[zombie punk]

Originally Posted by Helmling 

You're the one who was complaining about people using it in that context. So I think you've gotten mixed up as to just what point you were trying to make. To be clear, though, you just accepted that "American" is perfectly acceptable as a description of people from the United States in context.

Well, to recap, as it seems you have not been following along, I was refuting the claim made by some people that the term 'American' was never used to mean anything but US citizen. I was further making the point that, while it is common for US citizens to use the term in that way, outside the US it can be ambiguous or cause offense.
'American' is a perfectly acceptable description of people from the US, but it is also a perfectly acceptable description of people from either of the American continents. If you mean a US citizen specifically, and are not talking to a red-neck, you should use more precise language. You could have gleaned this background by reading the thread, btw.

[amazing]

Getting back on topic here, since I used to live in the People's Republic of Boulder, can I be counted as a non-US American?

Just asking, 'cause I frequently feel more continental than US.

[dcmacdaddy]

I don't know about you all, but when I travel overseas and people ask me where I am from--if they can't tell by my accent--then I say the United States. I'm not sure how someone goes around referring to *themselves* as American in a context where a foreign language is being used. Does anyone here actually do that? If you are asked where you are from do you reply with "I am an American" instead of "I am from the United States" or "I am from America"? That's replying to a question about geography with an answer about nationality. Now, if someone asked you "What are you?" in referring to your nationality then yeah, replying with "I am an American" would be logical. But I have not heard that form of the question asked nearly as often as the "where are you from" variant.


Anyway, as I said in the other language thread, I think it would be good if language studies were more prominent in this country. Apart from the mere fact of having more Americans being able to converse with non-native English speakers--which I think is a good thing, both here in this country and when abroad--I think the experience of learning another language would help expose American students to a larger conception of the world--I think too many Americans are ignorant of major issues going on in the rest of the world and that is not a good thing if we want to stay a global power (apart form our military might). If nothing else, learning another language should help you with your overall education progress as the skills required to learn a language can be transferable to almost any other subject matter. So, my vote is for American school students to start language study in elementary school.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy 

Does anyone here actually do that? If you are asked where you are from do you reply with "I am an American" instead of "I am from the United States" or "I am from America"?

I think a better question would be:
"Does anyone here actually do that? If you are asked where you are from do you reply with "I am an American" instead of "I am from Canada" or "I am from Argentina"?

I'd like to see a show of hands.

[zombie punk]

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy 

If you are asked where you are from do you reply with "I am an American" instead of "I am from the United States" or "I am from America"? That's replying to a question about geography with an answer about nationality.

Well, both 'America', and 'US' refer to geography. Of course, saying that you hold US citizenship is not the same as being 'from the US'.

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy 

Now, if someone asked you "What are you?" in referring to your nationality then yeah, replying with "I am an American" would be logical. But I have not heard that form of the question asked nearly as often as the "where are you from" variant.

On the contrary, it would be illogical. Someone is asking for your nationality, and you respond with an answer about geography that includes tens of countries. Suppose, for example, you are in the customs line entering Mexico, and the agent asks you your nationality, you say 'American', and he still doesn't know what citizenship you hold. I mean, he can probably guess, because only one nationality tends to make that mistake, but you get my drift...

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy 

So, my vote is for American school students to start language study in elementary school.

Many do already, not so much in the US, but lots of other Americans school students do.

[OreoCookie]

Can you guys please get back on topic?

[TETENAL]

I tried to be precise, and at least in Germany it is then not too uncommon to call citizens of the USA "US Americans". As Big Mac has shown that's a term that is used at least in South Carolina as well, so that proved that US citizens can be precise in their terminology too¹ and I was not too wrong in using that term. Anyway, what I meant was: "this poll is for those who are not citizens of the USA".

¹ except when they say "liberal", but that would be a different thread to derail.

[zombie punk]

Originally Posted by TETENAL 

Anyway, what I meant was: "this poll is for those who are not citizens of the USA".

But are we talking about Americans who are not citizens of the US, or anyone who is not a citizen of the US? Do we have any data on language proclivities of Canadians? Actually, do we have language data by nationality anywhere?

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by zombie punk 

But are we talking about Americans who are not citizens of the US, or anyone who is not a citizen of the US?

To cut this short: Just don't vote in either poll! There. Problem solved.

Jeez.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by zombie punk 

On the contrary, it would be illogical. Someone is asking for your nationality, and you respond with an answer about geography that includes tens of countries. Suppose, for example, you are in the customs line entering Mexico, and the agent asks you your nationality, you say 'American', and he knows exactly what you mean, because he's asking you your nationality, not some ambiguous bullcrap about half the name of the continent you're from, since you're standing on the same one as him... unless his name is zombie punk and he's TRYING to have a misunderstanding over nothing.

Fixed for you.

[zombie punk]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE 

Fixed for you.

Erm? That made no sense. Are you trying to make a point, or deflect attention?

[DBursey]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE 

I think a better question would be:
"Does anyone here actually do that? If you are asked where you are from do you reply with "I am an American" instead of "I am from Canada" or "I am from Argentina"?

I'd like to see a show of hands.

I can't speak for Mexico or Central or South American countries, but I would suggest that we Canadians pointedly discern ourselves as not being Americans, especially when traveling overseas.

Perhaps we're all North Americans from the vantage point at Colorado Springs, eh?

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by zombie punk 

Erm? That made no sense. Are you trying to make a point, or deflect attention?

The customs example was about the worst possible one you could have come up with, Peeb, and illustrates the silliness of your non-argument, -not that that fact wouldn't of course be lost on you.

A customs official would only be asking you your country of origin. Anyone answering "American" would be from the US, as the question is your nationality, not some vague, half-continental designation that a customs official wouldn't have the slightest use for.

Someone from Canada or Venezuela or where ever would be an absolute moron to answer a custom official's question of nationality with "American" and expect the person to magically know where the hell they are actually from, and not automatically assume the ONLY country with that name. And outside of your imaginary world, NO ONE does this.

In fact, no one has yet to demonstrate any truly useful reason to designate oneself as an American, other than a US citizen: it doesn't pass any clarification of "where are you from" geography/nationality test, (it's not even clear in continental use!) and it sure as hell doesn't pass customs- quite literally!

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Originally Posted by TETENAL 

I tried to be precise, and at least in Germany it is then not too uncommon to call citizens of the USA "US Americans".

That wasn't the problem. The other thread title makes sense. When you add 'Non' to it, it comes off as something different.

[zombie punk]

Originally Posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE 

In fact, no one has yet to demonstrate any truly useful reason to designate oneself as an American,

Very true. The customs illustration just points out the potential for ignorance to cause offense, since many people in the Americas DO talk about themselves as being American if they are from one of the American continents. It's just a fact, Crash, that there are many contexts where people do use the word like that. By the way, the points are still there if you can name the countries the Pan American Highway goes through!

[hwojtek]

German, English, Polish (native), Russian , French. I live in Central Europe, FFS!