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Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

1) lives outside of their country, regardless of their origin or destination

2) only does the local things, has local friends, goes to local places etc etc

3) other

It seems there can be a bit of self importance with people these days. 1 teacher that I'm aware of from the UK who lived in Moscow (and has since returned amid the crisis) thoroughly believes they were NOT an expat because their friends were locals and never went anywhere other Westerners did. But, the very definition of expat is this:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

The guy's delusional. What else was he? A visitor? Certainly not a citizen and can't be called a local!
The misconception probably comes from the common phrase 'expat hang-out.' Where you typically meet a lot of them. But avoiding these doesn't mean you are not an expat yourself.

Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

esl_prof · Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:51 pm Post subject:

I'd agree with your originally quoted definition, which means your friend is wrong. Though, I think s/he does point out the need for a term to distinguish expats who simply live abroad in an expat bubble (ghetto?) as opposed to assimilating with the local populace.

On a related note, is there a difference between immigrants and expats? While living abroad in the Caribbean, I was clearly an expat. But having no intention to stay there permanently (even though I stayed nine years in my last country of residence), was I an immigrant? Or simply a temporary worker? All immigrants are expats, but are all expats immigrants?

Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:01 pm Post subject:

What do we think of the term 'émigré'?

esl_prof · Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:38 pm Post subject:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

markcmc · Joined: 18 Jan 2010 Posts: 262 Location: Taiwan

I understand that this is the dictionary definition, but I think the meaning of the word is changing. Expat has the connotation of someone living abroad temporarily. Immigrant often means they've moved permanently. And a traveller is a romantic idea that people like to hold.

Language changes, and is not always used in the same way by all people. I think that's the case here.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

How come we do not have Bangladeshi Expats in Tower Hamlets, Pakistani Expats in Bradford or Latino Expats in NYC ?

I will let our dear readers work that one out.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I think the people that Gamajorba describes are pretentious and that there is too much over-PC parsing going on here.

If you're an immigrant, you have legal status in 'your' new country, probably leading to citizenship. If you don't have this, you're an expat of one kind or another; I don't think that assimilating equates to one's being labeled something grander than 'expat.'

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I never heard British or Americans in KSA describe themselves as "immigrants" ! Even the ones that were there legally.

Hint - it may have something to do with ethnicity and skin colour !

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Scot, are you suggesting that WASPs don't immigrate? I am, and have (by the official definition) Wink

True that I'm not a visible minority in my new country, though.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

WASPs emigrate - but they prefer to be called "expats"

PS check out "emigrate" v. "migrate"