americans gathering together in public to shout “build the wall!” might be the most embarrassing image associated with donald trump’s efforts to make america great again. for trump supporters these gatherings (meetings) present a chance to loudly and unfairly place blame on immigrants, especially mexicans, and show a lack of (missing) intellecutal rigor and human compassion in understanding the issue.
richyrocks english on youtube
the double standard (uneven application of a principle) represented in these highly visible, ignorant american displays inspired the latest video on the richyrocks youtube channel.
here are some observations to aid (help) in your appreciation of the video.
- come let us reason together at the beginning to the video suggests a philosophical conversation.
- at:48, the comment i’ve got the papers to prove it is an example of the have got structure that can replace the verb have. prove means verify.
can we reason together?
in the sentence you’re just gonna have to take my word for it, though at :52, though has the same function as the word but. i.e., i am a legal immigrant, but you’re just gonna have to take my word for it (believe me) because i don’t have my papers with me.
this version of the popular “that’d be great” office space meme includes take my word for it & fill out
- i swear to ya i got the paper work, at 1:03, is a reduction of i’ve got. in some situations in english, the “v” sound is reduced (not pronounced).
paper work is documentation. frequently spanish speakers want to use the word tramit, based on the spanish words tramitar or trámite. DON’T DO IT. it’s great spanglish, but tramit is NOT a word in english.
swear indicates a strong promise, like in the title of the smash hit i swear by boy band all4one. i prefer the version by the minions in despicable me 2. it sounds like they are singing “underwear” instead of “i swear”.
- starting at 1:10, a long hypothetical possibility is presented using the 2nd conditional structure (if +past tense+ would, could or might). the idea is that if i wasn’t a legal immigrant…….
i wouldn’t be out and about.
i’d be be hiding in the shadows.
i sure as heck wouldn’t be making videos on youtube.
out and about means publicly visible. sure as heck is for emphasis, similar to definitely. heck is a softer way to say hell. there is another hypothetical situation used at 2:35.
if u were being a little bit more real about it, maybe u would go out there and chant, “i want my things.”
conan o’brien out and about in mexico city
- shall we say at 1:27 is used to make something negative sound less negative.
- a string of hypothetical situations in the past (3rd conditional—modal auxiliary verb + have + past participle) starts at 1:30.
while it is almost impossible to imagine that there would’ve been some mexican squad, searching, scouring mexico city coming and looking for me. if it would’ve happened, i probably woulda just had to leave. it seems very unlikely that i would’ve looked for solidarity.
all of these examples are with the modal auxiliary verb would. 3 times would have is represented by the contraction would’ve. i probably woulda just had to leave is another example of the “v” sound being reduced, in this case the “v” at the end of have. scour means search meticulously.
- dipshits (3:05) are idiots.
- comfy is short for comfortable. cozy is similar, additionally evoking a feeling of home. and comfy cozy (3:10) describes a feeling of warm comfort and security. it’s used sarcastically in the video.
comfy, cozy in a big fucking chair
- land grab (3:16) means taking land by force or fraud. grab means take forcefully or suddenly with your hand.
- get in line and stand in line are illustrated in the picture in the video at 3:21.
- the dialogue from 3:30 to 3:45 is a style of talk somewhere between cowboys in movies and supporters of building a wall between the u.s. and mexico. near the beginning of this rant (long, emotional sometimes confused speech) u best get off it is a threat to get off the land. best is an alternative to using better as a modal.
filling out forms: the american way.
- the graphic at 3:42 says filling out forms=the american way. it is a sarcastic representation of anti-immigration ideas. an armed cowboy protecting his land is a traditional american icon that connects with the “build the wall” mentality; it’s a proud symbol that many americans identify with . there is much less national pride about the united states’ strong bureaucratic tradition, paper work and filling out forms. fill out means complete.
what do u think about immigration around the world? do americans look hypocritical (contradictory) for taking a strong position against mexican/latin american immigration into the united states? share your opinions under leave a reply
