How The French Take English Internet Words And Make Them Acceptable For French Ears
from the non! dept
More than six years ago, we wrote about how the French, ever protective of their language, had rejected a bunch of commonly used words to describe new technologies such as email, and created their own official French-approved versions. The process, of course, is an ongoing one, and an attendee at a recent meeting explains the process by which the French come up with officially acceptable French ways of saying things like "ipod" and "pharming." As the article says: "The words are created by a panel of industrialists and savants, either from scratch or based on observations of evolving usage. The Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry has set up a Special Commission on Terminology and Neologisms in Electronic Communications to carry out such work." Apparently, just letting languages evolve naturally (while perhaps requiring that much less bureaucracy) is just way too messy.
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Makes me wonder
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Re: Makes me wonder
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The French
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Re: The French
Typical Western ignoramus. And yes, that means I put you in the same category as French. Your vaunted "freedom" would not exist without the help of French navy and your proud Statue of Liberty is nothing but a copy of a French statue. Unless you want to become as "irrelevant" as French are, try learning basic history about AT LEAST your own country.
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Re: Re: The French
"sceptique"
Oh yeah, btw, I do appreciate the fact that the France helped the colonies some 200 odd years ago. But I do think that between WWI, WWII and Viet Nam (which the US was DUMB enough to take over), we've might have evened debt that out...
And it was while living on the continent for many years (pre-Iraq) that I formed my dislike for most things french.
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Re: Re: The French
"sceptique"
Oh yeah, btw, I do appreciate the fact that the France helped the colonies some 200 odd years ago. But I do think that between WWI, WWII and Viet Nam (which the US was DUMB enough to take over), we've might have evened debt that out...
And it was while living on the continent for many years (pre-Iraq) that I formed my dislike for most things french.
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Re:
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French government is really disappointing for everyone in the World, specially for French...
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Re:
I wonder how many of my fellow Americans (that usually just make fun of the French to be trendy) are going to be pissed when they realize how much we have in common with you.
Two peoples united in their hatred for their respective governments. Hail brother!
On topic:
After someone in our own government tried to change "french-fries" to "freedom fries", I don't think anyone on this side of the big pond can say a damned thing about what the French Government is doing. At least not without starting with something like "I know our government is just as stupid, but..."
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Liberte egalite, fraternite ou la mort
You both have a statue of Liberty, in fact the French gave the one in NYC as a gift which was shipped over on the Isere.
You both had revolutions 1775-1782 USA, 1789 France
In fact, the French helped you stuff us by providing military support to the Newfoundlanders.
It's only ignorant cocks like Bush who stir up differences between you by calling the French cowards because they have the spine to stand up and refuse to join in a war of agression. In fact the Bush regime goes against every principle established by your own revolution. American disrespect of the French is a very recent thing... that's traditionally our job here in Britain :)
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Re: Disappointing governments
What a coincidence. We have the same problem with the American government disappointing Americans.
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Re:
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This is a good place for the James Nicoll quote.--
"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."
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Have you heard of Quebec?
If you listen carefully to a Quebec-French conversation, you'll frequently hear an english word in almost every sentence.
Zut alors!
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Re:
...conscription
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How do you say 'monumental waste of time' in french?
I believe it's pronounced "Tuesday", but I could be wrong.
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Well, some of the new French terms are pretty good
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I'm french too
Of course, as it's a bureaucracy, they don't do all perfect, but it makes some kind of balance.
I never worked for government but in private company and i find the privately owned bureaucracy is not so much attractive than the government one.
To end, as customer, the level of service given by internet providers is quiet below what i get from public services.
My feeling is that fight against public service is ideology
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not unusual, and no need for french bashing
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Frenches piss "à la raie" in your ass
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Plain silly.
They are two distinct things.
Freanch people don't give a damn about those silly translations from the Académie Française. Real people use the real words.
Otherwise we would be using "bouteuse" instead of "bulldozer". Nodoby does that.
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Re: Plain silly.
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Re: Plain silly.
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Communicating clearly
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so the world isn't english
If other countries feel like understanding what they read, and feel like going on speaking their own language, what's wrong with that?
