August 13, 2004

Revising the Grecian Formula

By CARLIN ROMANO

When academics and cultural critics speak of "the Greeks," they don't mean Melina Mercouri, Costa-Gavras or anyone living in Greece over the last 2,000-plus years. Talk about "the Italians" and you might be referencing the Borgias or Viscontis, the Berlinguers or Berlusconis. The same multicentury ambiguity goes for "the French," "the Germans," and others.

Is there any other European nationality (that's right, forget the Romans) so regularly insulted by English usage, by the notion

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