Nationality

[cobright]

As many of you stated, there is no adjective in the English language to denote someone from the USA. However, a term like that does exist in other languages.

There is an adjective in the English language used to denote someone from the USA. We use the word, 'American'. Through organic evolution of language or deliberation THAT is the term used. We don't have an academy that approves words for the English language as they try to do in France. But in whatever official capacity such a designator is needed 'American' is used.

Other languages may have differing conventions and other countries may call us what they will, but by and large in the English speaking world we are known as Americans. People from the Netherlands, in English, are almost universally, referred to as Dutch. Yet in Dutch they use the word Nederlander. I've met many Dutch and none seemed offended by this. The Chinese call us meiguoren (beautiful country people) and in Japan we are amerikajin (America people).

Put it this way, when an Italian delegate to the United Nations stands and addresses the delegate from the US s/he will do so in English and s/he will use the term 'American delegate'; because that is the word we use in English to denote someone from the United States.

<puts soapbox away>

Sorry if I come off preachy. There is a global image of the US as a bully that fits into this narrative on calling us by a continental name. The world bully image is mostly deserved and I'm not any sort of apologist for that but attributing our demonym to some greasy American image, scooping up a whole continent for our name, is just not founded.

 

[Tinkermommy]

There is an adjective in the English language used to denote someone from the USA. We use the word, 'American'. Through organic evolution of language or deliberation THAT is the term used. We don't have an academy that approves words for the English language as they try to do in France. But in whatever official capacity such a designator is needed 'American' is used.

Other languages may have differing conventions and other countries may call us what they will, but by and large in the English speaking world we are known as Americans. People from the Netherlands, in English, are almost universally, referred to as Dutch. Yet in Dutch they use the word Nederlander. I've met many Dutch and none seemed offended by this. The Chinese call us meiguoren (beautiful country people) and in Japan we are amerikajin (America people).

Put it this way, when an Italian delegate to the United Nations stands and addresses the delegate from the US s/he will do so in English and s/he will use the term 'American delegate'; because that is the word we use in English to denote someone from the United States.

<puts soapbox away>

Sorry if I come off preachy. There is a global image of the US as a bully that fits into this narrative on calling us by a continental name. The world bully image is mostly deserved and I'm not any sort of apologist for that but attributing our demonym to some greasy American image, scooping up a whole continent for our name, is just not founded.

But I don't think we are Americans because we named ourselves after the North American continent. We call ourselves Americans because we are from the United States of America.

Now I guess you could argue that the founding fathers were bullies towards England but I don't think they had such high handed notations about taking the name away from others in North and South America for our own use. Seems to me that they picked the name and then moved onto the thousand other things they had to do to gain our independence.

I really don't think it was an plot to abscond with a continental name just one that sounded better than United Statesian as someone up thread mentioned.

 

[CaliBear]

DH laughs when we are abroad and people ask where we are from, because he says we are from the USA/American and I say, "Texas."

I do this too except I say "California."

 

[moon]

Really? Does that mean EurAsiaFrica is also one? I'll stick with the longstanding convention understood by most.

Who is most? I know that at least from Mexico down south it is understood that America is one continent

 

[soccerdad72]

So there's only 5 continents now?

What's next? Is someone going to tell us there's only really 8 planets?

 

[declansdad]

So there's only 5 continents now?

What's next? Is someone going to tell us there's only really 8 planets?

Depends on who you talk to.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

So there's only 5 continents now?

What's next? Is someone going to tell us there's only really 8 planets?

On the plus side, there are now five oceans! I was surprised when that happened. Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and now the Southern Ocean.

 

[cobright]

But I don't think we are Americans because we named ourselves after the North American continent. We call ourselves Americans because we are from the United States of America.

Now I guess you could argue that the founding fathers were bullies towards England but I don't think they had such high handed notations about taking the name away from others in North and South America for our own use. Seems to me that they picked the name and then moved onto the thousand other things they had to do to gain our independence.

I really don't think it was an plot to abscond with a continental name just one that sounded better than United Statesian as someone up thread mentioned.

No, there was no plot. We were called 'Americans' before the USA even existed, by our tyrant overlords in England as well as the French, and Italians. Spain likely didn't because they were actively calling their colonists the same thing.

It has become a convenient issue for people to get bent out if shape over. But really, we can't force any one else to call us by any particular designator. If some guy in Italy doesn't like calling us Americanos he doesn't have to. But it's exceedingly rare that I'm called by any other term when I'm out of the country.

 

[moon]

The Olympic flag has five rings, one for each continent

 

[Art 1]

The Olympic flag has five rings, one for each continent

That's correct. Seem like many in the US don't want to be included with S. America.

 

[declansdad]

The Olympic flag has five rings, one for each continent

That's correct. Seem like many in the US don't want to be included with S. America.

One ring for each inhabited continent. The Olympic movement isn't saying there are only 5 continents.

 

[thedonduck]

That's correct. Seem like many in the US don't want to be included with S. America.