Please remember the planet isn't USA, nor England. I know it's hard to tell from within. I for one am still living happily even though I'm not from any of these places. (although I'm a bit bothered some people's chauvinism sometimes)
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Re: so the world isn't english
I can't wait for some third world country to nuke em. (The american's that is, not the French)
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Re: Re: so the world isn't english
Also, you've missed the point of the article entirely. The words used as slang by tech culture have nonsensical means even in english. The translations don't tell you any more than the english words. A non tech-savvy babyboomer is likely to think pod casting is about pea throwing.
As far as cultural tolerance goes, I recall France had a large Muslim riot recently. If they're this xenophobic about foreign culture it's no wonder.
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Re: Re: so the world isn't english
Hopefully these nutcases will all soon be in jail, or better, swinging on a rope after the ICC convicts them of war crimes.
London is full of exiled Americans who can't stand it at home any more. I say to them - love what your country stands for and go home and fight to get it back. You should support Americans in their opposition against their enemy at home not throw hate at them.
Though, I can see why you get wound up by comments like
"Will Sharia law allow you to make up your own words?"
and
"the US is like that turtle that carries the world on it's back. If it were to go away the world economy would crash and thousands of people world wide would die."
We have to educate these people not spit on them for their ignorance, which is largely not their fault, it's the result of living in an insular society immersed in propaganda 24/7
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Re: so the world isn't english
Also, why write this article and make fun of the French unless you beleive English is the "better language" and that the others are useless?
Oh, and that comment about the US carrying the world on its back is the most spectacular example of chauvinism in this thread. All other countries should all hail the USA, be their servants for eternity, right? We should all kneel everytime we see an American, they are so good for the planet.
Thank god some of you know better. The rest of the world might stand a chance if some Americans stop frustrating the planet - knock on wood.
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President of France steps forward and says, "I object!"
OBJECTION OVERRULED!
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: "Permission to join the committee on committee validity!"
Permission denied.
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: "Damn, oops, what is the French translation of Damn?"
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Re: The Office
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The Americans who died on D-Day thank the French military for that one, as well as the forsight of the Maginot Line.
Thanks France, you really saved the Americans from Nazi Rule!
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Re:
I think you fail to appreciate what a shrewd military decision that was. Given the overwhelming forces they faced moving out of the city to fight a geurilla war of attrition through the Resistance was smart.
No occupying army has ever "won" an urban war against a determined opposition, as the USA is discovering (again) in Iraq.
"The Americans who died on D-Day thank the French military for that one, as well as the forsight of the Maginot Line."
No they don't, they're dead. You've watched too many propaganda films with John Wayne in I think. D-Day was launched from Britain, thanks for the help and everything, but you guys sat on the fence for 4 years until the tide was already turning and then joined the winning side. And then sent us the bill for your services.
"Thanks France, you really saved the Americans from Nazi Rule!"
That doesn't even make sense. And the way things are going these days the only people who can save America from "Nazi rule" are yourselves.
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Re:
Be honest with yourself, you didn't fight in D-Day, and you have absolutely no way of knowing what all the Americans who DID fight thought of Paris, whether they died or not. It is just as possible that the Americans actually AGREED that Paris should not suffer needless destruction, considering that the French crippled their chances from even before the start of the real war with the Maginot Line, as you so adeptly noted.
In the end, Hitler died a shivering coward as his false empire crumbled at his feet, and that was due to the overwhelming force of most of the rest of the World working against him. America is amazing for having been able to carry on two simultaneous wars (one with Japan and one with Germany, since Italy folded quicker than France it shouldn't really be considered to be on the same level historically anyways) and win both relatively quickly (we've now spent more time fucking up Iraq).
We saved ourselves, as a civilization, from the negative forces unleashed by Hitler and his Nazis, but you are actually channeling that negativity with your ill-mannered comments. Try positivity, its a much more gratifying path
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I'm So Hurt. :(
in giant ovens because they are so awful? Well you tried that with the jews, did it make France a better place?
Soon you will be losing all of your new words and probably the technology that goes with them when your country
becomes an Islamic State.
Will Sharia law allow you to make up your own words?
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This was answered best by kjpweb in # 25...
"Hmm - A symbolic Act? For what? As a symbol of narrowminded stupidity? Just thinking it is ridiculous - but acting on it really shows an unbelievable range of intolerance. The same people would have liked to see this put in to law, mind you..."
-kjpweb
No, you call them cowards for those reasons. Don't group all of us into your war-mongering hate-speech.
If the French didn't want to fight, for what ever reason, that's fine. I don't remember all of the French going along with it. Didn't they have a resistance that helped us (US and other ALLIED forces) push the Germans out? Oh that's right. They did.
