Hi Tamar,

>>Again, I cannot draw that conclusion. If you say "belligerent Dutchman", you specifying a type of dutchman, not that all Dutchman are belligerent nor that all belligerent are dutchman.


>As I said, to get the implied context, there'd need to be a known stereotype of the Dutch as prone to fighting (which, to my knowledge, there is not). It's the reinforcement of the stereotype that broadens the statement from being about an individual to being about a group.

Well dutch people are called cheesehead from time to time, but though insulting, it is not discrimination.

>>I'm well aware that your viewpoint might be cultural to american language, but the way I learned and practise english and dutch (In dutch those rules are the same) I cannot view it this way.

>I can accept that your understanding of English differs, but as a native speaker of American English, I can also tell you that I'm pretty certain my view is how it works in this country.

Well, It would surprise me enormously if any american judge could convict anyone by making statements like "Blond airhead" or "Black rat", just because the argument classifying this as discrimination just misses the rational rules defining it.

It seems just to be baked in the american language (not the english language per sé) and culture.

Walter,