Geographic adjectivals

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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horizon
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by horizon »

simonineaston wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 2:24pm As a daily reader of "the Graun" I must rise to its defence. Their staff keep high standards these days
This is the page reporting on the Italian election today:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... -far-right

The headlines refer to the Italy Election, the text to the Italian election. Sub-editors obviously make it up as they go along.

BTW, I am genuinely puzzled. My guess is that if both the BBC and the Guardian are attempting to develop a transatlantic, anglo-spheric readership then they will be keen to adopt common usages, mainly American.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
Jdsk
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Jdsk »

horizon wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 3:19pm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a ... nd_nations

It's just the adjectival form of the geographic name (usually of a country), so Wales/Welsh for example. It isn't though a demonym which refers to how we call the people of a country, such as Germany/the Germans.

It isn't always obvious but should be to the Guardian and readers thereof: our French correspondent needn't imply that the Guardian's correspondent in Paris is him- or herself French. Just because we might call the English football team English doesn't mean that we have to find an adjective for the Gas Works team.
Thanks

Jonathan

PS: It's frequently noted that some countries don't have these... for example the USA... and the UK.
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Mick F
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Mick F »

The whole press industry are run by "children".
BBC radio is poor and a shadow of its former self.
R4 Today programme for instance is dumbed down.

So glad we don't pay a TVL .............. but we all know that eh?
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Jdsk »

simonineaston wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 2:24pm...
Here's a link to their in-house style guide.
It's excellent and I often use it when checking stuff that I've written.

David Marsh on 17 years developing it:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind- ... sts-legacy

And his own book: "For Who the Bell Tolls: The Essential and Entertaining Guide to Grammar":
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Bell-Tolls ... C49&sr=8-3
Highly Recommended.

Jonathan
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 2:43pm
Mick F wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 2:39pm Egypt - Egyptian
England - English
Russia - Russian
Sweden - Swede
Ireland - Irish
One of those is a noun...

Jonathan
An adjectival noun.
Jdsk
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Jdsk »

Bmblbzzz wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 4:38pm
Jdsk wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 2:43pm
Mick F wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 2:39pm Egypt - Egyptian
England - English
Russia - Russian
Sweden - Swede
Ireland - Irish
One of those is a noun...
An adjectival noun.
What does it mean to say that Swede is an "adjectival noun"?

Thanks

Jonathan
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Bmblbzzz »

A noun which has some adjectival functions. We could equally call Swedish etc "nominalized adjectives".
Jdsk
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks.

I see Swede as different from Egyptian, English, Russian and Irish.

Perhaps some examples of it performing the function of an adjective while keeping the meaning of something to do with Sweden... ?

Jonathan
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simonineaston
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by simonineaston »

Well now you mention it, swede is a good example, as the rutabaga is supposed to have arrived in Scotland from Scandinavia, and was called Swedish turnip, to distinguish it from the smaller similar-tasting Brassica, 'till the longer bits dropped off. Jerusalem artichokes, neither artichokes nor from anywhere in Palestine, is another amusing turn. When Italians first came across them in America, and as their flowers looked like sunflowers, they were dubbed girasole, which got corrupted over time.
Both snippets courtesy BBC's R4, funnily enough.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
simonhill
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by simonhill »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 3:33pm
Jonathan

PS: It's frequently noted that some countries don't have these... for example the USA... and the UK.
British, Brits ??

Trying to explain my nationality is sometimes a bit confusing to some foreigners. I live in England, I am British and my country is the UK.
Jdsk
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Jdsk »

simonhill wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 5:24pm
Jdsk wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 3:33pm PS: It's frequently noted that some countries don't have these... for example the USA... and the UK.
British, Brits ??

Trying to explain my nationality is sometimes a bit confusing to some foreigners. I live in England, I am British and my country is the UK.
Exactly: we have to shuffle to a different root to get an adjective. It usually doesn't matter but sometimes it does...

Jonathan
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Mick F
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Mick F »

simonhill wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 5:24pm ........... I live in England, I am British and my country is the UK.
You are UKish or a UKlander.
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by Jdsk »

Mick F wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 6:46pm
simonhill wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 5:24pm ........... I live in England, I am British and my country is the UK.
You are UKish or a UKlander.
Yes, we don't use those constructions in thinking, speaking or writing.

Jonathan
AndyK
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by AndyK »

Will wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 2:48pm Are we still allowed to refer to an English bottom bracket?

Will
If you mean a bottom bracket that was manufactured in England then yes, of course.
DaveReading
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Re: Geographic adjectivals

Post by DaveReading »

simonineaston wrote: 26 Sep 2022, 5:22pm Well now you mention it, swede is a good example, as the rutabaga is supposed to have arrived in Scotland from Scandinavia, and was called Swedish turnip, to distinguish it from the smaller similar-tasting Brassica, 'till the longer bits dropped off.
When I was growing up in Scotland, it was simply called a turnip.
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