I’ve a moved a few times, each time different. Moving to Poland in 1996 was accomplished with the help of two suitcases and a carry-on bag. Moving back to the States was similar. Moving from one apartment in Boston to another, just north of Boston in Mauldin, lasted one long day with multiple trips in the smallest available U-Haul van because it was all that was available on that day when everyone in the greater Boston area who is moving moves. Moving back to Poland in 2001 was like 1996: two suitcases and something under the seat in front of me. Back to the States in 2005 included several mailings and the usual airline baggage. From Ashville to Greenville was easier since we had a large U-Haul and several helping hands. But in all those adventures, I moved only a few thousand things at most. And that’s counting each article of clothing and miscellany separately.
This week I moved 207,282 objects, plus several databases and a handful of email addresses. Changing hosts is a long involved process. Life goes on as usual, but one’s online presence stops. Visits to traveling museums and Halloween come and go complete with pictures, but they all sit on one’s computer until, at long last, it’s all done and everything is back to normal.
Oh! You can finally solve a language dispute for me! A few years ago, an American friend who is an exceptionally good writer and whom I gave a draft of a speech I was to make at the law school, corrected me in this one way: she said that I spoke of living in the States. She told me no one here refers to America as “the States.” US for short, USA, America, or the United States of America.
I was surprised. I’d talked of being in “the States” all my life! Was I wrong? Google seems to support her claim. I decided that I just intuitively took on the literal Polish translation. People in Poland often talk of “Stany” as a shortcut for Stany Zjednoczone.
So…. you’re an English teacher. Did you do the same — take on the translation — or is it common enough to speak of “the States” after all?? I would feel vindicated! (My friend says that you would do so only in speaking of the collectivity of 50 states.) Weigh in on this one!
I’m afraid I can’t be of much help. I’m not sure myself. I honestly had never really thought about, and I’m not sure when or if I stopped saying “the US” or some variant and began saying “the States.” I’m always so OCD about analyzing what I say that that’s a little surprising.