Context based words
The English language has a few really shit features I’m surprised it ever caught on. well, I suppose since the english ruled half the planet at one time a lot of people didn’t really have a choice. The 2 I want to berate today are the concept of context only words, and the use of “ough”.
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Polish that chrome
Well, it is time. I have played with the new “operating system from google” for a bit now, and I am ready to let the world know… well both my readers… what it’s like… and the doctor says:
<sigh> Well, at least it’s still in beta.
What do you call the indiginous american population?
The “Red” indian perhaps? Or just “Really, really REALLY American."
African American
That reminds me of the first time I heard the phrase “I’m not black, I’m African American”
Those of you who know me will know that I don’t really listen to every word that is said in a sentence so I can multi task quite effectively, however before I honed the skill my brain would fill in the gaps with words that were topical for whatever reason… this tended to lead to some pretty interesting selective hearing issues.
It was my second or so trip to the good ole U.S of A and after a 7 hour flight in cattle class I was somewhat jet-lagged. Standing in the immigration line I heard a woman shout “I’m not black, if I can I’ll marry Ken”
A couple of things occurred to me, first, who the hell is Ken, and by the way lady, you are black - I’m English and on our forms … oh, African American!!!
The first black president!
Progress? Well possibly in so far as pro is the opposite of conn… There are two things wrong with the above title as outlined in the times this morning, first, he’s not president yet, and second he’s not black either. President elect Obama believes that “black” is a nagative label for African American.
Personally I would like to have seen hilary get it… Not in that way!!! But I guess someone who has a few bad days a month being in charge of the worlds foremost nuclear arsenal could be seen as a bad thing.
It’s interesting to note though, that a person who has a few bad days every month and a non-black black guy both outdid a decorated war pensioner in the popularity contest.