And the Americans who died on D-Day don't thank anyone for anything. They're dead.
Finally, no one saved America from Nazi rule. Wrong continent dumbass. Unless you mean that eventually America is going to own everything and France didn't help us save a future possession from Nazi rule.
Bottom line is this. WWII wasn't an American war. We helped... you may even be able to say that we turned the tide or carried more than our fair burden... but we weren't the only country in that war. Stop making it sound like America saved the damned world.
American soldiers (brave men, all) didn't die or spill one drop of blood for our freedom. They did one better. They bled for the freedom of others; the French, Polish, Jews... everyone the Nazis had ground under their boots.
And you know what... no one owes us a damned thing for it because we've betrayed that sense of nobility and sacrifice by becoming an aggressive, abusive world-police and then try to play it off like we're "promoting freedom" or "promoting democracy". Bullshit. We're promoting American interests and making a shitload of money for a select few while we're at it.
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Re:
'One better' my ass. That is 'public relations' propaganda. The US entered WWII because if the UK fell to Nazi Germany and ceased to be a country, then the UK would not be able to pay off the debt owed to the US from WWI.
American soldiers may have been told they were fighting for freedom, but the reality is far removed.
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Who cares?
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RE: "fight american world domination"
I love that statement. Well not really. It always confuses me.
When people complain about Americans and its culture(s) Since America is made up of immigrants from other places. Myself I am only 3rd generation. So "American Culture" is really just a mish-mash of all of the ones from the rest of the world.
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Welll...
Most tech terms are more slang than anything these days.
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Why
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Sorry...
Enlightened people like Gabriel Tane out there know the French should have just surrendered at the mere sight of aggression as he would have! For it is better to let Jews die at the hands of an evil man then to stand up to evil and say "Not in my name Mr. Hitler, you can not commit genocide!"
"Not in my name Mr. Hussein, you can not build rape rooms and torture people with power drills!"
Gabriel Tane says "WE WILL NOT FIGHT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!!"
"WE WILL NOT GO TO WAR WITH JAPAN OVER PEARL HARBOR! THOSE SHIPS WERE WEAPONS OF DESTRUCTION ANYWAY!"
"WE WILL NOT STAND UP TO HITLER'S GENOCIDE!"
Gabriel Tane says, "WE WILL NOT KICK THE TALIBAN OUT OF AFGHANISTAN, THE TWIN TOWERS WERE JUST MOCKING THE THIRD WORLD ANYWAY!"
Gabriel Tane says, "WE WILL NOT STAND UP TO SADDAM AND HIS USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS!"
Gabriel Tane says "NOT IN MY NAME".
I am sorry, Gabriel, I speak for me, not you. Please accept this sarcastic apology.
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Re: Sorry...
Good thing that no one in US ever enslaved black people or put its own citizens in concentration camps because they looked different and their farm land was so damn nice. Obviously not knowing anything about your own history makes it easier to bash others.
You like bringing Hussein up, why not remember Pol Pot? Don't remember anyone kicking his butt.
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Re: Sorry...
Enlightened people like me know that we weren't there to know all of the factors to decide if we think the French military strategy was a good one or not. Are you an experienced military strategy analyst who was there and gathered first-hand information about the situation? No? Then talking like you know what was good for them is quite un-enlightened. Or just ignorant.
The French didn't roll over and just allow the genocide... they were a little preoccupied with BEING INVADED. Yes, I'm sure they were concerned with the fact that so many Jews were being slaughtered... but they had more pressing and immediate concerns.
And as far as their military strategy goes, go read Misanthropic Humanist's post #28. He brings up a great point about guerilla strategy. Now, you should notice that he states an opinion and historic observation. Not, as you would give, a direct statement of fact.
Above all, you blame France for Americans dying in Europe during WWII. Funny thing, I thought it was the Germans that were shooting at us. Hmmm... I need to go read that again, I guess? And it wasn't the French that decided we were going to enter the war. And it certainly wasn't the plight of just the French that tipped our hand into entering.
You're blaming France because that's the thing to do today. Make fun of the frogs.
Now, onto the rest of your mindless blather.
Uh... what?
I'm not sure on what you're basing these words you're putting in my mouth, but that's not what I was saying. Not even close.
