This site makes extensive use of JavaScript.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser.
Classic Theme
Thottbot Theme
Why Americans can't speak (or write in) English properly.
Post Reply
Return to board index
Post by
Squishalot
Anyway, even according to that list we are 21st out of 180.
That would be outside the top 10%.
21/180? 11.66% What does this have to do with my point? My question is why is the USA singled out? Why is the USA ALWAYS singled out? How did that become popular?
You asked for a source and you gave it to yourself, that's all.
It's singled out because it has the highest number of people who can't speak (or write in) English properly. There are more abuses of the English language in the USA than there are in Australia. This is primarily because there are more people in the USA than there are in Australia, but it answers your question as to why it's singled out.
You could ask why Gen Y is often singled out - certainly, there are people of other generations who can't speak (or write in) English properly. But the fact is, there are a larger number of people in Gen Y who meet the criteria for discussion. Hence, Gen Y becomes the stereotype for that behaviour. Just like the USA becomes the stereotype for a lot of behaviours.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
I misphrased my statement, but I disagree somewhat - clarity is your ability to convey your meaning. I used 'clarity' to refer to the ability to convey a meaning within a particular window of time. Nuances, I believe, increase the period of time required to be able to convey a clear message.
Not necessarily. Go back to the words I used as examples. You could say
run
, or you could add nuance and say
dash
. Both are one syllable. In 100 years we might have a new word
sprush
which nuances the concept even more (maybe to include a slight sliding of the feet, who knows?)!
Post by
HiVolt
Anyway, even according to that list we are 21st out of 180.
That would be outside the top 10%.
21/180? 11.66% What does this have to do with my point? My question is why is the USA singled out? Why is the USA ALWAYS singled out? How did that become popular?
MyTie, I think there's something you're not realizing when you post things like this. The USA stands as the largest exporter of media in the world. We're on every TV set in every country- very likely every home/car/etc.- that has TVs. We are the easiest target to hit- so that's the one people aim for.
Post by
MyTie
Just like the USA becomes the stereotype for a lot of behaviours.
Squishy, would you say the demonizing of the US is justified?
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
Just like the USA becomes the stereotype for a lot of behaviours.
Squishy, would you say the demonizing of the US is justified?
Calling someone/something illiterate is demonizing? If you can't read, you're satanspawn now?
Post by
MyTie
We are the easiest target to hit- so that's the one people aim for.
Your opinion of this?
Post by
HiVolt
We are the easiest target to hit- so that's the one people aim for.
Your opinion of this?
Comes with the territory, dude.
Post by
Squishalot
@ MyTie: Can I quote from the Wikipedia article:
In calculating the Human Development Index (HDI), a literacy rate of 99.0% is assumed for high-income countries that do not report adult literacy information.
So what this means is that the USA ranks 21 (along with Australia and the United Kingdom) because someone decided to put them there, not due to any scientific method of measurement.
Squishy, would you say the demonizing of the US is justified?
I wouldn't call it demonising (or demonizing, even). Do we demonise McD's for encouraging obesity? Or do we simply use them as an example of all the other unhealthy fast food options, because they are prominent?
I'm all for using examples of stereotypes, because it helps people frame a response if they can understand and visualise the context. To call it demonising is being just as politically correct as the "White Americans are immigrants" brigade that you hate so much.
Not necessarily. Go back to the words I used as examples. You could say run, or you could add nuance and say dash. Both are one syllable. In 100 years we might have a new word sprush which nuances the concept even more (maybe to include a slight sliding of the feet, who knows?)!
When I talked about the time required, I wasn't referring to our ability to put forward a sentence, but instead, a person's ability to comprehend the sentence. If you tell me that you rushed to meet your brother at the library, that causes me to question your use of the word 'rush' in context - Did you run? Did you drive? Did you swim? Did you complete your remaining tasks quickly before meeting your brother? I believe this delays the comprehension process.
Post by
MyTie
Just like the USA becomes the stereotype for a lot of behaviours.
Squishy, would you say the demonizing of the US is justified?
Calling someone/something illiterate is demonizing? If you can't read, you're satanspawn now?
Title of the thread is:
Why Americans can't speak (or write in) English properly.
My question is why this is singled out. I used demonizing as a euphomism. I don't literally mean we are being cast as fallen angels from Hell's abyss. Are you going to address my argument, or tactically avoid the arguement in such ridiculous fashion?
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
When I talked about the time required, I wasn't referring to our ability to put forward a sentence, but instead, a person's ability to comprehend the sentence. If you tell me that you rushed to meet your brother at the library, that causes me to question your use of the word 'rush' in context - Did you run? Did you drive? Did you swim? Did you complete your remaining tasks quickly before meeting your brother? I believe this delays the comprehension process.
Those are further nuances not provided for by the term used. It doesn't take time to understand the word
dash
if you're a fluent speaker of English. To truly understand a word is to understand it prior to defining it, I believe.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
I don't literally mean we are being cast as fallen angels from Hell's abyss.
That's not what demonizing means. Am I going address what argument? You asked a loaded question. That's not an argument.
Post by
Squishalot
Those are further nuances not provided for by the term used. It doesn't take time to understand the word dash if you're a fluent speaker of English. To truly understand a word is to understand it prior to defining it, I believe.
Why do you think that those nuances aren't provided for by the term?
Suppose that you wanted to say that you ran quickly, in a manner that might cause you to take less care, to meet your brother. Isn't 'rush' a suitable term?
Post by
MyTie
I don't literally mean we are being cast as fallen angels from Hell's abyss.
That's not what demonizing means. Am I going address what argument? You asked a loaded question. That's not an argument.
...
Why is the US unfairly singled out so often?
Post by
Squishalot
I don't literally mean we are being cast as fallen angels from Hell's abyss.
That's not what demonizing means. Am I going address what argument? You asked a loaded question. That's not an argument.
...
Why is the US
unfairly
singled out so often?
This is the loaded part of the question.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
Why is the US unfairly singled out so often?
It's not unfairly singled out. It's singled out because it's at the top of the food-chain so to speak, and that's quite a fair reason to single it out.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
Those are further nuances not provided for by the term used. It doesn't take time to understand the word dash if you're a fluent speaker of English. To truly understand a word is to understand it prior to defining it, I believe.
Why do you think that those nuances aren't provided for by the term?
Suppose that you wanted to say that you ran quickly, in a manner that might cause you to take less care, to meet your brother. Isn't 'rush' a suitable term?
Sure, that concept or complex action could be correctly labeled
rush
. But so could
driving
quickly, in a manner that might cause you to take less care, to meet your brother. There we have a nuance that we haven't come up with a word for yet. Maybe we could start using the word
vroomed
.
This is actually why I really like words like
lilliputian
. Words that originate from novels like that carry so much baggage with them, and all those nuances help paint a concept that is can be extremely descriptive.
Post by
MyTie
Hmmmm...
So, you don't feel that the singling out of the US is abnormally proportioned to the other countries?
I can't remember the last time someone singled out the US and said positive things, either in common speech, or journalism. However, the opposite seems to happen reguarly.
Am I alone in these observations?
Post by
MyTie
Why is the US unfairly singled out so often?
It's not unfairly singled out. It's singled out because it's at the top of the food-chain so to speak, and that's quite a fair reason to single it out.
Why?
Articulate to me why being at the "top of the food chain" is "fair reason to be singled out".
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
Why what? I have 3 declarative phrases in that post. Which one don't you understand the reasons for?
Post by
MyTie
Why what? I have 3 declarative phrases in that post. Which one don't you understand the reasons for?
Articulate to me why being at the "top of the food chain" is "fair reason to be singled out".
Post Reply
You are not logged in. Please
log in
to post a reply or
register
if you don't already have an account.
