# How do you call someone born in the USA? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2002, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087 "2002-05-09T14:56:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/21 "2002-05-10T01:22:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DonJorge \* > \*\*… as it refers to the whole continent of America. \*\* Ummm, no such thing. We have North America and South America. Those are the continents. And if you want to refer to them as a group why not use “Westerners” since they are the only ones that exist in the Western Hemisphere (except for some small island groups)? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kilt-wearin’ man \* > \*\*Sorry, but we’ve got over 200 years worth of precedent \*\* You’re even more right. The English were calling us Americans even back in the 17th century. So that’s more the 300 maybe even more then 350 years. Possession is 9/10 ths of the law. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/22 "2002-05-10T02:51:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balor \* > \*\*I agree with Kilt-wearin’ man. The reality is that the people of the USA have managed to pre-empt the name American by common usage. This is grossly unjust to Canadians and other nice people, but that’s life. \*\* The term “American” to describe people from what is now the United States actually **predates the United States.** People from the 13 colonies were being called “Americans” before John Adams was born - and it was a common term used in ENGLAND, not just the New World. And actually, guys, the Spanish term “estadounidense” isn’t more correct. After all, you could be referring to citizens of Mexico - or as it is properly called, the United Mexican States. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/23 "2002-05-10T03:42:10Z")
> [@](#): > > And if you want to refer to them as a group why not use “Westerners” since they are the only ones that exist in the Western Hemisphere (except for some small island groups)? So when my ancestors left Ireland, they were actually already in America? And all those Hispanic and Portugese Americans, their ancestors just stayed on the same continent? Or how about the folks from the Ivory Coast of Africa… They’re just imagining that ocean? ---
**Author:** ![Zapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a88e4f/32.png) [@Zapper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zapper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/24 "2002-05-10T04:51:38Z")
How about “God bless America”? ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/25 "2002-05-10T05:28:53Z")
**Chronos** , I’m not sure I see how your response follows that quote. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/26 "2002-05-10T11:02:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brad\_d \* > \*\*Isn’t this whole not-really-a-problem becoming an issue with the European Union? How does one describe an EU resident? “European?” Not all of the continent of Europe is a part of the EU, so this would seem to be a similar situation. > \*\* Not at all. the EU is not a country. It’s a cooperation between 15 sovreign states and there simply is no need for a word for “a citizen of one of the countries forming the European Union”. European can never mean anything else than “someone from the European continent”. ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/27 "2002-05-10T14:23:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Osiris \* > \*\ ***Chronos** , I’m not sure I see how your response follows that quote. \*\* Speaking for **Chronos** , Ireland is west of the Prime Meridian, ergo, in the Western Hemisphere. Not having a world map nearby, I’m assuming that parts of Portugal and the Ivory Coast also fall west of the Prime Meridian. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/28 "2002-05-10T15:01:42Z")
Ahh. Well I wasn’t going by such a strict definition as that. But rather how they do it on most maps. They tend to cut right down through the Atlantic or the Pacific. One of those rabble’s working definitions if you will. But if that doesn’t appease to you we can use New Worldians. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/29 "2002-05-10T23:02:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Floater \* > \*\*Not at all. the EU is not a country. \*\* I’ll agree with you there, but I’m not so sure about this: > [@](#): > > \*\*It’s a cooperation between 15 sovreign states and there simply is no need for a word for “a citizen of one of the countries forming the European Union”. European can never mean anything else than “someone from the European continent”. \*\* As the EU gains prominence, doesn’t it seem reasonable that some kind of terminology will have to come about for describing citizens of member countries vs. those of non-member European countries? Perhaps it hasn’t yet, and being from Sweden I’d imagine that you’re more in a position to evaluate that than I am. Here in the US, I often read about the rapidly growing influence of the EU as an economic power, and as a cooperation of 15 sovereign states that’s acting more and more like a single entity in its dealings with the rest of the world. I’d have to dig (perhaps unsuccessfully) for cites, but it’s my impression that in the US it’s not that uncommon for the term “European” to be used to describe the EU specifically, rather than the continent generally. It’s possible that I’m mistaken. It’s also possible that the term is being (in the eyes of those in Europe) hopelessly mangled by Yankee misunderstanding of the whole damn thing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/30 "2002-05-10T23:37:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\* > And actually, guys, the Spanish term “estadounidense” isn’t more correct. After all, you could be referring to citizens of Mexico - or as it is properly called, the United Mexican States. \*\* Good point. Mexicans are _americanos_, _norteamericanos_, and _estadounidenses_ as well. Brazilians also belong to a “United States.” ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/31 "2002-05-11T02:49:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Ever since the folks who were formerly called American Indians decided to be called Native Americans, there’s a little hitch. My forebears were Europeans, but I was born in the USA. I’m a native, and an American, but not a Native American. It’s a quirky little hiccup of our language. I know a white guy who’s parents came to the US from South Africa. He once wrote a paper for school called _I am an African American_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/32 "2002-05-11T03:15:18Z")
