror now!
> > > > > forming already.... BTW, did everyone catch all of the Christology in
> > > > "Matrix"?
> > > >
> > > > Catch it? I had to use my Jujyfruits box to scrape it off my shoes as I • left
> > > > the theatre..
> >
> > theatre? Puleeze McBritawannabe.
>
> Actually, I find it easier to type 'theatre' than 'theater'. But I draw the
> line at 'meter' vs 'metre'. That just looks too French. And I never heard of a
> Scotsman that wanted to be British.
My understanding from most "genuine" Scots of my acquaintance is that they don't
mind being British, but they sure as Hades heck don't EVER want anyone to call them
"English." Scottish disidentification with "Britishness" really started with the
loss of the Empire, because before that time overseas opportunity was often a
preserve of the Scots. We sometimes refer to it as the "Scottish Empire," with
good reason--the small wars of the 19th century were often fought by Highlanders,
to protect the enterprise of other Scots under a British flag in south central Asia
or central Africa.
As to that whole "Brit-wannabe" thing, I'm afraid I'm often very guilty of it.
It's not conscious, mind you--I'm a historian of Britain, so I must correspond with
and speak to the British all the time, and I find that more doors open if I behave
"Britishly" with the proper variance for region, institution, or whatever. (Note:
It is not possible for anyone to be British enough for the satisfaction of the
Admiralty, even the British. They haven't been happy since 1982.)
The problem is that soft intonation and odd phraseology sticks when I return,
because I find that behaving in that manner gets me better service and kinder
treatment almost everywhere in the US. On the other hand, seeming "American" in
the UK is a sure way to a) get no help from anyone in Government and b) be followed
around everywhere by Portuguese/Brazilian pickpockets. They only seem to really
like the Texans, because they're so darned far over the top, and most Texans make
no bones about this fact. (Granted, the Americans who blend in aren't identified
as such. I'm asked if I'm a Kiwi, South African, or Canadian most of the time--a
perception only enhanced by my being a male named Lindsay. Only the Dutch ever
seem to figure out that I'm a 'Murican.)
So my profession, taken together with the profusion of Canucks/Canajans/Canadians
in my family, explains a lot of the "-ise," "-our," and "-re"s that get thrown
around in my own writing. It also explains the extreme circumlocution sometimes
found in my writing. ;)
> Or did you mean to say that I wanted to be a water filter?
Or even a water filtre? fnord
best, (hey, another Britishism!)
Lindsay
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