If you read my post, instead of just reading the fact I was disagreeing with you, you would see that I lauded those very reasons. I celebrate the fact that a previous incarnation of the once-great country was noble enough to stand up for others. That they were self-sacrificing enough to give their lives to free others. But, as I said, that is no more. Now, we merely use the specter of that once-great nobility as a cape to hide our real intentions: Money and Power.
And Japan is a whole different subject. That was retaliation and full-blown war. Another country declares war on us and we fight back. That was soldiers dying for our freedom. That was soldiers laying down their lives for America.
In Europe, we were there to (finally) help our Allies.
I said nothing about the Taliban. I said that we are an abusive world-police.
Since we're talking about it... going after the Taliban for what they did is not noble. It's self-serving. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It will teach them (and others) that we retaliate, that there are consequences for attacking us. Good for the future. But it's not noble. Don't make it sound like we're doing some heroic good deed.
Again, I didn't say anything about Iraq, but since we're talking about it...
The belief that we were in Iraq for anything other than protecting our oil interests is propaganda and naivete. The belief that we are in Iraq now for anything more is no better.
So, Gabriel Tane doesn't say a damned word you tried to put in his mouth. Gabriel Tane says "speak for yourself". Which you promptly went and did the exact opposite and started speaking for me. Good job.
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Re: Sorry...
Did you miss the report about how the US tortures more people in Iraq then Hussein did? Did you miss the US soldiers raping children at Abu Ghraib?
The pentagon has videos. But they won't show them to you, so you would have to ask people who have seen it.
"We're not just talking about giving people a humiliating experience. We're talking about rape and murder."
Senator Lindsay Graham (R)
I guess Witty Nickname likes people to rape and murder 'in his name'.
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Words
But then again, that means associating with the French.
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Comment on Cultures and their governments
This situation is not unlike the "classic" teenager vs parent idealogical struggle. The teenager usually thinks the parent is diametrically opposed to whatever their wishes are. In fact many times the teenager will hold a particular view on a subject merely because they know the parent holds a different view. In many ways this parallels the government/citizen relationship. The government is the political version of the parent. And the parent is the social version of the government. And as in the family unit, the government and citizen often hold the same underlying goals for the society in their own country as the parent and teenager hold for their family. So your own government may in reality hold the same overall view as yourself in matters of policy. It's usually only the end result the citizen sees. Even in the U.S. congressional committee meetings are usually not held in public. Only the voting on the floor or hearings held by Congress are public. Most people (including Congressmen) don't feel they can speak freely when they are being watched. The cliche is government as Big Brother, but the citizen becomes Big Brother when meetings become public. How many people act exactly the same when their parent sitting right next to them and when their parent is absent? Or spouse for that matter?
That social aspect of behavior not withstanding, The French as a society have proudly considered themselves civilized among other other cultures for many years due to being pioneers in many social and technical arenas. They are perhaps the oldest of the modern societies in the area. Being first does not necessarily make you better, but it just might make you proud. They have notably excelled in gourmet cooking and in making films. Most world class chefs use French techniques in their cooking, and most world class film makers use techniques pioneered by the French. You would be hard pressed to find a Hollywood or even Independent movie that didn't have a French ancestor. Even comic book hero movies were pioneered by them (followed closely by the Italians). So the French trying to preserve their language and culture in a world with ever increasing outside influences should not be a surprise.
That said, the American culture thrives on making up their own terms for things. Even for things that don't really exist, i.e. "Bennifer" and "Brangelina."
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When did everyone start
Wait - most people in the US think it was a bad idea now...
OOPS!
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About ....... EVERYTHING!
So maybe I'm a dreamer...
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Re: About ....... EVERYTHING!
In this country if you come to my door on Saturday to talk religion you should be killed but if you blow yourself up in the name of Allah and kill kids and women then "we should consider the circumstances, after all, the christians had the crusades! (800 fucking years ago!)" Skin color will always be a problem as long as it is always pointed out or used.
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America too.
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Re: America too.
ROFL, nearly peed my pants on that MTV joke.
About the current topic of the French translating words for their use, I wonder how this article would read if it where the other way around. As in, what if the French where the ones coming up with new technologies. I doubt any american would use "ordinateur" or whatnot. I wouldnt be surprised if some republican zealot starts crying foul and demanding a comittee for the "americanization" of those words.
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Well, we have disliked the French since before I was born and that was 50 years ago. Seems long enough to me.
