h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Would you prefer 'colonial'?

I know some people would rather come up with a different term for different reasons, but I prefer 'American.'

"What’s a LARTing when it’s at home?"

A demonstration of ignorance in a specific topic does not, in any way, serve to characterise a person as one stereotypical group or another.

We reference the above comment. In this case, the social group who know what a LART is would typically be Geeks. The unaware group would be "Clueless computer users".

However, simply because you do not know what the term LART refers to I cannot classify you as clueless. You have provided ample evidence to the contrary and therefore to label you on the basis of one gap in your knowledge would be prejudicial. You may have as much computer knowledge as I but simply not have come across the term before.

Thus, we cannot and should not judge someone on the basis of one question. That is most definitely prejudicial.- pre (ahead of) judice (judgement).

And on that, the defense rests.

Oh, and LART is actually an acronym.
It stands for Luser Attitude Readjustment Tool, which is basically anything you have to hand that you can get a good swing with.

And a Luser is a computer user, of the wilfully inept variety.

You go, Gradient!

Thank you for pointing out some glaring and obnoxious stereotyping of people from the USA! I can't, however, *quite* agree with you on the story about the Texan, and his daughter, assuming the story to be true.

But first, apologies from at least one 'limey', for the use of the work 'Yank', to refer to people from the States. Alas, 'limey' isn't nearly as offensive as 'Yank', and is not in current usage in the States, though Australians do still call us that. Given the ways people in Britain stereotype Australians, all I can say is, , mates.

I agree with you, Gradient; the word 'redneck' is offensive and demeaning. It implies a certain smug sense of superiority on the part of the user. Isn't that rather hypocritical, given that the biggest complaint made about 'The USA' (the people in? the government of? land mass?) generally seems to be about 'their superiority complex'?


Why I don't agree entirely with your comments on the story about the Texan and his daughter is more about Texas, per se, than it is about the USA.

If they're going to laugh at Texans, people ought to bear in mind that the
Lone Star State is a law unto itself; was once an independent country, with a proud (if gory) history; should probably be at least five separate States (El Paso has less in common with Dallas than it does with Mexico City); and be aware of the fact that Texas comprises an area which would comfortably hold most of Scandinavia.

Obviously, stereotypes of Texans are as silly as any stereotype...

I loved the opera-listening, sneering Europeans, complaining about the poor educations of people in the USA, whilst sipping wine, and allowing their own countries to go to the devil in a shopping-trolley. Has the poster met my mother?

which, in my mind, is 'very silly indeed'...

Thanks again, Gradient! I'm an intermediate-level-Luser

I built my own computer, but I don't know all the lingo. And the motherboard was pre-built. I don't program. What a Luser. Cue for all you serious s to point and laugh.

But, about those Texans...

'How far are you from America?' is quite a likely question from a person whose conception of the world is the State of Texas, with a hazy notion of 'California' to the West, the 'Deep South' to the East, 'Washington, D.C.' -- with a Texan in the White House, yeeha -- up North, among the rest of the damn Yankees, and the useful, though foreign, Mexicans to the South.

Texas has *earnt* some of its reputation. The Lone Star on their State flag is symbolic of Texas' conscious insularity, from the rest of the United States. You might, however, hear the same question from most people in most of the USA.

I arrived at this conclusion, on 7 July 2005.

When the Twin Towers, and the Pentagon, and another plane which never reached its destination, thanks to some quick-thinking and undermentioned heroes, were hijacked, on 11 September, 2001, New York City suddenly became part of 'America'. The media blathered on and on about the 'Attack on America'. Wars were started. Manure hit the ventilation system. States like Rhode Island were noticed by people in Texas, to whom (by and large) all of the Northeastern USA is simply *not relevant*, when it is not the object of ribald jocularity. Various dark-skinned people were beaten up 2400 miles away from the terrorist attacks. Some of those people were Muslim. There was much panic-mongering, war-mongering, and I seem to have slipped threads here...

By contrast, the bombings in the London Underground were NOT the 'Attack on the United Kingdom', nor even 'Another Terrorist Attack on England'. With unfortunate, but predictable US-centrism, the US media referred to the 'London Bombings'.

