- Thread starter jruane44
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The "Dominican"
Not a good idea to take English lessons from Dominican Baseball players. (Spanish lessons, either)
Rather than ask my former teachers or educated friends, I always turn to professional baseball and basketball players when faced with a tough English grammar problem.
Tha's beacuse everyone knows that athletes with 6th grade education levels are great American English linguists.
Tha's beacuse everyone knows that athletes with 6th grade education levels are great American English linguists.
Let me explain!
It's NOt like ball players have the best education.
My take is this:
If you call the DR "Dominican", you are NOT well-educated.
If YOU think you are well-educated and calls the DR "Dominican", you are ignorant.
If YOU consider yourself NOT ignorant and well-educate and still calls the DR "Dominican" even when others have corrected you, then you are a person who does NOT have any type of respect for the Dominican Republic!.
The same goes for calling the country "Santo Domingo".
It's all in the EDUCATION!. At least in MY opinion.
Just MY take!.
On the "Viva Baseball" documentary, the first player talking was Pedro Martinez, who called the DR "the Dominican".jruane44 said:
It's NOt like ball players have the best education.
My take is this:
If you call the DR "Dominican", you are NOT well-educated.
If YOU think you are well-educated and calls the DR "Dominican", you are ignorant.
If YOU consider yourself NOT ignorant and well-educate and still calls the DR "Dominican" even when others have corrected you, then you are a person who does NOT have any type of respect for the Dominican Republic!.
The same goes for calling the country "Santo Domingo".
It's all in the EDUCATION!. At least in MY opinion.
Just MY take!.
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miguel said:
I am assuming that this statement refers to dominicans who should know about their country better but if it also refers to tourists, then I am not too sure that I agree.
There are many HIGHLY EDUCATED tourists who called the DR, 'the dominican' because that is how it was introduced to them and everyone else calls it that way. They just do not know it as anything else.
Even when they find out the true name, they still do not mind calling it 'the dominican' because everyone else still calls it that way and it does not mean anything derogatory. At times, it is okay to speak in the lingo that everyone understands. Communication for the most part is about being understood and not necessarily saying EVERYTHING the way it should be said.
I can understand dominicans insisting that the name of the country be called the right way but if the mistake is not derogatory and just a means of shortening it, I am not sure why it cannot be accepted in light humor.
And then if some dominicans cannot even call their country the right way, I am not sure why the rest of the world should care.
Lesser is always better
Two interesting words that you used on the 4th paragraph in your post."But if the Mistake is not derogatory" and "accepted in LIGHT HUMOR". First of all you admit the mistake of saying the Dominican and second why would people say it in light humor. Nothing funny about saying incorrectly the name of someone's country, that's were pride kicks in. We all have it, well some.Sholly24 said:
It's so very simple.
I was in the Dominican last week.
I was in the Chekoslovakian last week.
I was in the Argentine last week.
I was in the French last week.
If any or all these sentences sound wrong to you, it's because they are.
If you added the word republic behind the name, then they would be correct.
Repeatedly saying it wrong will never make it right.
I was in the Dominican last week.
I was in the Chekoslovakian last week.
I was in the Argentine last week.
I was in the French last week.
If any or all these sentences sound wrong to you, it's because they are.
If you added the word republic behind the name, then they would be correct.
Repeatedly saying it wrong will never make it right.
Sorry, my bad!
If you read what I said on paragraph # 6, it applies to tourists.
IMO, when it come to the DR, lesser is NOT always better.
If your last name were Dyckstra, would you like people calling you "DYCK"?. I wouldn't like it. Therefore, to me, lesser is NOT better!.
But, that's your opinion.
Btw, ALL my tourists friends, the ones that have gone to the DR with me, the ones that used to call the DR "Dominican" at the beginning, after I corrected them, they have never, ever called it the "Dominican" again. They call it the DR. As I told them: "It's a way of showing respect for the country".
I really don't know what's the debate.
"Dominican" is a person from the DR. Dominican Republic is the country's name. As simple as that.
