Re: the pound sign (#)

[Stuart Reynolds <stuartr -at- FIRSTGRAPHICS -dot- COM>]

-- [ From: Stuart Reynolds * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

> Canadians often refer to themselves and their customs as North American,
even
> though they are a tiny minority on this continent. Americans outnumber
them by
> an order of magnitude and Mexicans outnumber them by a factor of three.
See, I have a big f'ing problem with comments like this one!  If you are not
refering or trying to make reference to _ALL_ Canadians, then make sure you
say so.  Your statements are very "all encompasing" and I for one, get
pissed by it.  It would be like me, labeling _ALL_ americans as _ASSHOLES_
because of a couple of lousy clients I  have had in  Texas. LIke it or not,
Cnadians _ARE_ north americans.  RE the "North American Free Trade
Agreement" in which, the US of A came out far better in both the long and
short terms of the whole deal.  Why, becaus e_some_ Canadians are too damn
soft and passive.  That, I would like to make clear, is not the fault of the
US, it is the fault of the canadian contingent.

>_Most North Americans (Americans and English-speaking Mexicans) follow U.S.
usage;
> e.g., neither armour nor plough is in common use in North America outside
> Canada. Canadian usage is somewhere between U.K. and U.S. forms and
definitely
> not the North American norm.
I, have to use _both_ conventions in my work. I have both Canadian and
American clients.  I have to use both language conventions and remember them
for the specific clients.  I find that both sides of the 49th find
themselves offering up the "North American Norm".  So who is  right.   I
take it, from what you have sadi, that only Americans are believable as
offering the "norm" when talking about North Americanisms?  Your version of
the North American nrm seems to be Amercian and nothing else.  That's cool.
Everyone is entitled to thier opinion.  BUT, don't make the mistake of
talkign down about me in the process.  I said it was "North American" to use
the term "pound" sign.  THis is drawn from talking with engineers from IBM
(Boca, FLA.)(USA), LOTUS development (USA) MicroSoft Inc. (USA) as well as a
host of Canadian engineers.  In these same business structures, I have also
had the pleasure of talking with many support and clerical staff members.  I
do originally com e from England, where I know it as an Octothorpe.  LIke I
know the "forward slash" as the "Oblique".

> My comments are not intended to disparage Canadians, who are in many ways
more
> civil and civilized than my own countrymen. However, whenever they use the
term
> North America(n), the reader or listener should be aware that their
remarks may
> not in fact be representative.
See, there you go again.  Maybe readers should be wary when an "American"
lays claim to use of th "English" language, as it sure looks different thatn
what was laid down in journals before Chris baby crossed the big pond.  And
to that point, whos comments should a "reader" believe are representative of
_North American_?

While you state that your comments are not meant to disparage Canadians, you
also are saying  that only Americans can be considered as representative of
"North America(n)" and "isms".  Funny, I haven't had any complaints from my
US clients, that what I produce isn't up to spec.  It is even US spelled. ie
"o" instead of "ou" or Plough instead of Plow. Plough _IS_ the correct
_ENGLISH_ spelling of it.  PLOW isn't, unless you live in the USA.  This
doesn't make it right or wrong, it just is what it is.  But I object to
begin told that I am not worthy of attention if I make reference to
something that is "North American".  I also believe that the follow-up items
to the original back my statement up.

Stui
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stuartr -at- firstgraphics -dot- com