Nationality

[englishstudent]

Hi,

America - American
Britain - British
China - Chinese
France - French
Germany - German
Italy - Italian

Philippines - Filipino (any idea why it is not 'Philippino'?)

Hong Kong - ??? I know HK is a part of China since 1997, but I am
just wondering.

Thanks


Bumper sticker: Think whirled peas.

[Ouisch]

Sort of a complex story about why it's Filipino versus Philippine: http://www.filipinawives.com/WhatsInAName.htm

Some residents of Hong Kong simply call themselves Chinese, while others describe themselves as Hong Kongers.

This subject is often a source of dispute when it comes to the 50 U.S. states. For example, for many years, residents of my home state were always called "Michiganders." Suddenly, beginning in the late 1980s, newspapers and such started calling us "Michiganians" instead. There's no real rhyme or reason to our state adjectives; sometimes we add an "er" (New Yorker), sometimes "ian" (Californian), sometimes something completely different. tdol and other Brits can probably share similar stories (Glasgow=Glaswegians ?!)


/me, I'm still a Michigander at heart

[rewboss]

The word "Filipino" actually comes from Spanish -- indeed, for a woman, the correct term is "Filipina" (as it is in Spanish), although that seems to be going out of fashion (for reasons of political correctness?). The Spanish for "Philippines" is "Filipinas", and the Spanish were more or less in charge of the Philippines from the mid-16th century until the end of the 19th, hence the use of Spanish.

If you need an adjective or the name of the language, as well as "Filipino", there is an English word available: "Philippine".

[englishstudent]

Ouisch, thank you for the information - especially the URL explaining
in detail about the origin of "Filipino"; it was very
interesting to read. Is there a word play
in "Michigander", or am I reading too much into it? :)

Rewboss, thanks as well. I did not realize the word "Philippine"
meant that although I have heard it on news (e.g "Philippine
President C. Aquino").


Talking about place names, I noticed on the map that many
(non-European?) country names end in "a" (Canada, Rwanda, China)
or "ia" (Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Namibia, Zambia, India, Indonesia,
Nigeria, Romania, Russia, Lithuania), as also most of the
continents - Africa, America, Australia, Asia;
Many states in the US also end in "a" (Alaska, Indiana, Missouri (Missoura ;)),
California, Alabama, Virginia, N/S Dakota, Florida, Arizona, Iowa,
Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, ...) . I wonder if there
is a reason for this.

[Ouisch]

I don't think there was any wordplay intended, but when folks started pushing to change it from Michigander to Michiganian, that was their main argument: "We're not geese!"

[rewboss]

Originally Posted by englishstudent

Talking about place names, I noticed on the map that many
(non-European?) country names end in "a" (Canada, Rwanda, China)
or "ia" (Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Namibia, Zambia, India, Indonesia,
Nigeria, Romania, Russia, Lithuania), as also most of the
continents - Africa, America, Australia, Asia;
Many states in the US also end in "a" (Alaska, Indiana, Missouri (Missoura ;)),
California, Alabama, Virginia, N/S Dakota, Florida, Arizona, Iowa,
Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, ...) . I wonder if there
is a reason for this.

The "-ia" termination is a very common one; I think it comes from Latin. But there are different explanations for different countries: "Argentina", for example, is Spanish and in Spanish, most countries are feminine, and feminine nouns often end in -a.

US states are interesting. Florida comes from Spanish; Virginia is a sort of pretend Latin word derived from the word "virgin" and is named after the British Queen Elizabeth I who was known as the "virgin Queen"; North and South Dakota come from an attempt to pronounce some Native American word; and so on and so on.

[englishstudent]

Originally Posted by rewboss

The "-ia" termination is a very common one; I think it comes from Latin. But there are different explanations for different countries: "Argentina", for example, is Spanish and in Spanish, most countries are feminine, and feminine nouns often end in -a.
US states are interesting. Florida comes from Spanish; Virginia is a sort of pretend Latin word derived from the word "virgin" and is named after the British Queen Elizabeth I who was known as the "virgin Queen"; North and South Dakota come from an attempt to pronounce some Native American word; and so on and so on.

Thank you rewboss.