Intellectual 'PROPERTY'

From: Eric Chomko <vze2wsvr_at_verizon.net>
Date: Sun Jan 19 23:35:01 2003

Jim,

Jim Battle wrote:

> At 08:53 PM 1/19/03 -0800, Eric Smith wrote:
> >Eric Chomko wrote:
> > > I dunno. I think that in the context where the term "Native American"
> > > is, the word "American" is always proceeded by a capitalized adjective.
> >
> >I am unaware of any rule of spelling or grammar that causes a capitalized
> >adjective to have a different meaning than the same word without
> >capitalization.
>
> Perhaps no rule, but there are certainly some specific cases. Here's a
> simple example:
>
> 1) We are thankful that he showed mercy
>
> 2) We are thankful that He showed mercy
>
> You have no idea whom I'm talking about in case 1, but case 2 is very specific.
>
> >Of three dictionaries I've consulted, none give a special
> >meaning for "Native" as distinct from "native". Two of them imply that
> >"American" should be capitalized, but the third does not.
> >
> > > Now I'm not sure about the forms that you've been looking at, but
> > > are you a native American or a Native American?
> >
> >Yes, I am.
>
> If you look up the meaning of each word you can't decipher the true meaning
> of the phrase. As you are well aware, English has thousands of idioms.
>
> Go to "www.m-w.com" (merriam-webster), and type "native american", not just
> one word, and it will say it is a synonym for "american indian".
>

Actually "native american" as input gets corrected to "Native American."

Eric

>
> Click on "american indian" and it says:
>
> : a member of any of the aboriginal peoples of the western hemisphere
> except usually the Eskimos; especially : an American Indian of North
> America and especially the U.S.
>
> -----
> Jim Battle == frustum_at_pacbell.net
Received on Sun Jan 19 2003 - 23:35:01 GMT