Like I said: It's all in the person's education. Willing to learn is also a form of educating yourself. Meaning, if someone corrects you about something that you are saying wrong, correct it and say it the way that it's supposed to be said. There's no excuses!. NONE.
I meant Dominicans. BUT:Sholly24 said:
If you read what I said on paragraph # 6, it applies to tourists.
IMO, when it come to the DR, lesser is NOT always better.
If your last name were Dyckstra, would you like people calling you "DYCK"?. I wouldn't like it. Therefore, to me, lesser is NOT better!.
But, that's your opinion.
Btw, ALL my tourists friends, the ones that have gone to the DR with me, the ones that used to call the DR "Dominican" at the beginning, after I corrected them, they have never, ever called it the "Dominican" again. They call it the DR. As I told them: "It's a way of showing respect for the country".
I really don't know what's the debate.
"Dominican" is a person from the DR. Dominican Republic is the country's name. As simple as that.
Like I said: It's all in the person's education. Willing to learn is also a form of educating yourself. Meaning, if someone corrects you about something that you are saying wrong, correct it and say it the way that it's supposed to be said. There's no excuses!. NONE.
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this debate goes on and on and on.
I kinda agree with miguel tho (how that for a change lol).
I believe it IS ignorant to say "the domincan". Do you say the China? The england? etc? Nope! I dont think it is totaly uneducated people who say this tho. Not everyone is so passionate about the DR as we all are here. So some well educated people do slip and say the domincan. Most people who travel to DR...or who are from the DR...usualy refer to it as the DR. NOT the Domincan or Domincan Republic or La Republica Domincana
i wish our resident linguist lesley would chime in on this one. I always get a kick when someone asks me "how long you were you in the domincan"....i know..this is old here...but it still cracks me up every time i hear it...and i want to say 30 minutes on a good night
I kinda agree with miguel tho (how that for a change lol).
I believe it IS ignorant to say "the domincan". Do you say the China? The england? etc? Nope! I dont think it is totaly uneducated people who say this tho. Not everyone is so passionate about the DR as we all are here. So some well educated people do slip and say the domincan. Most people who travel to DR...or who are from the DR...usualy refer to it as the DR. NOT the Domincan or Domincan Republic or La Republica Domincana
i wish our resident linguist lesley would chime in on this one. I always get a kick when someone asks me "how long you were you in the domincan"....i know..this is old here...but it still cracks me up every time i hear it...and i want to say 30 minutes on a good night
Btw....
Oh, I forgot:
I ALWAYS make fun of people calling the DR "the Dominican", ALWAYS. I make it my business to make them look ridiculous.
Example:
If a Dominican asks me: "how long were you in the Dominican"?, I will say something like "Nah, Dominican females do not do it for me". When they tell me that they mean the Dominican Republic, THEN I tell them to say it the right way in order for me to understand what they are saying (even thou I know what they are saying).
When an American co-worker asks me: "so, you are going to the "Dominican"?, I may say something like: "No, I am going to the Dominican Republic, "the Dominican" is a person born in the Dominican Republic".
When I correct a Dominican or a foreigner and they say: "whatever", I tell them: "no, whatever is shyt, it's the Dominican Republic and if can not call it the right way, go talk to an ignorant person who would allow you to call it like that".
Yes, it annoys me and that's why I make them look like uneducated fools!.
Btw, it annoys me more when a Dominican says it because they SHOULD know better!.
Oh, I forgot:
I ALWAYS make fun of people calling the DR "the Dominican", ALWAYS. I make it my business to make them look ridiculous.
Example:
If a Dominican asks me: "how long were you in the Dominican"?, I will say something like "Nah, Dominican females do not do it for me". When they tell me that they mean the Dominican Republic, THEN I tell them to say it the right way in order for me to understand what they are saying (even thou I know what they are saying).
When an American co-worker asks me: "so, you are going to the "Dominican"?, I may say something like: "No, I am going to the Dominican Republic, "the Dominican" is a person born in the Dominican Republic".
