tyke1doe
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 53,664
- Reaction score
- 32,040
Good explanation. That seems like a good reason that you might not get the reference.
In HeavyBarrel's defense, your background is an exception to the norm for posters here. Also, comparing Lincoln to a Nigerian leader is not really an apples to apples comparison. I'm fairly certain that most of the world knows about Lincoln, just like Americans know about Lennin, Stalin, etc.. Comparing Lincoln to a Nigerian leader is like comparing Roger Staubach to the QB for the local Pee Wee team.
In newnationcb's defense, it's not just an issue of American history but American idioms. If you were to say, "You crack me up" to someone in another culture, even if you explained that was a figure of speech, they'd still struggle with the understanding of the term because in their culture cracking up would be considered something unfathomable with humor.
As for comparing Lincoln to a Nigerian leader being an apples to orange comparison, I would disagree with you in that many people in our own culture don't know who Lincoln is, sadly. So a young person from another country who may not be well-schooled in American history might not know who he is. Or I might ask the question here of posters - do you know who the first leader of the new republic of Nigeria?