"I can't wait for some third world country to nuke em. (The american's that is, not the French)"
You do understand that the same people who would nuke us will nuke you too? And usually they do it to you BEFORE they try it on us.
" D-Day was launched from Britain, thanks for the help and everything, but you guys sat on the fence for 4 years until the tide was already turning and then joined the winning side. And then sent us the bill for your services."
We didn't sit on the fence. America didn't want to join a war that wasn't ours. Whenever we did, for what ever reason, we did save your ass. The war was NOT turning. Check your history.
As for those of you who hate America, we don't really affect your day to day life. It's just the "hate the big guy" syndrome. We even have Americans who hate the fact we are the big guy.
And rather it is proper or not, the world economy does depend upon America. And in only a little over 200 years we have grown to become the most powerful nation in the world. Why did you people let that happen?
For those that compare Bush to Hitler, you're asses. Truth is, we have not taken over one country. We could though. We could take over YOUR country if we wanted. If we were what we were accussed of being then we would be so much worse than we are.
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Re:
"We didn't sit on the fence. America didn't want to join a war that wasn't ours. Whenever we did, for what ever reason, we did save your ass. The war was NOT turning. Check your history."
Yeah, seriously, do check your history. First of all, check your stats on which direction the Eastern Front was moving in 1944. You'll find out that it was moving West, that would in the direction of Germany. Also check the facts on natural resources that Germany planned, but didn't get due to the losses on the Eastern front.
"Saving your ass" sounds like such a nice thing for you to do, but you must be 15 and not 50 to think that any country would expand so many resources and sacrifice people just to save some ass across the pond. If Nazi Germany was to win and US refused to have a treaty with it, Hitler's plan was to battle US by whatever means until US surrendered.
Furthermore, US DID sit on the fence and for a damn good strategic reason, to see how worn out USSR is. America was afraid that if USSR forces were to prevail in Western Europe (as it was happening) then all of it would fall under communist rule. Note, America has been in quite aggressive war on communists since early 20th century. So June of '44 was a good time for US to enter so that Soviet Union does not get all of Europe and even then it was a bit late. See East Germany for example. It was a shrewd (if morally questionable) move on America's part and even though you try to pass yourself as a proud American, you certainly got a few things to learn about the inner working of your own government and what it has done to help you live free.
For those that compare Bush to Hitler, you're asses. Truth is, we have not taken over one country. We could though. We could take over YOUR country if we wanted.
I find the comparison just as preposterous, but beyond that you are just playing with words. Lets see, do Panama (twice), Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti, Bolivia remind you of anything? And I am not even going beyond Western Hemisphere yet. US has meddled in the business of many countries and often with force. And however covert that force was, it was force nevertheless and for questionable reasons at best. If you are going to defend your own country, an honorable deed in my opinion, you should know not only its good deeds but the bad ones as well. At least it won't seem like you listened to too much propaganda as a child.
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Good Lord people
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Wow. Just wow.
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One Last thing
Does money and power equal happiness? America has the strongest economy - no objections there. Why did that happen? It just may be that other cultures don't value money and power as much. I don't think other cultures systematically envy America's power. I do think that many Americans think that's the case (not to mention those who think they own the world). Everybody wishes they'd be American, right? Well I have my doubts.
I have respect for America and Americans, but I'm not about to move there. I'm rather proud of who I am and although I would probably have a much greater income in America, I like the quality of life where I am now. Far from all the media hype, political mess. I value peace more than power and money.
There's also the theory that because of globalisation, the rich get richer while the poor get poorer, no matter how many billions spent in foreign aid.
There is so much wealth in America, that even the "intellectually challenged" get a great share of power. To me that's what's scary.
There's nothing more depressing than to watch a bunch of millionnaires act like clowns - especially when it affects the whole planet.
Now how did we go from computer tech terms to this??!
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Why always just WWII?
Oh, and what the hell does this have to do with email names again?
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better than fighting
What's coming out of it for me is:
1) We are ALL victims of propaganda. A globalised communication system like the internet and this forum mean we can finally see that for as long our histories have been written we are systematically lied to by our own governments and poisoned with prejudice against other creeds.
2) There is a DEEP, DEEP insecurity and lack of self-esteem amongst Americans right now. I suspect the reasons are very complex, but you don't improve someones self esteem by pointing out their weaknesses at every juncture. Although it's hard to deal with the inflated and pompous comments that some people spout by way of compensation.
