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Germanic Pride. | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : General discussion | ( Topic Closed) |  |
| WortDrauf Already banned: zarathustra, lifelover Newbie Canada Joined 5399 days ago 23 posts - 47 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Russian | Message 33 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:01am | IP Logged | |||||
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This is ethnocentric garbage. Pride should be reserved for something you personally have accomplished, not a genetic accident. There is no reason to be "proud" that your grandparents happened to be born in another country. Would you like a plaque?
And your reasons for such pride seem to be based on economic achievements. While I'll concede that Germany, Austria, Britain, etc. have fascinating cultures and histories, I don't see how a higher GDP makes them better than Italy or Russia. 12 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Miznia Diglot Newbie United States Joined 5355 days ago 37 posts - 42 votes Speaks: English*, French Studies: Cantonese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese | Message 34 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:03am | IP Logged | |||||
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Oh, I wanted to say: My experience has the NON-language-learners favoring learning languages based on culture... My family descends from Germans/Scandinavians and according to unlikely myth, some Slavs. So you should study something like that. Studying French, Spanish, or Chinese is disappointing to them, because they proudly dislike France, Mexico, and China.
(I guess what I mean is I suspect that language learners consider other factors than culture. At least I do.) Edited by Miznia on 09 April 2010 at 12:13am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| tracker465 Senior Member United States Joined 5356 days ago 355 posts - 496 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch | Message 35 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:06am | IP Logged | |||||
Yes, this is what I was trying to say. If French, for instance, did not have an academy to monitor the "Frenchness" of the new words which enter into the language, could it be said that with so many new words, phrases, and such from English, that French could be considered a Germanic language? Since so many languages share common words (I assume be of French/Latin origin, though I could be wrong, such as "taxi" and "computer") does this mean that these languages should be classified as Romance languages? Vocabulary is so fluid, always being swapped and shared between many languages, and that is why I feel it would be hard to truly classify a language based on vocabulary alone, and that is why feel that this would be a "superficial" way of classifying a language, since it is ever changing. 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| apatch3 Diglot Groupie United Kingdom Joined 6189 days ago 80 posts - 99 votes Speaks: Pashto, English* Studies: Japanese, FrenchA2 | Message 36 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:08am | IP Logged | |||||
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people do put a lot of emphasis on silly figures like a countries GDP they gasp at how chinas GDP will overtake Japans shortly except that living standards in china (although they will improve) won't be something to look at in awe, I'm afraid discussing economics/demographics here would be inappropriate as this is a language forum.
True this "germanic pride" that people are discussing is a bit far fetched, languages aren't as rigid as genetics if any English speaker were to speak to a Germanic tribesman from the past they'd be hard-pressed to even begin to make out what the other person was saying, also its a bit of a generalization to suddenly assume that everyone who speaks English as their mother tongue is of Germanic heritage. Edited by apatch3 on 09 April 2010 at 12:11am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| aokoye Diglot Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5545 days ago 235 posts - 453 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: Dutch, Norwegian, Japanese | Message 37 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:08am | IP Logged | |||||
Thank you - I'm almost 23 and have had depression for most of my life and I (along with all of the therapists and psychiatrists I've seen over the years) am 99.9% sure that it's not because of "selfish culture". I really suggest that Vinlander read some peer-reviewed academic studies, or at least do some research on the different causes of depression, anxiety, etc. before making such broad and incorrect statements. 4 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| tracker465 Senior Member United States Joined 5356 days ago 355 posts - 496 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch | Message 38 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:12am | IP Logged | |||||
I wouldn’t see why someone shouldn’t be proud of his or her family heritage. I can understand that some people may feel a bit queasy, if they find out that their ancestor committed some atrocities or something, but otherwise, to not be proud of one’s roots? Why? I believe it’s natural. Just as if someone from my hometown won an Olympic medal or some prestigious scientific award, I would feel some sense of pride, since we both came from the same small town. 6 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| apatch3 Diglot Groupie United Kingdom Joined 6189 days ago 80 posts - 99 votes Speaks: Pashto, English* Studies: Japanese, FrenchA2 | Message 39 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:21am | IP Logged | |||||
Just thought I'd emphasize that point again, and no there's nothing wrong with being proud of ones heritage only you might not realize how genetically detached you are from your claimed "heritage". 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| tracker465 Senior Member United States Joined 5356 days ago 355 posts - 496 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch | Message 40 of 90 09 April 2010 at 12:34am | IP Logged | |||||
This is true, though I think that some people are further genetically detached from their heritage than others. For instance, I am American (from Pennsylvania) and claim to be of the following ancestory: German, English, and Irish. My grandmother's father came from Liverpool to America in the 1800s, so I am really not that far away from my English blood. On my father's side of the family, my great Grandmother had a Pennsylvania Dutch accent, and I believe might have even spoken some of it, so if I went even a few more generations back, who knows what could be found. The only ancestory which I find hard to trace is my Irish, but it is apparent with the surname of my grandfather. I realize that a lot of people in the USA claim to be of German or Irish ancestory, without much real evidence, except for a surname, but I feel that atleast with my family, there are a few closer ties to our European roots. One of my relatives was even knighted by Queen Victoria ;) 1 person has voted this message useful |
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