Vietnamese achieve Nobel Prize, Is that an illusion?

[ducphu]

I just wanted to add to Sang56's explanation of the term "Yank". It is short for "Yankee" and does mean American. All American children are familiar with the song Yankee Doodle, it was and still is considered a patriotic American song. Only in the Civil War was the term "Yank" used derisively for Northerners, as "Rebs" was used to called Southerners. Then, in the Cold War it surfaced again as a derisive term. Americans were "Yanks" and the other guys were "Commies" or "Reds". Americans are keen enough to recognize that only in time of wars does the term "Yank" have negative connotations. In other times, it is merely an expression of envy. Millions of people every year knock on the Yankee front door begging for student visas to study in Yankee Universities, work visas to be employed by Yankee companies, and business visas to acquire the Yankee dream. Millions of people every year sneak in the Yankee back door or hop over the Yankee fence to chase the Yankee dollar. The Yankee government can't keep up with the backlog of cases of people wanting to be a Yankee citizen. Worldwide, every time a natural disaster in the form of earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, occurs, it's the Yankee dollar and technology to the rescue.

Reading Carolton67’s explanation of the word “Yank”, I see that the the meaning of the word from the Carolton67’s explanation of the word is completely different from the Sang56’s except the origin of the word.
From the Sang56’s explanation, I understand that Yank is a derisive term with negative meaning vs from Carolton67’s explanation it seem to me that Yankee is always a dream for people around the world.
When we want to welcome an american, should we say “Hi Yankee”, is it impolite or elegant?
Pls?

[carolton67]

Ducphu, to answer your question, it is neither elegant nor impolite. First, the way you want to say it "Hi Yankee" is not considered elegant; it is casual and informal and should not be used unless you are on very good terms with the person or have known them for a very long time and are comfortable joking around with them. If you have just met someone for the first time (or even if you have met them several times) and want to welcome them to your house, business, country etc. you would use a more formal way of addressing them. Also, you don't want to use that with an American unless you know what part of the country they are from. As explained earlier, in America, the term "Yankee" refers to Northerners. So, if you were to say, "Hi, Yankee" to someone who was from the South. They would not like that. The same circumstance would apply in VN. If someone were to say, "Chào anh bắc kỳ" and the person was not, they would certainly be indignant.

As for your comment on the difference relating to "Yankee" between Sang56 and mine, I was showing you a different viewpoint. Did you understand the whole point? People may want to use "Yank" as a derisive term but when it boils down to it, they all want what the "Yank" has. How is that for irony?

[sang56]

Ducphu, to answer your question, it is neither elegant nor impolite. First, the way you want to say it "Hi Yankee" is not considered elegant; it is casual and informal and should not be used unless you are on very good terms with the person or have known them for a very long time and are comfortable joking around with them. If you have just met someone for the first time (or even if you have met them several times) and want to welcome them to your house, business, country etc. you would use a more formal way of addressing them. Also, you don't want to use that with an American unless you know what part of the country they are from. As explained earlier, in America, the term "Yankee" refers to Northerners. So, if you were to say, "Hi, Yankee" to someone who was from the South. They would not like that. The same circumstance would apply in VN. If someone were to say, "Chào anh bắc kỳ" and the person was not, they would certainly be indignant.

As for your comment on the difference relating to "Yankee" between Sang56 and mine, I was showing you a different viewpoint. Did you understand the whole point? People may want to use "Yank" as a derisive term but when it boils down to it, they all want what the "Yank" has. How is that for irony?

Ducphu, I think you got your answer. Say "Hi Yankee" to greet an American is not a good thing to do in general.

[ducphu]

Dear Sang56 and Carolton67,
Thank you for both of yours explanations.
The Carolton67's example "Chào anh bắc kỳ" is very impressive, i think it's easiest way to immagine the meanning of the word,
Thanks.

