If I’m talking to a fellow American, I say I’m from New Jersey. If I’m talking to a non-American, I say I’m Canadian. (Kidding, mostly.)
I identify with my city a lot and you can’t get away from country. Im proud of my state currently and city but not so much my country.
I’m from a small town, so depends who I’m talking to?
I don’t identify as a US American.
I identify as an American.
Tap for spoiler
I realize that foreigners, in languages other than English, use terms that directly translate to US American. However our preferred nomenclature is American.
When interacting with someone from another country, I identify as an American.
When interacting with a fellow American, I identify as a resident of my state, where I have lived nearly my entire life, excepting times spent out of state & out of country while I was in the military.
When interacting with a fellow resident of my state, I identify as a resident of the major city in whose suburbs I reside.
When interacting with a fellow resident of the metro area, I identify with either the general region of the metro area or the specific municipality in which I actually reside.
I realize that foreigners, in languages other than English, use terms that directly translate to US American. However our preferred nomenclature is American.
I usually use US American as Canadians and Mexicans are also Americans, and that can go all the way to Central and South America depending on how you divide continents
You won’t find many people who would seriously complain about that phrasing, but it would come off as awkward and stilted to most people from the US.
And if you extrapolate this and start saying Mexico Americans and Canada Americans for people in those countries, you’re just going to confuse people
You won’t find many people who would seriously complain about that phrasing, but it would come off as awkward and stilted to most people from the US.
Awkward, stilted, and a little holier-than-thou.
And if you extrapolate this and start saying Mexico Americans and Canada Americans for people in those countries, you’re just going to confuse people
Mexico American - doesn’t make sense
Mexican American - American whose origins lie primarily in Mexico
Canada American - doesn’t make sense
Canadian American - American whose origins lie primarily in Canada
Frankly, I think most Canadians would probably feel insulted if you addressed them as Canada Americans. They don’t want to be tainted by association with us.
Mexicans and Canadians have those demonyms, so no need to worry for them.
Frankly, I think most Canadians would probably feel insulted if you addressed them as Canada Americans. They don’t want to be tainted by association with us.
I’ve seen Canadians being okay with being called “North Americans”, when discussing something impacting both Canada and the USA, so it seems in this situations it’s fine by team. Canada Americans would indeed be strange.
North American yes, but it would be unusual for a Canadian to call themselves just American. Same for Mexico, though obviously Spanish has its own demonyms that don’t have this problem.
For a European equivalent, should we say “UK British” when referring to people living in the UK? The UK is the only country to commonly use British to refer to its citizens, but they are not the only country on the British Isles.
Of the three, state.
I identify as someone from my city first
Generally the closest that’s relevant to who’s asking. e.g. if the one asking is from the same state, I will say the town. If it’s someone from another state, I’ll say the state, and from another country, I’ll just say the US.
As for identify, I know this sounds pretentious, but generally “human” or “citizen of Earth”. I have no control over where I was born, and I’m more concerned with where I’m going in life than where I arbitrarily started. I’ve also never felt that I need to be proud of a place just because that’s where I’m from.
Interesting. Have you ever traveled to a place where people don’t speak English? Not being able to understand what’s happening around you definitely makes you realize you belong somewhere
Have never left the US (mostly due to being poor lol).
That said, I work with a surprisingly diverse group at work (especially given the state I live in), speak somewhere between “vacation” and barely fluent Spanish, and have spent time immersed in other cultures (though still in the US).
As far as language goes, I can generally pick up on that pretty quickly as long as it’s Latin-based. It may be very (sometimes very, very) broken when I speak it back, but I can typically at least get my point across and/or follow along and understand the gist of it. I also like the challenge.
I guess my sense of belonging is a pretty flexible is what I’m trying to get at.
I see. If one way you are able to go to a non-English speaking country, let us know how it goes!
Maybe one day when I learn how to take a proper vacation, I’ll let you know lol.
I live in Chicago, which is a major city. So I’d say Chicago, believe it or not, I guarantee more people are familiar with the city than Illinois.
But if I lived somewhere else in Illinois, I’d say the state.
I feel no connection to anywhere, not country, not state, not city, not my ancestors, not the human race, nothing. I don’t hate that stuff, it’s just like those are places and people like any other, not special or “mine” any more than some other group or place.
Maybe it’s because I’ve lived all over the country. Maybe it’s because I’m not particularly fond of my birth place. I’m thoroughly American as far as enculturation, language, temperament, etc as I’ve never lived anywhere else, so it’s not like I’m a “stranger in a strange land” or something intriguing. It’s just blank. Null. That organ other people seem to have making them feel “at home” just never developed when I was in the womb., nor do I feel any need to have it.
If I had to guess who “my people” were I think I’m more akin to something like a hermit. Lockdown showed me that a lot of people are genuinely different from me in terms of the needs they have. Even now that I’ve finally managed to acquire somewhat of a “hermitage” for myself I feel like its temporary steward rather than a place I “belong”. When I describe this to people they consider it sad, but I am quite happy.
I did, after false starts, manage to find a partner that feels the same way, so I’m not “alone” or lonely. Her family was actively abusive and cutting ties was an excruciating process that left scars. Nothing like that ever happened to me. I still speak to my family, just not frequently. Again, not totally sure why. Perhaps whatever I have is genetic.
Interesting. Have you ever traveled to a place where people don’t speak English? Not being able to understand what’s happening around you definitely makes you realize you belong somewhere
Yes I have. I actually like being in foreign places, I hate traveling itself though so I have only done it a few times. Actually not speaking the language is kind of peaceful.
To other Americans, I identify as a New Englander or a Masshole. :)
To the outside world, I’ll probably say I’m from Boston first (I’m not, but it’s the closest big city the outside world might recognize) before saying I’m American.
I identify as a displaced Western European barbarian, but I identify my location as USAmerican.
Depends on who’s asking generally. If it’s someone from my state I say the town, if they’re from the US I say the state and if they’re from outside the US I just say American. But it really just depends on how specific the conversation is at the time
None of them.
I’ve moved between states a lot, so I say American.
Portlander -> Oregonian -> American
By the way, could we consider promoting this community to [email protected] ?
Absolutely!
Great, I’m going to crosspost now!
Thanks for your comment!