3) My Dad is cooler than your Dad. :)
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smoke
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How wrong you are. The Nazis were running out of steam before America even entered the war. If YOU will read your history, you'll see that Hitler's forces had gotten their asses thoroughly kicked trying to invade the Soviet Union in February of 1943, just a couple of months after we declared war on them, but before we'd actually entered combat. That was just the latest of a number of failed attempts to invade Russia, all of which were devastating for the Nazis, and most of which were before entered the war. Add to that the fact that Hitler had stopped producing weapons and recruiting troops the previous year, meaning that their defeat at the hands of the Russians resulted in a MAJOR loss of both, and a longer period of time spent replenishing those losses, and the defeat of the Nazi's was guaranteed. WWII would have been won by the Allies with or without America's help. What America did was bring the war to a closing sooner, and with fewer lives lost, than it would have been otherwise, and it is a notable achievement, but America was not the savior it tries to pretend to be. I think we as a country feel guilty that we waited for so long to enter the battle that we have make our contribution seem greater that it actually was via revisionist history.
The Soviets are the ones who really won the war. They spent most of the war playing defensive, mainly defending their borders while building up their forces. The Allies, including America, had entered the war half-prepared. When the Russians entered offensive action in 1944, they were fully prepared while the rest of the Allies, America included, were running out of steam. (The USSR lost more people than any other nation on either side, the US included, and lost them in the shortest period of time. That says it all.) In the final days of the war, all America and Britain really did was play clean up. Russia ended the war by capturing Berlin. Too bad that led to the Iron Curtain and all.
As to the issue of France's surrender, it was a smart move. When Hitler invaded, France was just crawling out a depression. They had neither the manpower nor the money to mount a fight, If they'd attempted to fight back with an army, they would have been crushed, and France would have been destroyed beyond recovery. Launching a guerrilla resistance against the Nazi's was a brilliant idea. Without the French Resistance, the Allies may not have won either. They delivered invaluable intelligence, and kept a good portion of the Nazi forces occupied, and therefore kept them out of the larger fight, troops which otherwise may very well have turned the tide of the war. If the Nazi's would've had just a few more troops, they may have been able to win. If France had fought it out and been destroyed, Germany wouldn't have had to commit as many forces to an occupation, and would have more to fight the larger battles, which meant they may have been able to win.
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Re: Obsidian
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Re: Re: Obsidian
the SAS, who had been snapping at the heels of the German army since early in WW2. If you have any references that indicate the OSS *organised* the French resistance please share the link with us.
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Re: Re: Re: Obsidian
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Obsidian
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Obsidian
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obsidian
Yeah, firsthand from my grandmother (may she rest in peace) -
She was a carpenter in 1945 (women did all the "mens" jobs in the war)
building fake spitfires so that when the Luftwaffen spy planes came
they thought we had hundreds of spitfires left. In reality I think we were down to single figures, like 5 or 10 actual planes... how close is that?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obsidian
Yeah, firsthand from my grandmother (may she rest in peace) -
She was a carpenter in 1945 (women did all the "mens" jobs in the war)
building fake spitfires so that when the Luftwaffen spy planes came
they thought we had hundreds of spitfires left. In reality I think we were down to single figures, like 5 or 10 actual planes... how close is that
Soviet manufacturing ramped up towards the end of '43 and went into full force mid '44. They didn't have fake anything, as far as a lot of weapons went, they actually got more sophisticated although a lot of ingenuity was also at play. So yeah, it was close, Nazis would've lost sooner or later. The question was just who was to divide up the Europe afterwards.
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I suppose French is so perfect and English is B@stardizing it, then why learn a b@5tardized language to begin with?
Funny thing, the French love their language so much that they have to learn new technologies and developments outside and try to french-ize it. Sad thing is, they're so busy doing that, that they can't create innovation or technology themselves.
History is history, WWII is old news, don't get stuck on it.
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I suppose French is so perfect and English is B@stardizing it, then why learn a b@5tardized language to begin with?
Funny thing, the French love their language so much that they have to learn new technologies and developments outside and try to french-ize it. Sad thing is, they're so busy doing that, that they can't create innovation or technology themselves.
History is history, WWII is old news, don't get stuck on it.
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le freakin sigh, dudes.
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Re: le freakin sigh, dudes.
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France!
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U-S-A U-S-A
Other countries suck!
