My Brother and Me 5
Brother: the swedish chef is kind of offensive... if you're swedish.
Avenger: yeah...and?
Brother: just sayin.
Avenger: they won't let the Cookie Monster eat cookies anymore because of child obesity. Don't make them change the Swedish Chef.
Brother: oh totally won't.
Brother: i love his ethnophobic ass!
Avenger:
Brother: :shrug:
Brother: i just had never thought about the implications of the swedish chef before.
Avenger: Yeah... I suppose. But, you know, if he's actually speaking Swedish... then it's not like he's not a Swedish chef.
Brother: um... okay.
Avenger: Well, it's like saying, "Hey! Renoir! Get over here you French painter!" I mean, you're referring to exactly what he is. I don't see how you could take offense.
Brother: well... why do you need to mention his frenchness at all?
Brother: it's called "marking."
Avenger: Because he is French.
Brother: And he's not actually swedish... unless all swedish people are puppets... which they may be...
Avenger: Well, Kermit the Frog isn't actually a frog.
Avenger: Then I shouldn't call Renoir a painter, either. I wouldn't want to "mark" him.
Brother: no... you wouldn't.
Brother: you should just call him, Renoir.
Avenger: And then when I introduce him to people, and their like "What does he do?" I should be like, "He bes Renoir!"
Brother: that's not marking when you ask what they do.
Brother: it is if there's no reason for it.
Brother: if the question of his ethnicity comes up, then it's appropriate.
Avenger: Well, then I'll be like, "He's a French painter." And then later, when people are talking about him, they'll be like, "I met this fascinating bloke, named Renoir." And their friends will be like, "Who?" and they'll be like "Some French painter. He was cool."
Avenger: so, if you don't "mark" him, then nobody will know who the hell you're talking about!
Brother: i don't know about that... but okay.
Brother: I'm just playing devil's advocate here.
Avenger: so am I.
Brother: but why does he have a french painter? what does his ethnicity have to do with his painting?
Brother: unless you look at it in a historical context... but outside of that.
Avenger: exactly. Plus, his style, or his subject matter.
Brother: like... if you were French, would you need to know his ethnicity?
Brother: no... you'd just say Renoir, and they'd know that.
Avenger: well, just because his name is Renoir, now he's automatically French? now who's "marking?"
Brother: I'm saying if you are a French citizen.
Avenger: Well, then you're still assuming that someone is the same nationality as you based on only their name. Which brings up the point that I don't know that French is necessarily an ethnicity...
Brother: it is.
Avenger: ::shrug::
Avenger: I argue nationality. but, whatever.
Brother: well, ethnicity applies to the region as well.
Avenger: True...
Brother: and marking can be done for nationality as well.
Avenger: alright... still... when people get to know where your from and what you do, it helps them understand you a little better.
Brother: well, what you do isn't truly marking... although I suppose it could be, if you call someone a plumber when it's inappropriate... looking down on them for their profession.
Avenger: right... but I don't look down on the Swedish Chef. He has my utmost respect.