ATDTDA (23): "insultin the whole country" (643.8)

[Dave Monroe]

On 11/28/07, Tim Strzechowski <dedalus204 at comcast.net> wrote:

> There are at least three mentions of "northamerica" in this chapter (637.2,
> 641.5, and 643.10), and each one is slightly different.  The first refers to
> Frank's "unfinished business in northamerica" (the location); the second
> quotes Eusebio (a.k.a. Wolfe Tone O'Rooney) as he observes that "[i]n
> Tampico everybody speaks northamerican" (the language); the third, quoted
> above, gives us the south-of-the-border colloquialism for the people of
> North America.
>
> Why is the use of lower case significant in each of these examples?

Now there's one for Mark Kohut, but ... well, again, the difference
that makes a difference, just in reverse as well as redoubled (and
then some) here.  Decapitalizing the proper noun then rendering it as
a compound words as well first deemphasizes the presumed importance of
both "North" (vs. south) and "America" (vs. Europe, Africa, Asia ...
as well as, vs. Canada, Mexico ...) and then demephasizes the
difference (the Panama Canal and/or tectonic plates aside) between
"north" and "south" america, even whilst retaining the (useful, and,
her, important nonetheless) distinction.  Tres deconstructive all
'round, non?  Uh, oui ...