Word Play

NEW WORDS -- When the Samurai Rim Man was young (a rimteen?) , we started with something that was "fun." Then came the word "funner," which was more than what we began with. Now, the term "funnest" is out there. Yes, it follows the rules of grammar, but it will take some time for it to be accepted in the Fogey Forum.

HEAVY BREATHING -- When stores advertise a "pant," are they aiming at the amputee market?

MORE HISPANIC -- An objection came in over the use of the term "Hispanic" to include the people of Portuguese as well as Spanish extraction. Some dictionaries would limit the term to those who speak Spanish. (But we have a friend named Gonzalez who speaks only English, and another friend named O'Brien who speaks no Gaelic.) The objector added, "While the two countries (Spain and Portugal) are adjacent to each other, they are separate.  You may as well call someone from Toronto an American or someone from Alaska a Canadian." The Samurai Rim Man was thinking along the same lines of the use of the term British to refer to both the English and the Scots. Many Scots will accept being called British, but not English. As for a term that would cover both Spain and Portugal, would "Iberian" do? And what about Brazil, where Portuguese is spoken? If the term Hispanic does not apply, and Iberian is obviously inappropriate, would "American" be the term to use?
   Years ago, we encountered the argument from Spanish speakers that people of the USA should not call themselves "Americans" because the people of Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, etc., were also from countries that are part of North America, and thus entitled to call themselves "American." They suggested that USA residents should be referred to as "estado-unidense," or "united-statesians." Pug Mahoney responded that the official name of the nation south of the Rio Grande was "Estados Unidos de Mejico," or "United States of Mexico," so the same term should apply to them, and to other Central and South American nations that use similar terms.

SPORTIN' LIFE -- The TV sportscaster lamented the news that his favorite team "could not extend their one-game winning streak." This is especially odd, since the season had just begun that week.

QUOTE OF THE DAY -- "Hate speech is the biggest danger to national security since McCarthyism."  -- From an episode of "Law and Order," produced in 2009.