**freido** : Well, who cares about the Dutch? **Coldfire** closes in on Havre airspace with Pot Rockets… Nooo! Guided Ganja! Teahouse Tonnage! Argh! 😃 [sub]_Attack of the Clogboys_. Lucas, go boink Jar-Jar.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/33 "2002-05-11T06:13:22Z")
US Citizens. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/34 "2002-05-11T13:19:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GuanoLad \* > \*\*US Citizens. \*\* But not all U.S. citizens were born in the U.S.: what about the naturalized ones, and the ones who have never set foot in the U.S. but were born abroad to U.S. citizen parents? Aren’t we back where we started? We need a brand-spanking-new word. Nominations, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/35 "2002-05-11T13:58:58Z")
> [@](#): > > the EU is not a country. It’s a cooperation between 15 sovreign states and there simply is no need for a word for “a citizen of one of the countries forming the European Union”. European can never mean anything else than “someone from the European continent”. I have attended many conferences that included experts on EU law that used the word “European” to mean “of the European Union” and not “of the continent of Europe.” They’re not going to stop doing it just because you say “European can never mean anything else than ‘someone from the European continent’.” ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/36 "2002-05-11T15:22:35Z")
You know, maybe ‘American’ has stuck because because nobody can think anything better that doesn’t run into symantic problems? I mean, just look at this thread…nobody’s yet come up with something more appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/37 "2002-05-11T15:46:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*I know a white guy who’s parents came to the US from South Africa. He once wrote a paper for school called _I am an African American_. 😃 \*\* As a matter of fact, my brother is married to a South African of English/Norwegian ancestry. My nephews are in fact white African-Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/38 "2002-05-13T10:17:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by acsenray \* > \*\* > I have attended many conferences that included experts on EU law that used the word “European” to mean “of the European Union” and not “of the continent of Europe.” They’re not going to stop doing it just because you say “European can never mean anything else than ‘someone from the European continent’.” \*\* I can only speak for myself, but I don’t think there are many people that identify themselves as “Europeans” rather than “Swedish”, “Danish”, “German” or what have you. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/39 "2002-05-13T10:47:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Floater \* > \*\* > > . . . there simply is no need for a word for “a citizen of one of the countries forming the European Union”. \*\* > [@](#): > > _and_ > \*\* > > I can only speak for myself, but I don’t think there are many people that identify themselves as “Europeans” rather than “Swedish”, “Danish”, “German” or what have you. \*\* There certainly is a need for a word for a citizen of a member state of the EU, if only because this group shares important characteristics, such as possessing the right of free movement and free establishment throughout the Union, the right to make use of one another’s diplomatic and consular services when in third countries, and so forth. Few people would identify themselves as “European” _rather than_ “German” (or whatever), but I suspect many would identify themselves as both European (in the sense of being an EU citizen) and German. As it happens, the word “European” is fine. Just as “American” can mean “pertaining to the USA” or “pertaining to the Americas” depending on the context, so “European” can mean “pertaining to the EU” or “pertaining to the continent of Europe” as the context indicates. What’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087/40 "2002-05-13T13:42:07Z")
In English, general usage, I call them: “Americans”. It is the default usage in that language. In English, if the situation calls for more technical precision than that, “people from the United States” . If the situation is really casual, Leftpondians, Yanks, Gringos (always with a smile), The Party Crew, White-Sneakered-Khaki-Shorts-Wearing-Tourists, and the ever popular Hey Youse 😉 In Spanish, in everyday or casual use, if by context it’s obvious whom I am talking about: “americanos” In Spanish, if more formality is required, e.g. a newscast, or if it’s not clear whom I am talking about: “estadounidenses”. In my experience I’ve heard and read this word every day for decades. Just as in English “American” became the default word, in Spanish did “estadounidenses”. (and no, nobody was out to shaft the Mexicans of the rest of the Americas, it just happened. The two languages developed each in its own way. Just as English speakers don’t confuse Americans with Colombians(\*), we Spanish speakers don’t confuse estadounidenses with mejicanos) In Spanish I try not to use gringos or yanquis, as in this environment they have become ideologically charged (specially “yanquis”). jrd (\*) paraphrasing Yeechang Lee, “when Saddam says ‘Death to America!’ we know he doesn’t mean Brazil.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-call-someone-born-in-the-usa/108087.md?page=3)