national v nationalist

[Dave Faneuf <tklaundry@juno.com>]

Just for chuckles I climbed way up on my bookshelf in the den last night
and hauled out the  old Funk & Wagnall

National - Adj.  1. belonging to a nation as a whole: opposed to local.
2. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a nation as distinguished from
other nations. 3. Patriotic. 4. Authorized by a national government. -
Noun, one who is a member of a nation.

Nationalism - N.  1. Devotion to the nation as a whole; patriotism. 2. a
system demanding national conduct of all industries. 3. a world order
founded on the right of each nation to determine its politics
uninhindered by others; opposed to internationalism. 4. a demand for
national independence. 5. a national custom, trait etc.  Nationalist -
adj & n  Nationalistic-adj  nationalistically-adv

source:
Funk & Wagnalls New Comprehensive International Dictonary of the English
Language, Encyclopedic Edition, 1977

So based on the above stating that in a news story that someone is a
"Puerto Rican National" is not correct especially when used in connection
with an arrest for a drug deal. (as was the case in the original story
that prompted this thread) If it were an arrest for subversive activities
"Puerto Rican Nationalist" would then be appropriate.

As they used to say on Laugh In "Stick that in your Funk and Wagnall" 
;-))))

df