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Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary defined America as divided by North and South at Darién, or Panama, but still as comprising a single continent. An American was “a native of America; originally applied to the aboriginals, or copper-colored races, found here by the Europeans; but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America.” Two years later, Webster’s dropped the reference to Panama from its definition and simply described America as “one of the great continents,” still implying a unified geographical area. Yet from this point forward, the growing list of entries defining variations of America (Americanism, Americanize, for example) suggests an evolution, from America referring to the entire New World to America referring to one nation in particular. […] Then, in 1847, the dictionary added to its definition of American the clause: “especially to inhabitants of the United States.”

— America, América by Greg Grandin

The descriptor Latina had the advantage of appealing to various constituencies. To use a Bilbaoian idea, América Latina was a “new synthesis,” one that spoke not just to liberals and radicals opposed to Anglo supremacy but conservatives as well. Elites in Spanish America and even Brazil, with their Parisian tastes, were fine calling themselves Latin. Those obsessed with racial and cultural degeneration, now that they no longer had Spain or Portugal to issue chits proving the purity of their bloodline, might hide behind the idea that they were Latin to distinguish themselves from, as an adopter of the term put it, “apaches, comanches or lipanes.” The Argentine jurist Juan Bautista Alberdi understood Latin and Saxon not in opposition but in unity: “Everyone who is not Latin or Saxon, that is, European, is a barbarian.” Many, though, used América Latina to set themselves off from Saxon America, to promote an inclusive, egalitarian republicanism that could encompass the broadest humanity possible.

— America, América by Greg Grandin

Bilbao lamented a lost promise: the birth of the United States had “caused rejoicing on the part of sorrowing humanity … and provided a field of utopia.” But now, the “Yankee has replaced the American; Roman patriotism has displaced philosophy”; and “self-interest has supplanted justice.”

— America, América by Greg Grandin

'Oh, witches never reservups,' said Nanny. 'They just come.'

— Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett, Peter Serafinowicz, Indira Varma (Narrator), and 2 others

'The trouble is that people always think of vampires in terms of their diet,' said the Count, as Nanny hurried away.

— Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett, Peter Serafinowicz, Indira Varma (Narrator), and 2 others

Hun holdt haken litt hevet, på en måte som gjorde at han følte seg underlegen, selv om han raget over henne der de satt på knærne. Enda hun var et, ja, barn, men han hadde aldri snakket med et barn før, ikke etter at han selv sluttet å være et, og han ante ikke hvordan man gjorde det. Det kunne like gjerne vært statsministeren som satt der foran ham, han ville ha følt seg like perpleks og utilpass.

— Lockwoodgrensen by Berit Nordgarden

Leonid hadde fortsatt fasttelefon, den var koblet med ledning til veggen, men nylig hadde den sluttet å virke. Det hadde han fått brev om, at den kom til å slutte å virke, for man skulle ikke bruke slike telefoner lenger, sto det. Han hadde jo sett de nye i butikkvinduene, fulgt utviklingen fra sidelinjen, fra utbrettbare med en liten antenne til disse flate, knappeløse platene, og etter som tiden gikk, ble det stadig vanskeligere å gå inn og spørre, og til slutt var gapet blitt aldeles for stort. En avgrunn hadde oppstått i Leonids liv, uten forbindelser og passende ord som kunne ha fått ham over på den andre siden. Så lenge fasttelefonen virket, var det ikke så farlig, men nå var han tvunget til å skaffe seg en annen type. Flere ganger den siste tiden hadde han gått ens ærend til Elkjøp, for så bare å gå rett forbi inngangen.

— Lockwoodgrensen by Berit Nordgarden

You can’t get hurt by looking at a bitmap. Or can you?

— Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson