# What do the people who object to "American" being used for USians propose? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207 "2015-06-23T02:59:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207/61 "2015-06-25T06:42:25Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Or _americano_, or _yanki_ (if you’re ok with it), or _tejano_ (if you’re from Texas), or _californiano_ (if you’re from California), or… _Californio_, actually. That was a real thing before California became part of the US. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207/62 "2015-06-25T08:29:57Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > _Californio_, actually. That was a real thing before California became part of the US. [Both](http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=californio) are [valid](http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=californiano), but many people (certainly a chemist such as myself) identify _californio_ with its second definition: the 98th chemical element. You tell someone with any kind of science background _soy californio_ and they’ll answer with a joke about Geiger counters. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207/63 "2015-06-25T19:44:12Z")
As a Canadian, regarding the use of “American” for people of USA, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest and I don’t give a rat’s ass:) ---
**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 25, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207/64 "2015-06-25T22:55:44Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever encountered that, but then I don’t read Evangelical blogs. > > The way it works is that the old laws are invalid if they’re inconvenient, like those that prevent you from eating a cheeseburger, unless it’s something you disagree with and then they are a-ok. :dubious: The rule I’m familiar with is that they are not valid unless affirmed by the New Testament. And that all dietary laws are irrelevant thanks to Paul and Romans 14. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207/65 "2015-06-27T01:48:15Z")
I remember being taught the Portuguese word “norte-americano” before moving to Brazil, and being told that that word should be used for people from the USA, and that “americano” referred to someone from the Americas in general. However, in practice, I found that absolutely no one in Brazil ever used the word “norte-americano,” and the word “americano” invariably was used to refer to someone from the USA. I’m pretty sure that “American” for USians is fine as far as most people care. It seems to be mainly a concern of people trying to make a political point or of people who are overthinking things. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207/66 "2015-06-27T07:03:02Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > [Both](http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=californio) are [valid](http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=californiano), but many people (certainly a chemist such as myself) identify _californio_ with its second definition: the 98th chemical element. You tell someone with any kind of science background _soy californio_ and they’ll answer with a joke about Geiger counters. Yeah I’ve never thought about it before, but _californiano_ to me sounds correct for the sense you were probably using it in i.e. a person of whatever ethnicity who happens to be from California. Whereas _californio_ specifically means people of Hispanic background who settled in California before it was part of the US, and their descendents. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207/67 "2015-06-27T07:13:55Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > Yeah I’ve never thought about it before, but _californiano_ to me sounds correct for the sense you were probably using it in i.e. a person of whatever ethnicity who happens to be from California. Whereas _californio_ specifically means people of Hispanic background who settled in California before it was part of the US, and their descendents. “Californio” and your definition is how the term was taught in California public school history class to me. I can’t say I’ve encountered californiano before, but my best assumption would be the same as yours. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-the-people-who-object-to-american-being-used-for-usians-propose/723207.md?page=3)