Why do Americans call European nations...

[p_p_man]

'The Old Country'?

I would have thought that you'd got used to living over there by now...

Or is it because you all know that your forefathers made a mistake and you really want to come back?

Well tough titty...

YOU CAN'T!!

 

[KillerMuffin]

Was your green card application rejected again?

 

[p_p_man]

Was your green card application rejected again?

I'm still waiting. They said my application was lost in the post...

Personally I don't believe them.

 

[Mensa]

'The Old Country'?

Because you live there and you ain't no spring chicken.

 

[KillerMuffin]

They just hung it up on the office bulletin board so everyone could have a good laugh. You should be proud, the INS doesn't have much to giggle over these days.

 

[p_p_man]

the INS doesn't have much to giggle over these days.

Let's face it, the whole of America doesn't have much to giggle over these days...

 

[Calamity Jane]

Re: Re: Why do Americans call European nations...

Because you live there and you ain't no spring chicken.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Yes we do, we have you. You can always try the marriage route to become an American, but you may not have much luck with it.

 

[p_p_man]

After three marriages I've given up on that route.

Women just don't have intellect to match mine...

I find them boring.

ppman

 

[KillerMuffin]

Women aren't generally restricted to the language of ordering a beer. Perhaps if you'd switched to expensive beer. . .

 

[p_p_man]

Women aren't generally restricted to the language of ordering a beer.

You see?

You've just proved my point...

 

[Rodney King]

Let's face it, the whole of America doesn't have much to giggle over these days...

Please? Can't we just get alonggg.......

 

[KillerMuffin]

Most men aren't generally proud of being easily flummoxed.

 

[p_p_man]

Most men aren't generally proud of being easily flummoxed.

For the sake of Rodney King's sensibilities I'm going to retire from this thread...

Same time and place tomorrow Killer?

 

[KillerMuffin]

I have enjoyed the dance, I will make sure to save a spot for you on my dance card tomorrow evening if I am here.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

We don't call it the Old Country, you call it the Old Country when you move here to find a better life.

We call it Busch Gardens, only smaller.

 

[Guru]

 

[Phoenyx]

My parents call Greece the Old country because they have built a new life here.

New here,
Old there.

Pretty simple aint it?

 

[kotori]

'The Old Country'?

Some call Asia the old country.
Some call Africa the old country.
Some call Central and South America the old country.
For some, the Old Countries don't exist anymore. For others, they exist again for the first time in the last half-century.

That is the one great thing about this country, the fact that so many people from so many places call themselves American.

 

[p_p_man]

Re: Re: Why do Americans call European nations...

That is the one great thing about this country, the fact that so many people from so many places call themselves American.

I thought they called themselves:

Afro-American
Native American
Japanese American
Chinese American
German American
Italian American
Swedish American
Afro-Carribean American
Dutch American

etc...

etc...

etc...

They obviously don't intend staying for very long, else they would drop the pre-fixes...

 

[RawHumor]

Re: Re: Re: Why do Americans call European nations...

They obviously don't intend staying for very long, else they would drop the pre-fixes...

Someone feel my head... I'm starting to agree with p_p_man... Do I feel feverish to anyone?

Seriously though, the prefix stuff has always driven me nuts.

We don't hear about African-Canadians or Chinese-Frenchmen... but I have to call my dog a Canine-American so that I don't piss off PETA.

 

[kotori]

Re: Re: Re: Why do Americans call European nations...

They obviously don't intend staying for very long, else they would drop the pre-fixes...

No, you're still too much a Modernist. The Renaisance is over, man; no more attempts at perfectability. We're in the Post-Modern, Post-Industrial World. That's the whole point.

It's not "Either / Or" anymore: It's "Both / And"

Footnote to thank Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown: Learning From Las Vegas c. 1965

 

[p_p_man]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why do Americans call European nations...

No, you're still too much a Modernist. The Renaisance is over, man; no more attempts at perfectability. We're in the Post-Modern, Post-Industrial World. That's the whole point.

It's not "Either / Or" anymore: It's "Both / And"

Sounds vaguely Communist to me...

 

[kotori]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why do Americans call European nations...

Sounds vaguely Communist to me...

Why do you encourage them?

Viva la revolucion! Socialismo ó muerto!

 

[p_p_man]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why do Americans call European nations...

Why do you encourage them?

Viva la revolucion! Socialismo ó muerto!

Patria o Muerte! Venceremos! Viva Cuba!