America is what matters!
Who cares about the planet - US economy is what matters!
If it's not from the 52 states, it's meaningless!
U-S-A U-S-A !!
America owns outer space too! No other country can be allowed there - only America can be trusted.
(goes without saying... duh)
Who cares about France, they don't even speak English! (poor morons... can't even speak - ha!)
God bless America! (and no one else..!)
Woooohooo!!!!
We OWN Earth - don't get in our way!
If it wasn't for America, everyone on Earth would be dying! (idiots - can't even survive without us)
Little known fact: Americans built Paris! (I sware!)
Pyramids??? American!
Ahhh... My work here is done here - if they're not American, they can't read anyway....
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This is almost too stupid to stand...
I am particularly entertained by the people that are stuck in the cycle of telling us all about how awful the United States is. Whether it's those that barely have enough English language skills to write a coherent sentence, or it's the people that don't have any actual understanding of history, I would hate to try having an actual conversation with you.
Your ignorance seems to be your strong suit, although I wish I believed you were actually just ignorant. Unfortunately for all of us, you may actually be stupid instead of ignorant (if you don't understand the difference then I suggest you buy a dictionary).
I do have a special place in my heart for those of you like "misanthropic humanist" and "sceptic". You guys (if there are actually two different people with such low levels of intelligence here) are amongst the elite in the world. The fact that you can spew such idiocy as...
Yeah, seriously, do check your history. First of all, check your stats on which direction the Eastern Front was moving in 1944. You'll find out that it was moving West, that would in the direction of Germany.
to support your argument that France was somehow helping in the fight almost made me fall out of my chair with laughter.
Well, I could go on all day pointing out your inability to form any rational reason for hating the United States, but I don't really have the time to try teaching history and language to those that probably wouldn't be able to grasp the concepts anyway.
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Re: This is almost too stupid to stand...
You have added nothing to any good to the debates here,
Take the cloak off your mirror and have a good look at yourself.
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Re: This is almost too stupid to stand...
CloakedMind said: to support your argument that France was somehow helping in the fight almost made me fall out of my chair with laughter.
After spending three paragraphs of spewing insults about the intelligence of others, you yourself prove lack thereof by misunderstanding the first quote you use. How pathetic is that? Care to point which part of my argument was about the French helping fight? The point being made was that another person falsely believed that everyone was losing to the Nazi Germany when D-day came. It was even false on the day when Operation Overlord was just beginning to develop. Care to prove me wrong?
You are so quick to claim that I hate America, but can you really find where I profess my hate for it? Being more knowledgeable about history and knowing its dark sides does not count as "hate." It's just my knowing what country I live in (oh yes, I live in US). Of course, you will try to twist it now to still make me out to be anti-American and all. But knowing the negatives of own country is what helps people make it better. Apparently you rather just pretend everything is peachy until everything does become as bad as others claim it is. So yeah, while I try to improve on what's wrong, you can sit on your ass and call me US-hater, I'll make sure you still get the same benefits of living here that I do.
P.S. Sceptic is from the Latin word scepticus. Skeptic is from Greek word skeptikos. Take your pick. If you are really trying hard to make a French joke, here is some help: yeah, French is a Latin based language.
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French Fries
Let's just nuke France. Heck, let's nuke Europe.
Why not nuke everything but America - everyone will then live in piece at last!
Lives abroad are useless anyway... have you noticed their smell too?? whoa...
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Oops
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Oops
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Oh COME ON... these other folks can't do anything without being supervised by Americans... that's nonsense!
Have you ever heard a Dutch guy speak English? it's like they have a permanent cold and speak through their noses! They can't possibly be effective...
People outside USA are not as smart. (especially Belgians... even the French make fun of them... nuf said...)
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Cuba Anyone?
If that doesn't yell freedom, I don't know what does. Freedom is for Americans. The detainees there don't deserve a fair trial - they're not American!
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i think
how may i ask? someone probably in the late teens, early twenties posts decided to make a stupid comment about a war and how America is superior. mike, can you just delete all this crap already?
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Re: i think
It's the most lively and interesting thread we had all week, stop being a spoilsport. Plus I actually learned something new today. Just because you don't like it - butt out!
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How would you say sacrebleu in English?
Darnblue!
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WHAT A WASTE OF FRENCH TAX PAYERS MONEY!
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cant we all just get along
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ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!
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i want franch to english
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