Mercedes Lackey Ejected From Nebula Conference For Using Racial Slur

[MGibster]

I go by “black, as do my parents. While I’m not offended by terms like “African-American” or “PoC”, I know some are. Mom, for one, REALLY hates “African-American”, and you will unleash a lecture if you use it in reference to her.

A few years back, in some circles at least, it became somewhat trendy to refer to Americans as "USians." And at first I found it amusing, but after a bit it annoyed the hell out of me. In my entire life, I've never referred to myself as a USian, I didn't know anyone else who referred to us as USians, and I didn't care for others to to identify me in a manner that had nothing to do with how I identified myself.

 

[Parmandur]

A few years back, in some circles at least, it became somewhat trendy to refer to Americans as "USians." And at first I found it amusing, but after a bit it annoyed the hell out of me. In my entire life, I've never referred to myself as a USian, I didn't know anyone else who referred to us as USians, and I didn't care for others to to identify me in a manner that had nothing to do with how I identified myself.

It sounds natural in most European languages like French or Spanish, is the thing. So a lot of Americans who speak Spanish do actually identify thst way.

 

[MGibster]

It sounds natural in most European languages like French or Spanish, is the thing. So a lot of Americans who speak Spanish do actually identify thst way.

I never heard it growing up in Texas were there were plenty of Spanish speakers. If you've got some cites that it was common for Spanish speakers to refer to Americans as USians prior to the 21st century I would be very interested in learning more.

 

[Parmandur]

I never heard it growing up in Texas were there were plenty of Spanish speakers. If you've got some cites that it was common for Spanish speakers to refer to Americans as USians prior to the 21st century I would be very interested in learning more.

My hometown (Hayward, CA) has a Hispanic majority, and "Estadounidense" is the standard in Spanish for someone from the United States.

 

[payn]

A few years back, in some circles at least, it became somewhat trendy to refer to Americans as "USians." And at first I found it amusing, but after a bit it annoyed the hell out of me. In my entire life, I've never referred to myself as a USian, I didn't know anyone else who referred to us as USians, and I didn't care for others to to identify me in a manner that had nothing to do with how I identified myself.

This is the first time I have even heard of this. How is it even pronounced?

 

[Parmandur]

This is the first time I have even heard of this. How is it even pronounced?

I've never heard anyone say it in English, seems unwieldwith the way English forms adjectives.

 

[Ibrandul]

This is the first time I have even heard of this. How is it even pronounced?

"Yoo-ess-ee-enn."

I know people who use it in spoken American English.

To me it falls into the same category as people who try to pronounce "folks" with an extra bit of sibilance on the end to make it clear they're saying "folx," not "folks." Yes, I have heard this too in spoken American English—they sound like cartoon snakes.

 

[MGibster]

My hometown (Hayward, CA) has a Hispanic majority, and "Estadounidense" is the standard in Spanish for someone from the United States.

I took Spanish, and I'm way, way rusty, but I remember that as the standard. But that's a far cry from USian. And I'm not going to complin about Spanish speakers saying Estadonuidense instead of American. It's not like a Mexican is going to get angry at me because I don't say Mexicano.

This is the first time I have even heard of this. How is it even pronounced?

Beats me. I really only saw it used in online spaces. It seemed ubiquitous a few years back, but I don't see it used all that often any more. Just a passing fad I guess.

 

[billd91]

Syncretism, and Italian regional differences. The vast majority of Italian Americans are Siciliano or Napolitano (except around here, actually, we got a lot of Genevesi and Lombard immigrants in Northern California). I have a friend from Bergamo that swears that nobody in Italy uses garlic or tomatoes in cooking and she gets actively angry about Italian-American food, bit other friends from other parts of Italy who say Bergamo is practically part of Germany...

But yeah, a lot of Italian immigrants had to improvise with what ingredients were available locally, hence stuff like cheddar "Macaroni and Cheese."

One of the things highlighted by things like this (Bergamo-style Italian cooking vs Bergamo being practically part of Germany) as well as the debates over Black vs African-American, POC vs more specific references, and any other way to assert identity via food, cultural practice, or terminology is just how many different perspectives there are even among insiders within these communities (forget outsiders trying to impose viewpoints from outside the community). And along with that, we also see how much difficulty people with different perspectives have in communicating and understanding each other.

 

[Mallus]

Here in the twin cities they proudly advertise the "Hot Dagos" around town.

In New Jersey that's proudly advertising your desire to be found floating in the Hudson River.