American Culture?

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/auto.html

There can be arguments made all over the place, again, which is why I worded my post specifically the way I did. I have no idea what their definition of successful is, but I'm thinking it had to do with many factors.
There were many steam powered engines and then steam powered vehicles. Then there were many versions of semi successful internal combustion engines (some kerosene) and some were also even married with a vehicle to produce a motor powered carriage.
I am thinking in the link provided their definition of "successful" may have to do with it being an internal combustion engine that ran on gas, coupled with a covered carriage that was dependable and consistent and was able to be mass produced, hence these guys set up the first American car manufacturing company.

Peace-
Cam

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

Dude. You may have invented the car. We invented the language.

Boston accent in general = seperate language. But the don't say the R in Car - think Caa Talk

Happy, Christmas Turtle

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Wolfgang says:

I could think of a million better things to do in Japan for a month besides jumping off of picnic tables. - x893

“	never could figure out their compulsion to add a lot of extra and redundant letters to otherwise simple words	”

I have always found the compulsion to strip letters out of even the simplest words to make spelling them easier for small intellects easy to understand - and been glad I didn't live in the nation that monopolised the process...

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Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you
High mountains are a feeling
I don't need to sell my soul, he's already in me

“	color c.1225, from O.Fr. colur, from L. color (acc. colorem) "color, hue," from Old L. colos, orig. "a covering" (akin to celare "to hide, conceal"), from PIE base *kel- "to cover, conceal" (see cell). O.E. words for "color" were hiw, bleo. The verb is from c.1300, earliest use is figurative. Colorful "interesting" is from 1889. Color-blind first recorded 1844. Colors "flag of a regiment or ship" is from 1590. Colored in reference to "non-white skin" dates from 1611. Coloring book is from 1931.	”

Hate to burst your bubble but it seems we aren't the ones "stripping letters out" but you guys are, in fact, adding redundant and unnecessary letters.

Peace-
Cam

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

This one again... one of my language history profs could always be wound up by the "US English is closer to the source" line.

Bottom line - we invented it, we perfected it, we speak it and spell it. If you want your own language go ahead and invent one if you have the ability - most other nations managed ok - otherwise accept we are the experts.

Seems the US choice was made to stay closer to latin http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/colour rather than french. No surprise there. Surprised they didn't call it "we hate nations who's govt has disagreed with our foreign policy freedom US flag" instead.

How did Green Tea's interesting post become an excuse to whine about British Spelling and claim the US invented the car?

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Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you
High mountains are a feeling
I don't need to sell my soul, he's already in me

Kudos. Great way to avoid the point.
Let's get back to it, shall we?

The point-

The word "color" derives from the Latin color/colorem.

Why did y'all think it needed an extra "u" added in there?

The same could be asked for many words in which you have added an extra letter(s)... Take for example catalogue .

Actually, this isn't an example of the English inventing anything. It's simply borrowed Latin with Gaelic influence (the extra redundant letters).

I can't believe you actually think the Brits invented a language.... It's all borrowed. What happened was it was Victorianized to make it seem unique. What that meant was that extra and redundant letters were added.

“	How did Green Tea's interesting post become an excuse to whine about British Spelling and claim the US invented the car?	”

No idea. You'd have to ask Sleeping Turtle that question.

Peace-
Cam

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

Wow.... just noticed you said

“	we invented it, we perfected it	”

I'm speechless.
We have established that you didn't invent it....
I concur that one could claim that the Brits modified it....

But to say they perfected it?!?!!?

Since all modern languages and dialects were derived and borrowed from others when can one say that one is perfected?!?!!?

That's a rather large stretch of ego based on personal doctrine even for you, bro....

Peace-
Cam

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Rock On!
Cam
"Raise up your mind....."

“	based on personal doctrine	”

yet once again you go further than me with your claims English wasn't a unique language before the victorian period. I try, I make the grandest unfounded claims I can, and you top them.

How do you claim colour came to english direct from latin rather than via the french and the spelling remained consistent with it - except in barbarous colonial outposts where education was limited? A webpage told you so? If I bought my wife an expensive enough dinner she'd find me a dozen early usages to contradict that page, though if I admited it was to win a debate on a web page she'd probably refuse even after dinner.

there are a lot of good books that cover this sort of stuff - Bryson's mother tongue and history of nearly everything are ok and the surgeon at crowthorne is excellent. (the last details the extensive contributions an american made to the victorian dictionary)

Seriously, as far as I'm concerned the language is constantly changing and the changes made or rejected in the US are as valid as those made in India, though frequently less useful.

To bring the thread back on topic...

Sammy is right - US culture is massively varied. There are a few things that seem to stand out in the mainstream culture. Still as true as when it was written:

"They are, by nature, frank, brave, cordial, hospitable, and affectionate. Cultivation and refinement seem but to enhance their warmth of heart and ardent enthusiasm; and it is the possession of these latter qualities in a most remarkable degree, which renders an educated American one of the most endearing and most generous of friends."

