| Re: [I] Merkins beware! [message #250284] |
Di, 04 April 2006 09:30 |
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Werehatrack wrote:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
"It is also a term used by some Discworld fans to describe American
non-fans and non-fans in general."
-- added by user with ISP 141.163.84.1
I'd like to see a citation for that.
Adrian.
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| Re: [I] Merkins beware! [message #250311 ] |
Di, 04 April 2006 11:59 |
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On Tue, 4 Apr 2006 17:00:49 +0930, "8'FED" <dragon [at] netyp.com.au> wrote:
>Werehatrack wrote:
>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
>
> "It is also a term used by some Discworld fans to describe American
> non-fans and non-fans in general."
>
> -- added by user with ISP 141.163.84.1
>
>I'd like to see a citation for that.
It seems slightly off. The use, boosted by the character of Merkin
Muffley, relates to the word "American" as said in a very strong American
accent. Thus, it applies more to anyone self-identifying as an American,
and not at all to non-fans in general.
-SteveD
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| Re: [I] Merkins beware! [message #250315 ] |
Di, 04 April 2006 12:20 |
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geminii [at] tpg.com.au wrote:
> 8'FED wrote:
>>Werehatrack wrote:
>>
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
>>
>> "It is also a term used by some Discworld fans to describe American
>> non-fans and non-fans in general."
>> -- added by user with ISP 141.163.84.1
>>
>>I'd like to see a citation for that.
>
> It seems slightly off.
Right. Except for the slightly. Read the page. Whoever added the above
sentence thinks that there's a meaning of Merkin used by some
Discworld fans which is independent of the sense which simply means
"American", and is described two paragraphs above it.
Someone who can be bothered should edit this out, perhaps also
adjusting the paragraph about Merkin as a slang term for American to
mention online Discworld fandom as an example of a place where this
usage thrives.
Adrian.
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| Re: [I] Merkins beware! [message #250326 ] |
Di, 04 April 2006 13:37 |
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On Tue, 4 Apr 2006 19:50:47 +0930, "8'FED" <dragon [at] netyp.com.au> wrote:
>geminii [at] tpg.com.au wrote:
>> 8'FED wrote:
>>>Werehatrack wrote:
>>>
>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
>>>
>>> "It is also a term used by some Discworld fans to describe American
>>> non-fans and non-fans in general."
>>> -- added by user with ISP 141.163.84.1
>>>
>>>I'd like to see a citation for that.
>>
>> It seems slightly off.
>
>Right. Except for the slightly.
http://www.answers.com/understatement
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| Re: [I] Merkins beware! [message #250376 ] |
Di, 04 April 2006 19:19 |
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In article <e0tha4$2i9i$1 [at] mud.stack.nl>, dragon [at] netyp.com.au says...
> geminii [at] tpg.com.au wrote:
> > 8'FED wrote:
> >>Werehatrack wrote:
> >>
> >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
> >>
> >> "It is also a term used by some Discworld fans to describe American
> >> non-fans and non-fans in general."
> >> -- added by user with ISP 141.163.84.1
> >>
> >>I'd like to see a citation for that.
> >
> > It seems slightly off.
>
> Right. Except for the slightly. Read the page. Whoever added the above
> sentence thinks that there's a meaning of Merkin used by some
> Discworld fans which is independent of the sense which simply means
> "American", and is described two paragraphs above it.
>
> Someone who can be bothered should edit this out, perhaps also
> adjusting the paragraph about Merkin as a slang term for American to
> mention online Discworld fandom as an example of a place where this
> usage thrives.
I'd never thught of it as a particularly afp usage - I was familiar with
the Usenet usage of merkin before I ever visited afp. I think it is
fairly widespread across UK dominated chat groups.
I think non-USA-nian native English speakers - of whom UK-ians are
probably the largest single group - are both more likely to play silly
buggers with the language[1], and more pissed off by the assumption of
some Americans that the Internet, and Usenet in particular, is a purely
American thing. Thus, in my mind, "Merkin" does not mean just any
American but rather the kind of American who either knows nothing about
the rest of the world or takes an Agatean view of it. It would therefore
not apply to many of the afp regulars who happen to reside in the USA.
[1] Don't mistake me - I am full of admiration for the ability of many
non-English speakers, particularly on afp, both to use English perfectly
and to abuse it creatively. But it is still true that native speakers
will in the large majority of cases be happier with re-coining their
language than those who have learned it later.
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