they are very open minded and patient

Question

Are the following sentences correct?I really like one thing about Westerns, they are very open minded and patient. They will always listen to you very carefully even if they don't like what you are saying.

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

Jackson6612Are the following sentences correct?

I really like one thing about Westerns. They are very open-minded and patient. They [will] always listen to you very carefully even if they don't like what you are saying.

I don't know why patient is in red? Anyway, you can see my improvements.

CB

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Westerners.

Clive

Cool Breeze · Answer

CliveHi,

Westerners.

Yes, that too, if you like long words:

west·ern, adj.
1. lying toward or situated in the west: our company's western office.
2. directed or proceeding toward the west: a western migration.
3. coming or originating from the west, as a wind.
4. (often cap.) of, pertaining to, living in, or characteristic of the West, esp. the western U.S.: a Western ranch.
5. (usually cap.) Occidental: to adopt Western dress.
6. (usually cap.) of or pertaining to the non-Communist countries of Europe and the Americas: Western trade agreements.
7. (cap.) of or pertaining to the Western Church.
–n.
8. (often cap.) a story, movie, or radio or television play about the U.S. West of the 19th century.
9. See western sandwich.
10. a person or thing from a western region or country.
- Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

CB

CalifJim · Answer

I've never heard anyone use Western in sense 10.

CJ

Nona the brit · Answer

I have - but note that it is an adjective, not a noun. You can't have 'a' western as noun. You could have a Western ideal for example.

Cool Breeze · Answer

Nona The BritI have - but note that it is an adjective, not a noun. You can't have 'a' western as noun. You could have a Western ideal for example.

Hi Nona

I use the word in exactly the same way as you do and was a little surprised to find out that those who compiled the RHUD accept it as a noun as well:

west·ern, adj.
1. lying toward or situated in the west: our company's western office.
2. directed or proceeding toward the west: a western migration.
3. coming or originating from the west, as a wind.
4. (often cap.) of, pertaining to, living in, or characteristic of the West, esp. the western U.S.: a Western ranch.
5. (usually cap.) Occidental: to adopt Western dress.
6. (usually cap.) of or pertaining to the non-Communist countries of Europe and the Americas: Western trade agreements.
7. (cap.) of or pertaining to the Western Church.
–n.
8. (often cap.) a story, movie, or radio or television play about the U.S. West of the 19th century.
9. See western sandwich.
10. a person or thing from a western region or country.
- Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

Of course no one has to agree with the dictionary.

Cheers
CB

Yankee · Answer

I have often warned my students that although dictionaries are extremely useful, they can also be misleading sometimes.
This is a good example of that.

Cool Breeze · Answer

YankeeI have often warned my students that although dictionaries are extremely useful, they can also be misleading sometimes.
This is a good example of that.

This is getting more and more interesting! According to the same dictionary, a southern can mean the same as a southerner, "a native or an inhabitant of the southern U.S.". A Google search for "many southerns" gives about 640 hits, so some people do use the word in that sense.

The dictionary also defines a northern as a person who lives in a northern region or country. A northerner does not mean the same! And a person living in an eastern area, especially of the United States, is an easterner only. There is no such word as an eastern.

English is the promised language of exceptions and illogicalities but to my mind this is a little too much! Anyway, I wouldn't say a dictionary is "misleading" if it says a word has a meaning that many people actually use.

CB

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Let's put it this way. In my opinion, if you come to where I live and start talking about people as 'Westerns', people are going to think your English is pretty odd.

Bets wishes, Clive

WesternAmerican · Answer

Hi, a Western American. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

they are very open minded and patient

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