There are countless candidates for this accolade but only one of them would have the sheer nerve to devote a TV programme to itself, entitled Le Plus Beau Pays du Monde. Yes, you've guessed it! France does in fact have a better claim to this title than most countries but that is no good reason for boasting so shamelessly about it.
A more meaningful exercise would be to ask the inhabitants of different countries what their SECOND choice would be (excluding their own country). If you were to ask the question "which country has the best army in the world", I bet you would get the answer "Israel".
I have just learnt two new abbreviations: BCE and CE. Do you know what they mean (in a(n) historical context)?
A more meaningful exercise would be to ask the inhabitants of different countries what their SECOND choice would be (excluding their own country). If you were to ask the question "which country has the best army in the world", I bet you would get the answer "Israel".
I have just learnt two new abbreviations: BCE and CE. Do you know what they mean (in a(n) historical context)?
Yes. I use them when I teach. (Much of what I teach is BCE.)
ReplyDeleteHere's something related: ask an American, any American, what the letters AD stand for. The answer, more often than not, will be "After Death." I wonder if that holds with English-speaking peoples elsewhere.
Well, Michael I think most British people of my generation would say immediately "Anno Domini", but I would need to sound out the younger sets. I don't know about you in the us, but over here we often use the expression in informal conversation to denote advancing or declining years.
ReplyDeleteI've recently discovered (thanks to the wonderful Mary Beard) that BCE is Before Common Era, so presumably that gives you CE when you scratch out the 'Before'.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it doesn't help in the way BC and AD do. Just exactly how far before is before?
(it all seems very unnecessary to me ................................)
Absolutely right!
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