JazzboCR wrote:
Once again, I gotta tell you the term "Ugly American" has been 180 degrees misconstrued--in the Burdick novel it was the upcountry unassuming AID worker actually doing something to improve peasants' live and thus ridiculed by the striped-pants cookie pushers at the Embassy who's sole contact with workers was tipping the waiter at the Hotel Continental. It has nothing whatsoever to do with arrogant, ignorant tourists, Hawai'ian-shit clad or otherwise. A little learning goes a looong way. Oh an BTW "rhythmic" is spelled my way. yes I'm a butthead--I get that a lot.
Hardly been misconstrued Jazz. The definition has changed over the years as things tend to do. The definition is now a far cry removed from the Lederer-Burdick novel. This is what has become he common understanding of the phrase.
Quote:
The Encarta dictionary defines "Ugly American" as: stereotypical offensive American: a loud, boorish, nationalistic American, especially one traveling abroad, who is regarded as conforming to a stereotype that gives Americans a bad reputation. In contrast, Dictionary.com defines "the Ugly American" as: Pejorative term for Americans traveling or living abroad who remain ignorant of local culture and judge everything by American standards.
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