I've always been curious why things or people from Ecuador are called "Ecuadorian". Seems to refer to a place called Ecuadoria; why isn't the logical adjective Ecuadoran?
True, we put an -ian on Brazil, but that's kind of springing off the L where the tongue wants to go. The R seems not to need that spring, else we would be speaking of Andorrians.
For that matter, what's a person from Darfur called? Or from Dakar? Or Kashmir?
Proper adjectives
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- Grand Panjandrum
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Proper adjectives
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
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- Grand Panjandrum
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I wonder if there even exists any kind of hard and fast rule when it comes to adjectives for place name nouns. My guess is that it goes by what sounds best, tradition, and/or what the people of that country prefer.
I know that for Israel the adjective is Israeli. Although the sound is the same, I can't imagine this with a y at the end. And while I believe that in some other language Israelis might be referred to as Israelians, we would never call ourselves that.
An example of preference is with Scotland, where both Scots and Scottish (but never Scotch) could both be used. One reference I looked at claimed that Scottish is for more formal usage.
PS: Anders, how are you?
I know that for Israel the adjective is Israeli. Although the sound is the same, I can't imagine this with a y at the end. And while I believe that in some other language Israelis might be referred to as Israelians, we would never call ourselves that.
An example of preference is with Scotland, where both Scots and Scottish (but never Scotch) could both be used. One reference I looked at claimed that Scottish is for more formal usage.
PS: Anders, how are you?
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous
Anonymous
Perry, I do appreciate finding you here.
In Swedish, we make a difference between "israeliter" and "israeler", the former being those Arabs who left nomadism and established themselves as sedentary agriculturalists in Palestine, and the latter, being the present-day inhabitants of Palestine who are of the Jewish faith.
In Swedish, we make a difference between "israeliter" and "israeler", the former being those Arabs who left nomadism and established themselves as sedentary agriculturalists in Palestine, and the latter, being the present-day inhabitants of Palestine who are of the Jewish faith.
Irren ist männlich
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Long ago I used to refer to a college classmate from Baltimore as a Baltimoron. Alas, I found out later I wasn't the first. Reporter, editor, author and Baltimore native H. L. Menken used the same adjective/proper noun for his fellow denizens of the city.
In my defense I can only say that great minds think alike . . .![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
In my defense I can only say that great minds think alike . . .
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
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- Grand Panjandrum
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- Grand Panjandrum
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- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
- Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Yeah, I understand there are people who question whether they speak Portuguese in Brazil, French in Quebec, or English in the United States . . .
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
Given the fact that there are more speakers of Portuguese in São Paolo than in Portugal, one might wonder if they still speak Portuguese in PortugalYeah, I understand there are people who question whether they speak Portuguese in Brazil
![Wink ;-)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Frank
(PS: 188 million people in Brazil versus 10 million in Portugal)
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- Grand Panjandrum
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Ah yes, which brings up the Mainiacs and, for 51% of another state, the Michigeese...Long ago I used to refer to a college classmate from Baltimore as a Baltimoron. Alas, I found out later I wasn't the first. Reporter, editor, author and Baltimore native H. L. Menken used the same adjective/proper noun for his fellow denizens of the city.
In my defense I can only say that great minds think alike . . .
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
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- Grand Panjandrum
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Just my two pence, I believe Scots refers to the lowlanders, particularly their language, being a dialect of English with abundant sprinklings of Gaelic and Old English, while Scottish would be the general adjective describing anything or anyone from Scotland (and also used to distinguish that country's Gaelic from the Irish).
An example of preference is with Scotland, where both Scots and Scottish (but never Scotch) could both be used. One reference I looked at claimed that Scottish is for more formal usage.
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
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- Lexiterian
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As my mum's family come from Liverpool. I've always thought that Liverpuddlian was a good adjective. We also have Glaswegians and Norwegians on the way.
It does seem odd that our languages like to distinguish Israelis from Israelites — are we subtly trying to rob Israelis of an Israelite heritage?
— Garzo the Garzonian.
It does seem odd that our languages like to distinguish Israelis from Israelites — are we subtly trying to rob Israelis of an Israelite heritage?
— Garzo the Garzonian.
"Poetry is that which gets lost in translation" — Robert Frost
Garzo the Garzonian, good to see you back! You missed an opportunity to mention Mancunian. This one is interesting because it goes back to the Roman Empire.
BTW the photo in the link would be good for the Oral Blunder floss: oops I mean thread.
Sluggo, when I was growing up in Michigan, we used Michigander. Perhaps Michigas [Yiddishized Hebrew for craziness/crazy things] would be more apt.![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
BTW the photo in the link would be good for the Oral Blunder floss: oops I mean thread.
Sluggo, when I was growing up in Michigan, we used Michigander. Perhaps Michigas [Yiddishized Hebrew for craziness/crazy things] would be more apt.
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
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