[xgirl]

it is very ironic the way that carol67 said "what yanks have". how arrognant you are. 3/4 of the world hate yanks and the reason why they dislike them so much is that yanks actually think that the world loves them. maybe you should take a visit to the working class people in America to see how bad their conditions are compared to the rest of the western world. for your reference take the time to see what the u.s did to vn and iraq more recently.
also for more facts on america feel free to educate yourself by watching "THE BIG ONE" by MICHEAL MOORE.
america is not the only country in the world to give money in aid and certainly does not give the most. this fact can easily be referenced on google.

[sang56]

it is very ironic the way that carol67 said "what yanks have". how arrognant you are. 3/4 of the world hate yanks and the reason why they dislike them so much is that yanks actually think that the world loves them. maybe you should take a visit to the working class people in America to see how bad their conditions are compared to the rest of the western world. for your reference take the time to see what the u.s did to vn and iraq more recently.
also for more facts on america feel free to educate yourself by watching "THE BIG ONE" by MICHEAL MOORE.
america is not the only country in the world to give money in aid and certainly does not give the most. this fact can easily be referenced on google.

Another prespective from outside the U.S for a more complete view! Except for some minor punctuation, the English here is really good. Did someone else help you write this (no offense intended, just comparing it with your other posts).

Are you really from Botswana and are you a Vietnamese descendent and do you speak Vietnamese? Just curious, since I have never interacted directly with a (Vietnamese?) person living in Africa before.

[xgirl]

The english is very good here, apart from some minor punctuational errors.
Yes i was born and grew up in Viet Nam and now i am living in Botswana.

The Republic of Botswana is situated in Southern Africa, nestled between South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The country is democratically ruled, boasts a growing economy and a stable political environment. Botswana has some of Africa's last great wildernesses including the famous Okavango Swamps and the Kalahari desert.

Botswana is the largest exporter of gemstone diamonds in the world as well as a large beef exporter to the European Economic Community.

I decided to move to Botswana a few years ago to start a business because of their lenient taxation.

English is my second language and if i take the time my gramatical errors are few in number.
Do you feel special now that you have interacted with a Vietnamese person living in Africa?

[sang56]

The english is very good here, apart from some minor punctuational errors.
Yes i was born and grew up in Viet Nam and now i am living in Botswana.

The Republic of Botswana is situated in Southern Africa, nestled between South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The country is democratically ruled, boasts a growing economy and a stable political environment. Botswana has some of Africa's last great wildernesses including the famous Okavango Swamps and the Kalahari desert.

Botswana is the largest exporter of gemstone diamonds in the world as well as a large beef exporter to the European Economic Community.

I decided to move to Botswana a few years ago to start a business because of their lenient taxation.

English is my second language and if i take the time my gramatical errors are few in number.
Do you feel special now that you have interacted with a Vietnamese person living in Africa?

For me, who grew up in the South and left VN many years ago, it’s quite a novelty that there are Vietnamese people who actually emigrate to Africa to live and do business there. Apparently it’s more common for Vietnamese people living in the North to do so for economic reasons, especially before the war was over. I read a novel from VN recently that describes the lives of some in the medical profession (doctors, nurses, etc.) who came to Africa to work for extended periods (years) to earn extra incomes to support their families back home. Actually it was quite competitive in those days to even get those not so “plum” jobs. In one scene, emotionally and mentally exhausted, a middle-aged Vietnamese woman went to the park in her favorite long dress on New Year’s day, stood under a large tree looking over the African desert, and with the hot wind blowing sang a Vietnamese love song while tears were streaming down her face. It was a rather sad novel.

But these were probably bygone days. Now that VN is modernizing and opening up to the world, things should be much brighter, hopefully.

Well, good luck with your business. You could send us news about life from your part of the world now and then.

[livelong]

may' bro lam on chi em cach go~ Tieng' Viet voi , hom truoc bro Phu56 noi co 1 cai option gi do ma em dau co thay cai nao de go~ dau' dau

[xgirl]

I was actually born and grew up in the south. I often dream about going back and living the rest of my life in my homeland. It is a simple dream but at the momment quite impossible. I dont know the book which you talk of above but it does show the same thinking and emotions with myself, however i am not a middle aged woman.
I dont think there is a difference between modern women and those of the past when it comes to emotional and physical seperation from ones homeland. Thank you for your good wishes.