When I correct a Dominican or a foreigner and they say: "whatever", I tell them: "no, whatever is shyt, it's the Dominican Republic and if can not call it the right way, go talk to an ignorant person who would allow you to call it like that".
Yes, it annoys me and that's why I make them look like uneducated fools!.
Btw, it annoys me more when a Dominican says it because they SHOULD know better!.
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Rocky said:
The only reason that the last 3 sound wrong is because people NEVER GOT USED TO SAYING IT THAT WAY
1) the czech republic is pretty short enough but if someone said dropped the republic part......well, I hope that czech people would take it as humor
2) Argentina is just one word
3) France is just one word
I am american and the complete name is ' the united states of america' but some people call it the 'united states' or 'the us' or simply 'america'. America is actually a continent made of north. south and central but who cares. When you say america, everyone knows what you are talking about.
We are a proud people also but we don't make a fuss over itty bitty issues
Indeed1
I have lived in the US for over 32 years and if I hear ANYBODY calling it "the United", I would get as annoyed as someone calling the DR "the Dominican".
Maybe we should call the US "the American". Better yet "the gringo", hahaha!.
THANK YOU!!!.Dragonfly32837 said:
I have lived in the US for over 32 years and if I hear ANYBODY calling it "the United", I would get as annoyed as someone calling the DR "the Dominican".
Maybe we should call the US "the American". Better yet "the gringo", hahaha!.
Please do not be offended if I correct you.Sholly24 said:
As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_of_the_world
Argentina ? Argentine Republic
Czech Republic
France ? French Republic
These are perfect examples to compare to the Dominican Republic.
If you prefer, saying "I was in the Canadian last week", would sound just as wrong, because a Canadian is a person, as is a Dominican.
Dragonfly32837 said:
Good for you and your country. Perhaps if your country worried more (and did a lot )about it's image about prostitution,drugs and corruption and less about whether people can call the name correct, then it will be a better place than what it is at the moment
Thank you for your cooperation.
I have recently learned that the best way to resolve problems that are pointed out to me, such as the ones you mentioned, is to delegate the job to the person doing the complaining.
As they have an interest in the subject and are bothered by the status quo, they make excellent candidates for the task at hand.
Please feel free to start whenever you can, and if you have time, kindly keep us abreast of your progress in resolving the above mentioned problems.
Thank you.
Two wrongs don't make a right.Sholly24 said:
I have recently learned that the best way to resolve problems that are pointed out to me, such as the ones you mentioned, is to delegate the job to the person doing the complaining.
As they have an interest in the subject and are bothered by the status quo, they make excellent candidates for the task at hand.
Please feel free to start whenever you can, and if you have time, kindly keep us abreast of your progress in resolving the above mentioned problems.
Thank you.
Rocky said:
Well, I wish I could but I am not a dominican and I have no stake in that country whether it goes down the drain or stays afloat. The responsibility to make things better is that of dominicans and others that live there or plan to go and live there.
I am not dominican nor do I live there nor do I plan to go and live there in the future but being the kind hearted person that I am, I will continue to wish them the best of luck.
Eso es todo
Yes, please keep us abreast of your progress because like Rocky I too have an interest in knowing the status of a person's endeavor to better the status quo here. Like Rocky I also try to correct those that have that tendency to pronounce the name of this fine island incorrectly and we keep each other abreast in our endeavor to correct this problem. Thank you.
Rick
Edited to add; You posted as I was typing. I'm sorry to hear that you wish to be a wallflower and only apply lip service when it suits your fancy. I was hoping though. Sorry
In case you were wondering it was Miguel that delegated me to help correct the pronunciation of this island as he is VERY interested in the status quo in this area. Hehehe
Rick
Edited to add; You posted as I was typing. I'm sorry to hear that you wish to be a wallflower and only apply lip service when it suits your fancy. I was hoping though. Sorry
In case you were wondering it was Miguel that delegated me to help correct the pronunciation of this island as he is VERY interested in the status quo in this area. Hehehe
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