Sounds fair to me. Of course it wouldn't bother most of the guys from Oz that I know.

Now say they can't hold their beer or have bad taste in beer and you might get them mad.

I am finding this lexical analysis fascinating because words have power. In North America, there's this big abortion debate between "Pro-Life" and "Pro-Choice." Both sides have wisely been able to manage what their opponents call them. Contrast this with feminism, where someone who works hard for the rights of women is called a "feminist," which is still a reasonably positive term, whereas someone who works hard for the rights of men is called a "sexist," definitely a negative term. There is no equivalent positive term for men. Women have seized the lexical high ground because men have done nothing to manage what they are called in a world that has been taught to take political correctness too seriously.

Now, having said this, I find the term "Seppo" quite interesting and colorful because for me it is still devoid of meaning (I'd never heard it before). The best thang Yanks can do (and I'm a dual citizen, Canadian and US) is to embrace the term in a positive way. Is it a common term with a derogatory meaning in Australia?

- L.

The difference is, is that we can have a little dig at eachother and laugh it off. Culturally it's perfectly acceptable here to "call people names", give eachother a little dig in the ribs, that type of thing. You only get derrided it you can't 'take it' or 'take it in the manner in which it was intended' or if you have a little cry about it and go running to mummy for respite.

There's a kudos here for being able to give it as well as you can take it, but if you get all upity and can't take it, then you get laughed at. I'm sure there's a technical Sociological term for it - it's like a rite of passage into a social group I guess.

lhbernhardt, Seppo is not common or derogatory, no. I first heard it from friends who live in Perth, and if you used the term here in Melbourne, not many people would know what you're talking about. In fact, "Yank" is kind of dated so you won't find that used that often either. Mostly 'Americans' are just plain old 'Americans' here at the moment, but in virtua, 'Seppo' seems to be the common slang term for some reason.

Merlinextraligh, as I say to my American friends who call me convict, that's no worries tax evading religious zealot! You can call us whatever you like!

Friendly insults are definitely an Australian and New Zealand thing. Politicians have even been known to hand it out, with Sir Robert Muldoon (past NZ Prime Minister) once referring to the rampant emigration of young New Zealanders to Australia as having increased the IQ of both countries

They call us kiwis sheep shaggers and we call them dingo scrapers. No offense meant and none taken

Ya got thet right aye bro!

Now I've seen everything! Ok...to all you seppo's out there....calling you guys 'Seppo's' is not a derogatory term...it's ryhming slang for American, as in 'Yank rhymes with Septic Tank' Typical Oztralian verbal laziness has over the years became 'Seppo'.....It has no derogatory connotations at all...if ya don't believe me, drop 'expatriate' a PM....he's a seppo who has actually lived here (& a 'mod' around here) & will be able to confirm this...you are what you are...next we'll have Pom's on here whinging as well! (derives from 'Prisoner Of Her Majesty')...get over yourself

what difference would it make if the poms whined in here? they do it every bloody where else!

I for one will never call a merkin a seppo again. I've learnded my lessons today.

It appears the no one else read it that way, so maybe clearer communication would be more effective.

If you had said this, instead of all the stuff you thought was humorous, you might have gotten different responses.

Last, mocking a former world champion, who won in the time trial discipline lead to whatever you said having little credibility.

Hey Hitchy, I thought POM came from "Prisoner of Mother England"..?

FWIW, I've called a few Aussies POMs at Barbies..usually the a$$holes who try to call me a pom when I'm really a sweaty sock!

PS: Seppos - pull your heads in until you win a stage

OK enuf of the putting right and stuff.

Our sensitive american friends might always want to err on the side of PC, and there's nothing wrong with that (except that PC is a crock of ****). I reckon more Americans get offended by the fact that septic tank rhymes with yank, which tars everyone with the same brush: the state of New York! USAites are very patriotic to their home state, and there are 49 others (50 if you include Oz).

So Ozzies: cool it. Seppos: cool it. And get on with life. Sometimes you'd think we was married or summint. sheesh (apologies to Chachi)

PC alert on pshaw!!!!

A Barbie is a doll, and the word is Trademarked. You can't use it here or the toy police will come and smite you down!

A barbie on the other hand is a barbeque.

Bloody haggis lickers, i dunno...

[QUOTE=jockBloody haggis lickers, i dunno...[/QUOTE]
All that from a man named Jock..?

Priceless!!!

Heeheheheheeeeeeeee.....yup. I'm Oirish.

I remember that. Bob was good value as HOS for the Land of the Wrong White Crowd.

....Dunno about IQ...but it certainly increased our welfare bill!

What's a stage? Isn't that the place to stop and sleep before we move on with things...

Being on the top step in Paris is what matters...nobody remembers who wins a stage in the first week.

10 of the last 20 Tours between Lemond and Armstrong.

See ya in Paris...

Go Phloyd!!!

OK...I'll bite, the tour doesn't come on the box for another half hour & I'm bored.....10 of the last 20?....so...that would make the previous 80 with no seppo winners at all ....P!ss poor for a country of 300 million!....or perhaps you guys just hadn't noticed France...or EPO?....do they have oil? , didn't think so, that might explain you overlooking it for so long.......

<= smacks hitchy across the back of the head with a 4x2

you really shouldn't post after your 20th beer.

BTW that Internet thingy has live action at https://www.letour.com/2006/TDF/LIVE/us/900/index.html

21st actually!...& that tour 'thingy' would mean readin'...I'm Oztralian..too lazy for that...I'll just hang around here & bait seppo's until it comes on the box

I thought for English Australians were all "Sheilas"...true?

If you say its not intended to be derogatory, I'll accept that. Like I said, I'm really not that concerned about being PC, just questioning the consistency. No worries

oy oy oy (australio-yiddish for Oi).

is this turning into "the Aussie thread Lite"?
are we resurrecting the seppo bashing vs aussie bashing of
yore?

marty

seriously we could do a lot worse
its july n'all