Google’s e-book deal could slow rise of Amazon Kindle in Europe

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

I think almost all Britons, if someone used Europe is a sentence, would assume it meant continental Europe.

The article, though, appears to be American. Would the average American not regard the UK as a part of Europe?

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

I think almost all Britons, if someone used Europe is a sentence, would assume it meant continental Europe.

Emphasis mine.
A bit harsh, we havn't done that since Australia 1868

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The article, though, appears to be American. Would the average American not regard the UK as a part of Europe?

I'm biting my tongue over the various rude replies that spring to mind about the geographical knowledge of the average American

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

I'm biting my tongue over the various rude replies that spring to mind about the geographical knowledge of the average American

I won't.

Average American : What's a UK?

And there's really a million more along that line....

[TheJohnNewton]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The article, though, appears to be American. Would the average American not regard the UK as a part of Europe?

My opinion as an average American (BTW, do you mean North, Central, or South American? :P ) is the UK (I agree with the above that the average American, from the United States at least, would only have a vague idea what UK means other than it has something to do with England) is in Europe.

I'd also say the average American from the United States would define "minuscule sales" as sales that are much less than those in the United States.

[morantis]

Does anyone actually believe that it matters what is agreed to or not as to what Google is going to do?

[ProfCrash]

Dude, 50% of American's cannot located to US on a the globe. I had a set of students, five in the group, turn in a paper on the UK and list Germany as a country that borders the UK. These were college students. Five of them in one group turning in one paper. They actually argued with me when I deducted points for their answer. I had to pull down a map and point out Germany and the UK, the countries in between Germany and the UK, nevermind the large expanse of water.

They took their complaint to the department chair. I have never seen a grown man laugh so hard in my life.

But, I think most Americans would say that the UK is located in Europe and some of us would chuckle and mention that who in the EU but not using the Euro, continental Europe vs Europe thing.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Dude, 50% of American's cannot located to US on a the globe. I had a set of students, five in the group, turn in a paper on the UK and list Germany as a country that borders the UK. These were college students. Five of them in one group turning in one paper. They actually argued with me when I deducted points for their answer. I had to pull down a map and point out Germany and the UK, the countries in between Germany and the UK, nevermind the large expanse of water.

They took their complaint to the department chair. I have never seen a grown man laugh so hard in my life.

[K. Molen]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Would the average American not regard the UK as a part of Europe?

I can't speak for the average American, but in Canada it's also very common to separate the two. Intellectually we all know that the UK is part of Europe, both geographically and politically, but it's not at all uncommon to say something along the lines of:

"This summer I'm going to the UK and Europe."

Or, "It must be strange for a Brit to go to Europe, where they all drive on the right hand side of the road."

Or, "In the UK and Europe they have such great architecture."

Etc.

[ScalyFreak]

Europe is not the same as continental Europe, just like America (the country also known as USA) is different from North America or the Americas. So the UK is a part of Europe when you use the word the way the European Union does, but geographically it's a set of islands just north of the northwest corner of continental Europe.

If eBook sales are low in non-English speaking countries, is that more likely to be due to geo restrictions or due to a lack of content in the local language? I'm curious.

[stonetools]

TBH, I really don't see where this gives Google much of an advantage to Amazon on the rest of Europe. Amazon is just going to shrug its shoulders and move on with its plans for Europe. At most, it might help Google a little in France, but only a little.

[Prestidigitweeze]

You don't find it a tad Kafkaesque that people are insisting that "Britons" can't grasp the UK is part of Europe even as a certain British person whose name begins with H. has consistently objected that he does?

"My short survey of friends' opinions trumps your petty citizenship!"

Next thing you know, we'll be telling him he isn't really British in the American sense of the word.

Oh, right, I ought to return to the actual subject -- something about Google, the French and Europe.

[JSWolf]

I consider European to be that that use the Euro where they live.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Now there's a kettle of indigestion waiting to be stirred.

(Hasty edit: By which I mean the topic raised by the last poster, not the actual poster himself!)

[Billi]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I consider European to be that that use the Euro where they live.

Then you're ignoring about half of Europe.