8th July 2004, 5:32 AM
I knew immediately that he meant people from France. If someone said, "The English are snobs." I'd assume they're talking about people from England, not everyone who speaks English. On the other hand, if they said, "The English-speaking people are snobs." I'd be included in the stereotype. I don't think Mexicans and South Americans would be offended if you referred to the Spanish as cowards, though you are right that the black population would be offended if you said something negative about Africans, even if you were referring specifically to Africans from Africa.