The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Any news on Peace Talks
Dina:
--- Quote from: Bad Alias on February 08, 2019, 05:58:45 PM ---This is just about the only thing on the internet I contribute to for that very reason.
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I don't follow.
--- Quote from: Bad Alias on February 08, 2019, 05:58:45 PM ---Because Europe has about as many countries as the U.S. has states (depending on how one counts), I've often wondered how many states can the European insulting Americans' knowledge of geography can name. I don't do a whole lot better at naming the states than I do the European countries. There have been a lot of changes to Europe's internal borders in my lifetime, and no noticeable ones in the States, so that's my excuse.
But it's so much easier to explain the difference between your/you're than then/than. Another one that annoys me was all my Spanish teachers failed to properly define bueno/bien as good/well. They defined them both as good, but used differently because so many native English speakers don't get the difference between good/well. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more subtle differences, but, on this particular, all my teachers failed.
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I don't know about Europeans. I can name many States from USA but I am unable to place them in a map (except the most obvious ones, like Florida, Alaska or Hawaii :)) but it's not the same, your States are part of a country, and we generally have not idea of the internal divisions of any country.
I have trouble with good/well :-[. I believe my teachers failed to teach me that but I try. Anyway, it seems that bueno/bien is accurate in most situations. Mexicans often use "bien" as a sort of "quite". ("Estaba bien chido = it was quite cool") but not in South America, as far as I can tell.
Bad Alias:
The people on this forum aren't rude, nasty, etc. Most of the internet communities are full of terrible people. Here, not so much. I don't bother with places where a good portion of the criticism isn't exactly constructive. (Also I misread wardenferry419's last sentence there, so my sentence made sense in the context of the misreading).
The States and the European countries are pretty comparable in terms of geography, and sometimes even travel, economic relations, and government. It is a bit of apples and oranges comparison, but even apples and oranges have a lot in common. It wouldn't be hard for me to hop in a car and hit four other states without changing directions, and I live in a part of the country where there aren't any small states. I imagine it's similar for Europe, except Europe has a lot more small countries. I'd expect someone to be able to name all the major jurisdictions they can drive to in a day.
And I can name the internal divisions, or at least some, of many countries. Mostly just from watching TV and reading fiction. European internal divisions can be hard because it seems they've all had so many that have changed, somewhat quickly, over the centuries. You might be surprised how many European countries are younger than the U.S. (and probably most countries in the New World). A lot of European countries are younger than me.
Dina:
Why would I be surprised? USA is quite old, a lot of countries are younger. Not only mine, but even such important countries as Italy or modern Germany. And for instance, we have a forumite who is from Croatia, a country that was created when I was already in college :). And yes, Europe has changed a lot since I went to primary school. Of course, USA is not so old as Spain or...China, but it is old enough that other countries being younger is not a big deal.
I cannot name the internal divisions of any country but mine (23 provinces + Buenos Aires city) and, to a certain degree, USA :).
morriswalters:
--- Quote from: Bad Alias ---Because Europe has about as many countries as the U.S. has states (depending on how one counts), I've often wondered how many states can the European insulting Americans' knowledge of geography can name. I don't do a whole lot better at naming the states than I do the European countries. There have been a lot of changes to Europe's internal borders in my lifetime, and no noticeable ones in the States, so that's my excuse.
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There are things the Europeans think, that I care about. Geography isn't even in the top 1000 of those. Take away the identifiers as represented by street signage and and they, like most citizens of the US, would be lucky to make it out of their hometowns.
Geography is the illusion of knowledge. I know the town where I live. But when I travel to Tennessee to visit a childhood friend, I know the road I travel on and nothing more. I think I knew all the states and capitals at one time, but I don't think I've used it in any useful way since the day I was taught it. If I need it I look it up, otherwise I have more important things to keep in memory. Like where I left my keys. :)
groinkick:
--- Quote from: morriswalters on February 09, 2019, 12:22:50 AM ---Geography is the illusion of knowledge.
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lol no. It's real knowledge, even if it's not important to some people.
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