The first part of your statement is a pretty bold claim, especially when the nation is not a collection of tribes.
No, the defining characteristic of a nation is a group of people united by a shared identity grounded in any or all of descent, culture, history, or language.
> and anyone with a high school or better understanding of English etymology should know that.
Anyone with a high school or better knowledge of language should know that etymology may suggest meaning, but is not a reliable guide to it.
Wrong.
> Anyone with a high school or better knowledge of language should know that etymology may suggest meaning, but is not a reliable guide to it.
Right.
But then you lost me with language and culture being heritable (as opposed to strongly influenced by the people you grow up around, who of course are usually related to you).
Your comments seem to be objecting to the term "Nation" (which comes across as a pedantic nit-pick), as well as a nativist argument around heritable traits (which sounds vaguely racist, but dressed up in fancy language).