Actually if you look up the reasoning for the rings it isn't for the specific continents, but rather for the 5 REGIONS of the world. It was assumed by the Olympic committee for a few years that the rings colors represented each continent (with Americas sharing the red I believe), but that was redacted from the handbook when there was no evidence that supported that assumption.

 

[lisaviolet]

One ring for each inhabited continent. .

So which of the six other continents are you throwing people off of to get down to five inhabited?

Or are you saying that the Olympic rings did put North and South America together?

_______________________________________

I must be missing SOMETHING.

I really thought Olympic rings were about the colours of the flags of all the participating countries at the time. But I guess that's in addition to the significance of the number chosen. ??

I either need to go back to school or take an aspirin. I'm totally unsure.

 

[bcla]

My passport says Nationality: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. So that's what the State Dept would say.

As a fine point, there is a distinction between nationality and citizenship in the US. All US citizens are US nationals by law. There is a category of non-citizen US nationals, such as those born in American Samoa or the previous Panama Canal Zone who weren't born to US citizens and/or didn't get naturalized as US citizens. If they get passports, they have special endorsements that state they are non-citizen US nationals.

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_781.html

Very few persons fall within this category since, as defined by the INA, all U.S. citizens are U.S. nationals but only a relatively small number of persons acquire U.S. nationality without becoming U.S. citizens. Thus, Section 101(a)(22) INA states that all U.S. citizens are also nationals of the U.S. However, Section 308 INA confers U.S. nationality but not U.S. citizenship, on persons born in or having ties with "an outlying possession of the United States." The outlying possessions are defined in Section 101(A)(29) INA as American Samoa and Swains Island. No other statutes define any other territories nor any of the states as outlying possessions. Those enumerated in section 308 INA as eligible for this status, in addition to those mentioned above, are those individuals born abroad to two American non-citizen national parents, or those born abroad to one alien parent and one non-citizen national parent. Also, there is a residency requirement placed upon the parents of the child prior to birth in order to transmit U.S. nationality.

A non-citizen US national has the right to work and enter any part of the United States, but isn't allowed to vote. An adult would likely qualify to apply for naturalization at any time since they would likely meet the residency requirement. There's some complex determinations when born overseas, such as a child born to one US citizen and one non-citizen national or born to two US nationals.

It can theoretically be an issue, as there's no guarantee that one can remain a non-citizen US national. When the Panama Canal Zone reverted to Panamanian control, non-citizen US nationals born in the Canal Zone by virtue of birth there (it can get complicated if born to US nationals from elsewhere) reverted to Panamanian citizenship.

 

[declansdad]

So which of the six other continents are you throwing people off of to get down to five inhabited?

Or are you saying that the Olympic rings did put North and South America together?

_______________________________________

I must be missing SOMETHING.

I really thought Olympic rings were about the colours of the flags of all the participating countries at the time. But I guess that's in addition to the significance of the number chosen. ??

I either need to go back to school or take an aspirin. I'm totally unsure.

Sorry I should have said the 5 inhabited continents would be Asia, America, Europe, Africa and Australia. The rings don't actually represent any continent.

As for the colours

de Coubertin stated the following in the August, 1912 edition of Olympique:[full citation needed] "...the six colours [including the flag’s white background] thus combined reproduce the colours of all the nations, with no exception. The blue and yellow of Sweden, the blue and white of Greece, the tri- colours of France, England and America, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, the yellow and red of Spain next to the novelties of Brazil or Australia, with old Japan and new China. Here is truly an international symbol."

 

[Zandy595]

My passport says Nationality: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. So that's what the State Dept would say.

That's exactly why I started this thread. My TA asked for my passport number and what my nationality was. When I saw Nationality: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on my passport, I wasn't exactly sure whether I should say that or American for my nationality.

 

[thedonduck]

Sorry I should have said the 5 inhabited continents would be Asia, America, Europe, Africa and Australia. The rings don't actually represent any continent.

As for the colours

It is semantics, but it doesn't the 5 rings represent the 5 REGIONS of the world not the 5 continents

 

[declansdad]

It is semantics, but it doesn't the 5 rings represent the 5 REGIONS of the world not the 5 continents

Yes another typo in my part, wanted to type regions but had continents on the brain.

 

[moon]

One ring for each inhabited continent. The Olympic movement isn't saying there are only 5 continents.

It is semantics, but it doesn't the 5 rings represent the 5 REGIONS of the world not the 5 continents

From www.olympic.org/documents/reports/en/en_report_1303.pdf
(bold is mine)

The five rings represent the five continents. They are interlaced to show the universality of Olympism and the meeting of the athletes of the world during the Olympic Games. On the Olympic flag, the rings appear on a white background. Combined in this way, the six colours of the flag (blue, yellow, black, green, red and white) represent all nations. It is a misconception, therefore, to believe that each of the colours corresponds to a certain continent

And there isn't one ring for "North America" and another for "South America".
The American continent is represented by one ring

 

[PrincessKsMom]

That's correct. Seem like many in the US don't want to be included with S. America.

Just like Canadians don't want to be mistaken for United Statesians of Americans or whatever we're called.