Saddly many of the criticisms also still seem to hold, different in detail perhaps, but recognisable in some way though they many hardly apply to the US alone and some (particularly criticism of the press) perhaps apply more to the UK now.
http://www.online-literature.com/dic...ricannotes/19/

As for heritage - short but distinguished - and much of it astoundingly critical of the majority culture and proposing excellent alternatives. Just giving Thomas Paine a place to live and write is something to be proud of - and he was part of a minority but strong culture and tradition that still just about survives and might well be uniquely american in origin.

http://www.ushistory.org/Paine/index.htm

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Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you
High mountains are a feeling
I don't need to sell my soul, he's already in me

Great post Green Tea. I see where you are coming from. As you know I live in Canada which is like 13 different little countries in one. Each is distinct with unique habits and dialects. I use to take this neato country for granted, thinking that it was quite pedestrian and not at all interesting since the oldest house in Edmonton is about 100 years old. (I think we are living in it) After travelling about with hubby seeing more than 20 countries and 16 of your states, I´ve concluded that we are indeed an exotic, exciting country with more to offer than 400 year old churches and "dry" paintings.
Each of your states has it´s own beauty, and uniqueness. That is a glorious thing. I can´t wait to go to Albuquerque next year to visit some of hubby´s kin. It won´t just be "another" trip to the states.
P.S. That thing about Europeans and clothes......all true. I´m still washing the tomato stains out of my kiwi green cardigan. It´s even worse in Hong Kong. You can only wear black or else they put you on a barge to Macau.
They tend to wear lots of COLOUR. Eh?

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"I say, if you want to find out where the road goes, get in the fast lane and hit the gas." Calvin and Hobbes

This thread made me laugh a lot.
I think Sammy's post was great (dangit Sammy you gotta stop posting so many good posts or I can't give you rep points for them!!):

“	In just about every country I've visited (except certain parts of the Middle East), American dress & speech is not disapproved of at all. American attitude can elicit negative reactions but mainly because the tourist is being loud, insensitive, ignorant, or just commonly rude. So it's much less about the t-shirt as it is about not treating others as you'd like to be treated.	”

Just be civil to others and you won't have a problem. I've found that it really doesn't matter as long as you are a nice person. (HOWEVER I will say there are times when it is better to lay low - and that can go for any person in a 'foreign' land - because things can get ugly, so you always should be careful.) In all my travels I've never had a problem... and most people won't have a problem with you either!

As for other word issues - languages change, grow, shrink, etc constantly. Which is correct or best? It really doesn't matter.
It's all relative.
Reminds me of a good quote that is attributed to Philip Stanhope, (Lord Chesterfield) "Be wiser than other people if you can; but do not tell them so". Basically if you want to think your way is better than others that's just fine (maybe it even is) but don't tell others that - it never helps the situation!

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"You remind me of a poem that I can't remember!" - Grandpa Simpson

It's all relative

“	but don't tell others that	”

Where's the fun in that?

If we're on to quotes that describe the best way to behave when in another country "even a fool may be considered wise if he keeps his mouth shut" though it's probably not the best advice when the police officer asks for your papers.

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Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you
High mountains are a feeling
I don't need to sell my soul, he's already in me

“	Originally Posted By: john100 Where's the fun in that? If we're on to quotes that describe the best way to behave when in another country "even a fool may be considered wise if he keeps his mouth shut" though it's probably not the best advice when the police officer asks for your papers.	”

I will admit, this thread has been quite a 'fun' one to read!

You are right... definitely better to comply with the police officers requests ... Although sometimes in Russia the punk Militsia guys are just trying to get some money for beer out of ya...

But my quoting Lord Chesterfield wasn't meant to say what should be done in other countries - just that when discussing whose spelling system is correct/better/perfect - is it really going to do much good to say which you think is better? Probably not. Kind of like discussing Religion or politics online... sometimes it's interesting, but most of the time it never really goes anywhere or convinces the main participants to change their POV.

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"You remind me of a poem that I can't remember!" - Grandpa Simpson

It's all relative

Cam,
Don't mean to be mean, but really, do you know anything about the history and development of the English language other than what you read on the web?

(To which Cam may reply, 'Why yes, I have a degree in linguistics with concentrations in Old Norse, Old English and Middle English'... but probably not)

And I was obviously winding you up. SO serious these Yanks, especially the ones from Georgia And I told you already why we have extra letters:

'we put more letters there to confuse foreigners and punish them for being born in the wrong place.'

T

“	Originally Posted By: Sleeping Turtle SO serious these Yanks, especially the ones from Georgia	”

But he's not FROM Georgia!!!

*displays an American's poor use of grammar by beginning sentence with a conjunction*

Speaking of creating languages, Ms. Oxmall sometimes acts as if I am speaking a language of my own invention.

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Nana korobi, ya oki.