In the United States it is common usage, but for others it may not be. While working in Mexico [for three years] nobody ever asked me if I was an "American". They would always ask if I was from the U.S.The Annoyed Man wrote:Seriously Jim, people have been using the term "American" to denote a citizen of the United States of America for at least a century......including liberals. In the context you're using, it would be like using "European" to describe a French citizen, but nobody else uses "American" in that context. It's not cultural chauvinism or jingoistic nationalism. It's just common usage. Nothing more.57Coastie wrote:Leo Manzano is not an American? Is a Mexican not an American? Is a Canadian not an American? How about a Chilean? Is a naturalized U. S. citizen not an American? What is an American?apostate wrote:I don't think either is American....
The greatest country in the world is almost alone in not having a one-word noun to describe a citizen (or "native" if you will). We "United States Americans" have taken over the continent, North, Central and South, I suppose.
Jim
Although there was one man that I ran into at a Christmans party, a Mexican who was president of the local labor union, who asked me, "Are you still the only gringo working there?"
On the other hand, they would never state that they were "Americans". They were proud to be Mexican.
Asking the Mexicans if they were "hispanic" is a whole different story.
