This only applies to English. Other languages are different
"What are you talking about?" you might be thinking, "Countries and nations are synonymous" well yes, yes they are, depending on context, and in modern usage, the more or less are, and languages constantly evolving, meaning that it's becoming the case more and more. However, in the strictest sense of the definitions, the two words are different. They are very similar concepts, and in some places, they can be interchangeable, whilst in others they can't.
A nation is a group of people who share similar cultures and values. Nation refers to the people. A country, on the other hand, refers to the geographical location. Countries are marked by borders and territories. Usually, they are refer to the same thing, for example, the Japanese nation is the same as the Japanese country, however, this is not always the case. For example, the Greek ethnic group is spread across two countries; Greece and Cyprus. By the strictest sense of the term, however, they don't qualify as separate nations. Conversely, there could be nations, such as the Kurds, which do not have their own countries. Alternately, there exists countries, such as the USA, which contain hundreds of indigenous nations. Ironically, however, the adjective of country is "national" refering to "nation" as oppose to "country".
"What are you talking about?" you might be thinking, "Countries and nations are synonymous" well yes, yes they are, depending on context, and in modern usage, the more or less are, and languages constantly evolving, meaning that it's becoming the case more and more. However, in the strictest sense of the definitions, the two words are different. They are very similar concepts, and in some places, they can be interchangeable, whilst in others they can't.
A nation is a group of people who share similar cultures and values. Nation refers to the people. A country, on the other hand, refers to the geographical location. Countries are marked by borders and territories. Usually, they are refer to the same thing, for example, the Japanese nation is the same as the Japanese country, however, this is not always the case. For example, the Greek ethnic group is spread across two countries; Greece and Cyprus. By the strictest sense of the term, however, they don't qualify as separate nations. Conversely, there could be nations, such as the Kurds, which do not have their own countries. Alternately, there exists countries, such as the USA, which contain hundreds of indigenous nations. Ironically, however, the adjective of country is "national" refering to "nation" as oppose to "country".
Interesting. I like.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Please stick around. More interesting posts coming soon!
DeleteOh I will all right.
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