French fighter scores, mainly 1939-1940

[rof120]

Originally Posted by edwest2

Please don't use the word jingoistic in your book should you live to write it.

Hello Ed. At first I wanted to send you a private message (PM) but I changed my mind for I need an explanation because English is not my mother tongue and many TOCH members or visitors (a vast majority it seems) are in the same situation. I know I'll never have a perfect command of English equal to British or American people's.

So: why should I not use the word "jingoistic" in a book or elsewhere? Is it so serious an insult? I don't believe so. I had a close look at several dictionaries including a purely English one (no German or French translations given). There are jingoists in virtually all countries all over the world, especially in France, Germany, England, the USA and (almost?) all other countries. Often they mention "chauvinist" as an equivalent.

You seem to find this word offensive but why? Obviously it's not a compliment, it is clearly negative. Shall I write a book containing only compliments to everybody? Everybody is nice, clever, friendly, perfect. This is hardly possible for in France only I am acutely aware of a dozen "historians", some of them holding very prestigious titles or posts, who simply are phoneys, publish nonsense, copy long extracts from other people's books without telling so, and often libel, even insult, other authors (mainly because the latter are all too serious, can you follow me?).

In a nutshell: why not "jingoistic"?