Australia, we don’t know you, but we love you, say our American friends

Never mind, i just looked it up on the interweb. What a truly despicable way to refer to someone. I'm pretty sure Americans don't talk that way about Australians. Some Americans do refer to the English as Limeys, but that's about as bad as it ever gets.

Since most of the "origins of YAnkee" flow back to HL Menckens attempt at primacy, Id like to say that I dont buy the Wikipedia articles on the "Jan Kaas" origin.
The Wyandots had a word that was their attempt at pronouncing the french word for the ENglishman "L"anglais". Wyandot source for the word is supported by the work of guys like Deloria (not VIne, but his son who is a highly respected historian of the native American).
Mencken came up with over 15 sources of the word yankee, all of which are half believable and only 2 are actually derogatory but most, with the exception of the Wolfe letter, are not evidenced really well.

Actually I do know what a straw man fallacy is.
And I haven't a clue about what you're on about.
You still haven't explained.

I didn't "accuse" you of anything.
I responded to your "silly diatribes" spiel.
And you could have provided an answer to my comments, but you didn't.

Doesn't this strike you as much ado about nothing?

Me, I absolutely refuse to cop any further crap from you, Setanta.
I have had more than a reasonable share of it.
Either put up or shut up. As we say in Oz.

In the meantime, I would love for this thread to get back on track.

Yeah, I tried to get that point across in my post about parochialism within Australia.

It's a bit of a dying tradition, what with political correctness and all, but when you get out in the sticks, away from all that crapola, it still stands strong today, and I like it.

I've never heard that one.....just got what the hell it meant.

I try to avoid labels. Can't always get away with it, but I can run when I finally get pinned down, if I make an error.

Seppos is one of the MArx Brothers

Oh yeah! Where were we msolga?

Can't be letting Set off the hook so easily now, can we??

Rhyming slang is a bit of a nod to our Brit heritage, but I believe that Aussies hold our own against any competition in that regard.

Seppos, as Setanta might have just discovered, (doubt that very much) comes from Septic Tank, which rhymes with Yank.

The double entendre, of course, implying that Yanks are full of ****.

Despite being allies in many conflicts, (some complete fabrications on the part of the Seppos, I might add), I am yet to hear one good comment from any of our war vets who fought alongside American soldiers. In fact, Australians considered themselves to be cannon-fodder on many missions instigated by US decisions.

Might be the egotistical nature of the training regime imposed on American military personell, or part of the inherent narcissism of the nation. Who knows? There is no love lost between the nations as far as military veterans are concerned here in the land of OZ.

Remembering always that Australian humour has never been understood by most Americans, and American bigheadedness has never been understood by Australians.

So, I guess the ball is in the USians court. What would you mob like to be called?

The surfing fraternity get the joke. They wear their "Seppo" tag with good humour.

Besides, if they didn't get the joke, Aussies wouldn't give a rat's arse.

This is a straw man fallacy because my remark about silly diatribes refers this sentence: "Americans may not think about Australia much, but when they do, they try not to let facts get in the way. But why should we be surprised by that? With great passion comes great ignorance. And Americans are nothing if not passionate about Australia."--in the opening post. It was your idiotic decision to try to make it political.

This was your second straw man fallacy:



At no time did i state or imply that you are not entitled to have an opinion of any character. God forbid, you rant enough as it is without encouraging you.

Are you happy now? Or do you have some other fresh turds to drop in the thread.

You may claim you'd love to see the thread get back on track, but you're also bound and determined to get the last word. That's a game i can play all day, so have at it.

I've never heard any of that about Mencken, nor was i relying on anything from Mencken for what i wrote.

Oh fer crissake....how many soldiers from different countries fighting together haven't pissed and moaned about each other?

I despise the wars we have been in with the US, post WW II, but I think this sort of pissing contest between vets happens everywhere and it's pretty low stuff to spread about as though it's truth.

Call it what you like. Pissing contest or not, it's the reality.

I don't have a politically correct bone in my body.

That movie Avatar? It pretty much sums up US military action today.

Rape and pillage and call it nation-building and spreading democracy.

And we get dragged along for the ride.

Seppos it is then.

God you're an asshole. I did discover, your idiot doubts to the contrary, the origin of "Seppo"--discovered it from the first result of a search for the term.

Americans generally think it reasonable to be called Americans.

The term is arsehole, Setanta, and coming from you, I'd consider that to be the ultimate compliment. Thanks, Seppo.

i think my early exposure to ACP and TFD on tv enamoured me more towards the outback/rural aspect of the country

i listen to the Country Breakfast podcast every week as well as some of the History ABC podcasts

Hamish & Andy are about as Urban as i get radio wise

You're welcome, you uncircumcized philistine. Don't lecture me about language, you clowns are barely English speakers as it is.

I think this discussion is going well.

It's certainly gotten lively, hasn't it?

That's the best you can do, Setanta?
Pathetic.


I haven't dropped any "turds" on this thread.
Why do you constantly exaggerate so?


You've gotta wonder about statements like this.
Sad & rather strange.
This is some sort of contest?
I thought it was a discussion.

I can see your opinion on the topic has evolved over time and that's fine. That usian carries a negative context is pretty clear to me. Of course I'm fine if you disagree. This interpretation has been pointed out to various people in various threads such as the one you replied to above so in most cases it's not ignorance that keeps it alive, at least on A2K.

I have a friend at work whose name is Jennifer. She doesn't mind Jen as a nickname but absolutely hates Jenny and makes this known. It seems to me if someone knows that and repeatedly calls her Jenny, he is trying to make a statement. If someone further said "it's ridiculous that you dislike Jenny because I mean no harm" and continues to call her that, that's a stronger statement. It's back to my earlier comment: You call people by what they choose to be called, not by any random label you choose to apply to them.

As to the base thread, I know that when I was in the Navy, Australia was legendary as a top-notch port call. Friendly people who would volunteer for "take a sailor for a day" programs, friendly women who wouldn't deny a man a dance or a date, great shore-side activities. That was a quarter century ago, but those stories linger. Too bad I never made it there. I do dream of making the Australian Open as it has a reputation as the best of the tennis Grand Slams for spectators.