# Colloquial terms for citizens of (x) nation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 24, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353 "2010-06-24T14:09:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/41 "2010-06-25T17:09:07Z")

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> [@An\_Gadai](#):
>
> IIRC the Germans use Käse-Kopf as a mildly derogatory term for a Dutch person, it means “cheese-head”. Wisconsin folk are called that too right?

Yes, some Wisconsinites call themselves cheeseheads. They even have hats. But I would not expect anyone outside of the USA to know that, I grew up in California and never heard of it until about 15 years ago.

[QUOTE=Cicero]  
English are Poms.  
[/QUOTE]

I thought Pom was an insult. I’ve only heard it used (by a few brit ex-pats) in a tone of earnest dislike.

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**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/42 "2010-06-26T10:39:47Z")

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> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#):
>
> I thought Pom was an insult. I’ve only heard it used (by a few brit ex-pats) in a tone of earnest dislike.

I don’t think so- at least it is used here in the same way as “Kiwi”. Perhaps some of our British members can comment.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/43 "2010-06-26T11:28:23Z")

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> [@Nava](#):
>
> Nah, what with learning English and all we’ve been told we’re not supposed to use it any more, but for many people it just means “anybody from the USA”, no ill-will involved. I’ve heard exchanges like:
> 
> - So, your son-in-law is English?
> - No, American.
> - American? What kind of American? Yanki or from Canada?  
> (The son-in-law in question teaches English in Spain, specializing in Conversation Practice; the questioner looked to be well over retirement age, so I hope people from several Caribbean nations will forgive her for dropping them off the list of “English-speaking countries in America”)

I was taught in Spanish class to use norteamericano for the inclusive version, and estadounidense for a person from the United States.

Also, I find Jock as a term for nationality to be odd. Here it means a male athlete (at some official level) and implies a level of stupidity for valuing brain over brawn.

Obviously Scottish people are not like this, but do the two terms have anything in common?

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