Confusion with my Last Post about US/English Versions

[~ chappnee ~]

No: HPFGUIDX 34418


   I would like to explain something to everyone because I know some
people were a little bit confused when I wrote:

'I think [the scholastic employee] totally misjudged the capabilities of the 
American public because the way I see it, there isn't that much of a 
difference between Canadians and Americans except that Americans
present themselves as being unintelligent - maybe they are, I don't know, 
but I doubt they are _that_ stupid - and maybe Canadians are a little more 
reserved.'

   My intention was not to say that Americans were stupid at all.  On the 
contrary, I was stating that Americans aren't as stupid as Scholastic 
believes them to be.  I was saying that there reasoning was ludicrous 
because Canadians who I consider to be almost like Americans(slang-wise) 
could understand the books.  What made Scolastic think they
couldn't?  When I said that they _present_ themselves as unintelligent, I 
immediately said that I doubted that they were _really_ stupid but that I 
couldn't really say one way or another.  My apologies, I should have said 
'_really_' in the first place instead of '_that_'.  I guess I didn't explain 
that well enough. When I said Canadians were a little more reserved, I 
didn't mean to imply that Americans _weren't_ reserved or that they were 
stupid because of it.  No, not at all.

   It is true though, on the media they don't exactly focus on
intelligence when presenting an American and therefore I said the word 
'present'.  And before anyone swings a fist at me, let it be known that I 
_don't_ believe this stereo-type!

Ryoko wrote:
>Um you Canadians are American's too in a way.

   I agree, I AM an American as I am from North America and whenever someone 
uses that term to refer to citizens of the U.S only (and that is quite 
often), I go on this rant on how it isn't right!  But I can't think of a 
better term to call them so what can I do?  I'm stuck!  It is so funny 
because the one time I let in to calling U.S. citizens American, I get my 
head cut off for it.  (Not by you Ryoko, thankfully the person did it 
privately.)  Ironic isn't it?

Ryoko also wrote:

>I have two British friends and one of them has the British version and it 
>seems so much better than mine, you guys even get the really cool covers, 
>we get some lame drawing that I don't like.

   I don't mind the drawings that much.  You guys have neat little
pictures at the beginning of your chapters that the British version doesn't 
have.  At least I think you do if my memory is right.  We actually can get 
both versions and my brother rented the American version from the Library 
one time.  Can someone correct me if I'm wrong?

   Anyway, I hope that clears things up with some people.  I didn't
mean to offened anyone or call anyone stupid.  My apologies if you
misunderstood me.  :)


~Chappnee


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