Argentines or Argentinians?

[Diskosis]

Thanks, Mini and Dolly. As several people have already commented, all three versions are acceptable. Speaking purely about preference, to me Argentine does sound more elegant when describing a person, 'an Argentine', or as a more sweeping adjective, e.g. 'the Argentine condition', however when describing everyday things I find it can sound a little pretentious or old-fashioned. e.g. 'My Argentine apartment', 'an Argentine friend of mine', or 'that Argentine beer we had last night'. But that's just me.

 

[JoeBlow]

‘Argentinian’ is one of those words that has been used so often that the publishers of dictionaries feel obliged to include it as a word. It’s an example of usage trumping correctness.

The correct word has always been Argentine.

Well, you may not know that speakers have always been the ones to determine which words go into the dictionary. Historically, dictionary makers have been the observers of language whose job it was to include words in their dictionaries, after the words were used long enough in a certain way.Nowadays, the same thing happens, but the time it takes a word to go from your mouth to the dictionary is considerably less (thanks to computers and to the fact that our societies are less conservative than they were 100 years ago).Dictionaries are really a lot like the Bible, people think what is written in them is etched in stone, and that they were etched in stone by god.

 

[mini]

Well, you may not know that speakers have always been the ones to determine which words go into the dictionary. Historically, dictionary makers have been the observers of language whose job it was to include words in their dictionaries, after the words were used long enough in a certain way.Nowadays, the same thing happens, but the time it takes a word to go from your mouth to the dictionary is considerably less (thanks to computers and to the fact that our societies are less conservative than they were 100 years ago).Dictionaries are really a lot like the Bible, people think what is written in them is etched in stone, and that they were etched in stone by god.

Not really. Dictionaries change every year (or at least every edition cycle). Bibles do not.

 

[JoeBlow]

Not really. Dictionaries change every year (or at least every edition cycle). Bibles do not.

That's a good point, too! I just meant that both are written by man and have the author's biases inherent in them. Then, other people take them to be unalterable truths (until enough time passes and they become alterable).

 

[sketchyblueeyes]

All are correct - i won money in a bet on this once back in the states. Argentinian is too much of a mouthful for me, so I go with Argentine. And somewhere in Evita the Musical, someone talks about being covered in Argentine glory, and as Evita is my prime source for learning about Argentina.....

 

[Moonwitch]

I user Argentine more frequently as it is easier to say.

If you were to call Argentina 'The Argentine' would that not indiciate that it was a territory or a colony? Or I have I been lied to by a school teacher?

 

[nlaruccia]

Both Argentine and Argentinean are adjectives. Sometimes Argentinean is spelled Argentinian. I believe that all three forms are correct.

 

[Lucas]

All are correct - i won money in a bet on this once back in the states. Argentinian is too much of a mouthful for me, so I go with Argentine. And somewhere in Evita the Musical, someone talks about being covered in Argentine glory, and as Evita is my prime source for learning about Argentina.....

Good on you sketchyblueeyes, Argentinian certainly is too much of a mouthful not only for you but for everyone, Argentine on the other hand is and sounds just right.

Now about relying on 'Evita the Musical' as prime source for learning about Argentina, this is probably the 'worst source' to get reliable information about Evita and the intricate Argentine history.

WHY? To find out more, please read here the last post on this thread by Fabian and you will see why.

Another sample, movie title, (2008) "Che: The Argentine" (not the Argentinian)

 

[HotYogaTeacher]

I like the comparison of dictionary and bible. No, bibles don't, per se, change EVERY year, but they do change, and incredibly so, based on the political, economic and social constructs they are trying to effect.

Every religious scholar knows that the greatest changes took place when the bible was initially translated into English. Since then many bibles have been written and some have been constructed to be "easier to understand" another form of translation, change. The bible you read is not even comparable to the stories originally written 1000s of years ago, don't doubt it for a moment....