On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 01:59:06 +0100, Padraig Breathnach
wrote:

"Tchiowa" wrote:

It's interesting that if you look at the dictionary definition of
"nation" it uses the term "country" to define it. And it you look at
the term "country" it uses "nation" to define it.

What dictionary is that? It's not on my shelves.

I see at www.dictionary.com that what he says is *one* of the
proffered definitions, and, of course, it is common parlance to
use the words somwhat interchangeably. There are not precise
definitions for "country" and "nation", anyway.

"Nation" derives from a root meaning birth, and can be used to
describe all kinds of combinations so long as the people share
some birth characteristic. I live just a few miles from the
Tohono O'odham Nation and not that far from the Navajo Nation,
but I have never heard either called a "country". But in the late
18th century when Thomas Jefferson pined to return to "my
country", he meant the colony cum state of Virginia, not America.

Not being a Brit I can't know for sure whether Scotland or Wales
is ever considered a "nation" as would be appropriate for their
ethnic makeups, but I do see them called countries.

In Canada, the Province of Quebec considers itself a "nation" and
the provincial legislature is l'Assemblée nationale


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *