The things they say when they think we're not listening
So yesterday I was in my Online Information Retrieval lab, and we were discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the database searching tool thing that the university library uses. (I know, try to contain yourselves from drooling on your keyboards over such a steamy topic. . . )
Anyway, we talked about whether or not the search function was powerful enough to allow for things like spelling mistakes, or dyslexia (you know how Google will say, "Did you mean: _____?"). Turns out it isn't powerful enough. It also doesn't account for what my professor seems to believe is the grandaddy of all the plagues of all the searches, even the Americanisation/Americanization of Terms.
He gave the example of personalization/personalisation.
Professor: If you spell it with an s, you won't get any American stuff, which is bad, because they're churning out articles and things all the blessed time.
Professor: On the other hand, if you spell it with a zed, you don't get any European or UK sources, which is horribe, because, well, they're just better.
Class: Ho ho ho
My Canadian friend, mock offended: Hey, you didn't mention Canada!
Prof: Oh, right. Well, um, North American, then. Is that okay?
MCF: Yeah, I was just teasing. Sometimes we don't know what we are in Canada.
Prof: (walks over to her and speaks very earnestly) You know, if there were a way to distinguish between Canadian and American spelling, we would always choose yours.
And that's when the Prof remembered that there was actually a Yank in the room, and that he was saying The Secret and Sacred Things in front of her. He shot me a sideways glance, to which I responded with the Raised Eyebrow of Impending Doom.
Then I raced to tell the Internet what I found out. The Brits would totally pick Canada if it came down to it. We'll remember that.
Oh yes. We will remember.
I'm Steph, a librarian and mom of 3 (not sure how that happened). Let's chat books, food, Sumptuous Literary Adaptations, poop, knitting and maybe some crazy Mormon Feminism.
15 comments:
That's ok.....we don't need the Brits, even though they stepped up with the war in Iraq (as opposed to our other European 'ally' nations).
I hope you gave this guy a serious crusty. Find out where this prof lives......TP his house or something (you know, something a Yank would do).
Let me guess...are you using Dialog?
Well we all know the Canadians chose to stick with the British empire instead of fighting to get out of it like the Americans did. Maybe they like taxation. :)
Sometimes, I too think that I would pick Canada, eh, if it came down to it.
But are we actually surprised? I mean, the Canadians do that whole royalty thing and all. And they have socialized health care that *works*. And stuff.
Of course Canada are still part of the colonial thing, where as you yanks threw the tea in the sea or something.
I think you can do this: personali*
That brings up your brit stuff and your yankee stuff (I think)
Dangit! the secret's out!
Yes, we DID throw the tea into the Boston Harbor. But we also kept the opium in the second hull for ourselves. Better that we keep it than the Brits selling it to China for money they could use against us.
Figures, the way Canada's been kissing the royal British behind for the past 400 years, what with their snobby spellings (favourite, centre, mould, etc) and the blatant depiction of royalty on their money. Pff. Brown nosers.
I didn't think that the british had such good relations with the french or their former colonies. At least america went all rebel and break the bands of oppresion.
.
What I want to know is who would Canada choose?
You should have gone gangsta and replied, "Whateva! Don't hate the playa, hate the game!"
That would have learned them.
My brother was in a high school class in Canada where the teacher asked if there were any Americans in the class. He didn't say anything because he wanted to know what the teacher had to say. So then the teacher went ahead and totally ripped on the American system of government. Incidentally, she was also anti-Mormon, which made our family an interesting and killer combo to be in her class.
April -
That was a funny one - I snorted through my nose....
I really like Canada and England - can't we all just get along?
But, if I had to choose a side, I'd go canadian - they've got that frozen tundra up there - it's like Russia - you can't defeat frozen tundras.
Cicada- to be fair, the American system of government DOES leave a lot to be desired.
Poor Canada, always caught in the tug-of-war between America and Britain.
Also, the way I see it, EVERY form of government leaves a lot to be desired.
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