Image from a Reddit post, where the discussion comments are trivial. Here's more information from Wikipedia:
A demonym (/ˈdɛmənɪm/; from Ancient Greek δῆμος (dêmos) 'people, tribe', and ὄνυμα (ónuma) 'name') or gentilic (from Latin gentilis 'of a clan, or gens') is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, state, country, and continent). Demonyms are used to designate all people (the general population) of a particular place, regardless of ethnic, linguistic, religious or other cultural differences that may exist within the population of that place......demonyms are semantically different from ethnonyms (names of ethnic groups). In the English language, there are many polysemic words that have several meanings (including demonymic and ethnonymic uses), and therefore a particular use of any such word depends on the context. For example, the word Thai may be used as a demonym, designating any inhabitant of Thailand, while the same word may also be used as an ethnonym, designating members of the Thai people...
Often, demonyms are the same as the adjectival form of the place, e.g. Egyptian, Japanese, or Greek. However, they are not necessarily the same, as exemplified by Spanish instead of Spaniard or British instead of Briton...Several linguistic elements are used to create demonyms in the English language. The most common is to add a suffix to the end of the location name, slightly modified in some instances. These may resemble Late Latin, Semitic, Celtic, or Germanic suffixes, such as -(a)n, -ian, -anian, -nian, -in(e), -a(ñ/n)o/a, -e(ñ/n)o/a, -i(ñ/n)o/a, -ite, -(e)r, -(i)sh, -ene, -ensian, -ard, -ese, -nese, -lese, -i(e), -i(ya), -iot, -iote, -k, -asque, -(we)gian, -onian, -vian, -ois(e), or -ais(e).
As a proud MichiGANDER I have to say that there is a small portion of Michigan residents who prefer "Michiganian".
ReplyDeleteIn response to them I can only quote my first boss (shaking her head slowly) "some people's children"
Melville had his own demonyms in Moby Dick.
ReplyDelete"But, besides the Feegeeans, Tongatobooarrs, Erromanggoans, Pannangians, and Brighggians, and, besides the wild specimens of the whaling-craft which unheeded reel about the streets, you will see other sights still more curious, certainly more comical."
I guess you can do that if you're Melville!
Hawaii Resident?
ReplyDeleteDemonyms for some English placenames need even more work: try Cambridge, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester. Some you have to convert back to Latin/Latinish before you can do anything with them.
ReplyDeleteUse the term Hawaii residents — not Hawaiians — for. the overall population of Hawaii. Use the term Hawaiian or Hawaiians only for members. of the ethnic group indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. They also may be called Native Hawaiians or Hawaii's.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.facebook.com/apstylebook/posts/use-the-term-hawaii-residents-not-hawaiians-for-the-overall-population-of-hawaii/801427321579164/%23:~:text%3DUse%2520the%2520term%2520Hawaii%2520residents%2520%25E2%2580%2594%2520not%2520Hawaiians%2520%25E2%2580%2594%2520for,called%2520Native%2520Hawaiians%2520or%2520Hawaii%27s&ved=2ahUKEwjD9OX_6OuCAxXTlYkEHYVsAnEQFnoECBEQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2KZd4KN6PV3Os575Qnz6IE
Why though?
DeleteWASHINGTON D.C. (HawaiiNewsNow) - When referring to citizens of Hawaii in federal paperwork, writers will now have to use the words "Hawaii resident" instead of "Hawaiians."
DeleteThe U.S. Government Publishing Office released the 31st edition of the GPO Style Manual, a guide for writers and editors both within and outside the federal government. This is the first time it's been changed since 2008.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz urged the style board to changing the name to make it clear that not all citizens of the state are of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
The change will be reflected in all federal government publications.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/34255861/citizens-now-called-hawaii-residents-vs-hawaiians-in-federal-paperwork/
Thanks for the elaboration. While I understand the reasoning and sensitivities, solutions like these seem a little contrived to me. Are we to make the same distinction for other US states and countries in the world? If so, how are we going do draw the line who counts as a "native" and who doesn't? How far back in history do we want to go? Should we use "Egyptians" only for people who descended from the ancient pharaohs and call the post seventh-century Arab newcomers "Egypt Residents"? Etc.
DeleteAnd among the "ancient pharaohs", the Ptolemaic dynasty was of Macedonian Greek origin. So there's that...
DeleteGrowing up in New England, I always thought it was Massholes, Mainiacs, and New Hamsters.
ReplyDeleteHere's a sharper version of the image.
ReplyDeleteMuch better. Embedded. Thank you, Drabkikker.
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