I find it very informative to read US-based media on the 'Net. I also read
French-language and other foreign-language media, and what *they* have to say is different yet again.

Britons' traditional scorn for all things French deprives many people, who *ought* to know better, of alternative viewpoints to their own. I reckon that makes them news-lusers. Being wilfully monolingual is... typically British, and we passed it on to many of our former colonies. Viz: The Canadian Military requires its Québèquois cadets to learn English, but English-speaking Canadian Military personnel are *not* required to learn French, *despite* Canada being officially a bi-lingual country.

Tangengtially to that, I shouldn't wonder if the Québèquois would not appreciate a moat, between them and English-speaking Canada, themselves. If they could only shove Newfoundland around to the West, they would be more than pleased to separate entirely from the embarrassment of their neighbours to the West and South.

I'm banging on and on. Overtired. Ye gods, I sound like a Vauxhall advert.

Why is 'Yank' seen as offensive?

Why is it such a surprise that some Americans have little knowledge of world geography? This is a country where something like 96% don't have a passport. So what? The sheer scale and diversity of the US is totally incomprehensible to people from, say, Banchory.

Most people in this country use their passports for holidays abroad. This is because once you have seen the Scottish Highlands, visited Wales and walked on the Giants Causeway, what else is there to do in the UK? We go abroad for variety and, more importantly, climate.

The US is more culturally diverse, climactically varied and geologically mixed-up than any other country on Earth. You could spend more than 50 years visiting a different State each year. With so much on their doorstep, why go abroad?

I love different accents and the misunderstandings they can create. In Philadelphia, a waiter overheard my wife and I talking (in our Scots accents) and came over to ask us which part of France we were from as he was studying French Language in College !!!

In Georgia a waitress was totally flummoxed when I asked for "Ham". After several attempts, my wife translated - "He-yam".

Overheard in a Stirling restaurant -

American tourist, referring to statue of William Wallace, " Don't you think it's just wunnerfull that they put up a statue to Mel Gibson for doing the film Braveheart?"

Americans I luv 'em

<> (Elentari)

I believe this is a term that stems from the civil war and the Yanks were the northerners. Not sure what the southerners were called other than rebels , though no doubt someone with more knowledge than I have will show up soon to clear this up.


az

Sorry, I should have been clearer - I know where it comes from, I don't really understand why it's offensive. Is it jus tthat southerners consider it a term used to describe northerners and don't wnat to be lumped in with them?

While I wouldn't see it as being offensive necessarily, I wouldn't choose to be called a Yank because I'm not from the northeast.

>>The US is more culturally diverse, climactically varied and geologically mixed-up than any other country on Earth<<

Hmmm, except perhaps for Russia?

ok, except for Russia, the US is more culturally diverse, climactically varied and geologically mixed-up than any other country on Earth

...and China

The Aussies call the Statians 'Zeppos' because Yank rhymes with sceptic tank. Other than that I don't know why???

ok, except for Russia and China, the US is more culturally diverse, climactically varied and geologically mixed-up than any other country on Earth

India? Indonesia?

I think you could make a serious play with South Africa as well.

I'd imagine there are many countries which are more culturally diverse than the US, but which other country has places more climatically different that Alaska and Florida?

The cultural difference between New England and Texas surely pales into insignificance when you consider, , differences within India and Indonesia

Regarding that Braveheart statue, as I understand it was only put up after the movie. And does seem to bear quite a resemblance to the movie portrayal of Wallace.

Yank doesn't seem to be generally used in a nice way. Only as a slightly insulting term. So I can understand if he gets a bit upset about being called that.

The Wallace Monument was built in the 19th century sometime.


Xan, are you american?

Seems we were talking about two different statues. Yes, the one from 1888 doesn't seem Gibson-ish. But there is one next to a visitor centre at the Wallace Monument and I quote: "The statue of William Wallace beside the visitor centre caused some controversy when it was unveiled as many thought that it bore an uncanny resemblance to Mel Gibson"