Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

Gu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 3 Location: Shanghai/China

Dear All,
Please kindly tell me which sentence below is a common expression:
I'm an American; I'm from America.

Many thanks in advance

Gu

bud · Joined: 09 Mar 2003 Posts: 2111 Location: New Jersey, US

Both are used, Gu. When an Americam is in the US, he would more likely say "I'm an American." When out of the country, he would likely use either one, or "I'm from the US." The third example is probably more liklely than the second, as that one differentiates the country.

oinrocinu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 76 Location: Barcelona, Spain

Don't you think that this is a bit high-handed attitude? Well, Mexicans, Argentinians or Canadians ore Americans too... Well, it's just an opinion and I've never known the reason of this expresion for people who live in USA...

L.

Gu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 3 Location: Shanghai/China

Dear Bud,
Many thanks for your help!

Best wishes
Gu

Gu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 3 Location: Shanghai/China

Dear oinrocinu,
Many thanks for your help!

Best Wishes!
Gu

bud · Joined: 09 Mar 2003 Posts: 2111 Location: New Jersey, US

I don't think of it as a question of arrogance, Oinrocinu. The issue is how English works, rather than US citizens believing they are so important that other people in the Americas don't matter.

Our country's name is The United States of America. It doesn't work to say that I am a United Statesian, or a Statesian, or a Unitedian. American, however, does work. It's an unfortunate consequence of the choice our forefathers made to name our country.

Best Regards,
Bud

oinrocinu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 76 Location: Barcelona, Spain

So, the "arrongace" can be in those "forefathers"... Well, I didn't want to say "arrogance", but I'm Spanish and I've met Southamerican people that think like me. In Spanish, the word is "estadounidense" (but, sometimes, we can use "americanos"... in the bad sense of the word). Probably, if German people start to call themselves "European", there would be some "problems" in the rest of Europe. But, well... Germany isn't as strong as USA.

OK, this was just a question that has been in my mind since I was a child...

Best regards.

Lola

nemeh · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 25

I prefer the term US-Americans

bud · Joined: 09 Mar 2003 Posts: 2111 Location: New Jersey, US

I like your suggestion, Nemeh. The problem is how do you get an entire nation to adopt it?

Lola, it seems to me to be taking a usage more than 2 centuries old and then applying modern politics to make a conclusion. When we first called ourselves Americans, we were far from being a strong country. Also, your Germany argument is not a good analogy. If instead they were named The United States of Europe, then I would see no other possibility than to call their citizens Europeans. Except maybe US-Europeans.

And what about the Union of South Africa (another USA)? We call their citizens South Africans. Is that a high-handed attitude because it "ignores" the citizens of Soweto, Angola, and other south African nations? While I can sympathize with those who feel insulted, I know that no insult is intended.

Best,
Bud

oinrocinu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 76 Location: Barcelona, Spain

I know that that no insult is intended! I didn't want to say it! It's likely just a "proportion question", because there are 5 or 6 USAs in America (and there isn't 5 or 6 European Unions in Europe (well, it depends on Russia)). Ok, it was just a question, but I don't reckon that it was a stupid question... Smile

See you!

Lola
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