why when people ask your nationality you say I'm American???? is like a spaniard saying I'm European?
442994
I don't know why.  You have a good point. I usually state that I am a New Yorker.  If I answer a question and they ask if I am an American I will answer yes but I always state that I am a New Yorker.  My g/f is from Holland.  My family has a tendency to state shes European.  No she's Dutch first. Europe is a big place.  Just as America is.  Need to be more specific in my opinion. People have been known to generalize.  And I for one dont like to be generalized so I help clarify where I am from.
317745
Oh my, the page is American and your written English has a funny accent, are you an immigrant from another country?
363098
Terms of ethnicity and race are just labels.  I place no importance on either of the words...you are who you are no matter your race, creed, etc.\n\nAs for the person who said we are all americians.  Hmmmmmm....I think you should look at a map and then you may realize there is more than one country on planet earth
869856
United Statesian is an English translation for a term people in Latin America like to use when referring to Americans.  They made it up.  At some point, they got the bright idea that Americans shouldn't be calling themselves Americans because the continent is called America.\nThey think that we use the term America exclusively, leaving them out.  For some (stupid) reason, they think we don't know that the continent is called America.  In their minds, they are Americans, too, so they took it upon themselves to rename us.\n\nI had this explained to me over and over by Mexicans when I was travelling there and they asked me where I was from.  They also like to call us North Americans.  \n\nThey get real irritated when you point out to them that Mexico is also called United States of Mexico, and is located in North America, so they are United Statesians and North Americans, by their own wording.  Then they get this dumb look on their face when you show them a map and tell them that the continent called America and the nation called America are two different things.
1020726
No that means you're from America, and proud of it!
995144
That's news to me! I am a Lithuanian citizen, but my ethnicity is not recorded in my passport.  Are you sure it is mandatory? I don't think so.
793822
I am very sorry for that. It really is terrible how people discriminate against ANY culture just because they are like another. ANYWAY they shouldn't discriminate against the first one in the first place! I live in a city with a high Latino population, and everytime anyone says "Mexican" I feel that I need to correct them. It has gotten me into some sticky situations, but I've also made some friends through it. I am a Spanish student and it disgusts me to see how people can just pretend that because they speak Spanish they must be bad. It makes me SICK. I lived in Spain for a while to practice my Spanish and even though I was American *most* (not all, just most) of the people there could still respect me. And when I speak to the Latinos in my city they can still respect me even though I am not the same race as them. And it's amazing, it's not even just latinos either. It is anyone who speaks Spanish. My host family sent their daughter here and everyone was rude to her simply because she spoke with a Spanish accent.\n\nOne last rant and then I am done.\n\nSo my friend and I did an experiment. Even if we are AMERICAN and we speak in Spanish, will they do the same thing? The answer is yes. We went downtown and spoke in Spanish to each other for the day. If someone spoke to us we answered in English, with our American accents, and we were still treated the same way. So my conclusion is that it isn't just the people themselves that are Latino or Hispanic that are discriminated against, but the whole Spanish language.\n\nThis didn't really answer your question....sorry....
114778
There are differences in the way non-Americans express themselves (and it's not all due to poor English!). \nBut come to think of it, I'm not sure if those differences represent our different countries. I'd rather say that we're all 'aliens' in a product that is basically US-targeted, and maybe we're eager to please and give a good impression (many US users just don't seem to care). Some cultural differences are apparent, especially with respect to the perception of humor and irony; that's when the common sociocultural background becomes more visible, I think. \nI have no idea if I project something of Argentina in my Q&A, and I don't know what a "typical" Argentine person is like. We're said to be pedantic and think ourselves too cool, but that's just a stereotype... or is it? There was another user from Argentina here that sounded really silly, and I didn't want this person to be associated with 'my' country!\n\nI guess this question was directed at US users...I wanted to add my contribution anyway. I have to say that the mere fact that you call yourselves "Americans", as if the rest of us lived in Oceania or quite another continent, makes me smile. And I think that says a lot about the US too!\n--------------------\nUpdate: Hola Rantrax!! No, it was not you. Glad to know more of us are joining this :-D
501235
You may be right, but then again not all Europeans are purely "white", whatever that means.\n\nEuropeans do tend to look more like specific nationalities. For example, if you go to Germany most whites will look German, and most Italians will look Italian. In America you cannot easily identify a person's nationality, in part because there is no distinct national heritage and because America literally is a melting pot. Some have theorized that Americans will eventually look like a combination of all races- a sort of light tan color.\n\nI personally find it odd that if a person is 1/4 black and 3/4 white, they can be regarded as "black". It almost seems racist, because it is effectively saying "If you're not pure white, you're not white."  But what should we call a person like that? Black? White? Both? People probably feel more comfortable saying they are white (if they can get away with it) because it gives them certain social advantages, many of them racist in origin.  Most Anglo Americans desire to have some connection to Plymouth Rock and the Puritans (why I do not know).  They would rather not consider the very real possibility that they are not "pure bred" Puritans.\n\nThen again, would it really be so bad to not be pure bred Puritans? Have you seen paintings of some of those people? Not the most good-looking Europe had to offer.
509986
Because we smell nice?  LOL!  Because I am proud of my country and of being an American.  How would it look if I treated our visitors like crap?  It's no sweat off my butt if you want to come to my country and live.  We are the melting pot.  We all came from somewhere else and guess what?  Some of our most incredibly beautiful people here are all the result of mixed races.  I am friendly because I feel that I was blessed to be born here and I don't mind sharing the wealth this beautiful country has to offer.
252640
I'm also a white African and I also don't understand that. I have more African roots than most of the black African Americans, my family tree goes back 400 years. When I meet black people that's European they never call themselves African Europeans, so why do they do that in the USA. Personally I think it's causes division between different races. I thought we were trying to stop race separation, because it causes racism.
676804
Based on your use of "YOU" when referring to the U.S.A., I can assume that you either aren't in the U.S. and therefore you should mind your own business, or you are in the U.S. but don't identify yourself as an American.\n\nIn either case: You are no better than the dog sh!t I wipe off the bottom of my shoe.
579228
Someone living in the continent of Europe considers themselves European. ie someone in Switzerland is a European, even though they're not a member of the EU.People in the UK are also Europeans..\n\nTechnically I think, you're right, a Costarrican does count as an 'American' but that term has just come to stand for people from the USA.
456218
bcs u asking questions like thats ..lol\n\nand i think u r not from AMERIKIA ;) and what was ur prupose from thats question and how ever u where u seem dumb ...\n\nGod bless you
272849
Because the united states has an identity crisis.   In the grand scheme it is a very new country with virtually no roots of its own, and instead of embracing this blessing it is striving to carve out its own individuality.  Seeing as it is a new country and that all Americans are descendants from Europeans and others. Europeans who do not recognize them as being even remotely related, they are pushing away from their ancestral homeland.\n\nI am descended from scotts. Scotts will not recognize me as a scott because my Family has been in Canada for several generations.  Does that mean I resent my old homeland, not at all it just means for the sake of having a national Identity I will say Canadian, as Americans will say American.\n\nBut the end result is more cultures who do not get along and who will gripe and fight over petty differences in language and silly cultures.  And there are always Americans who are so "Pro America" that they dont see the fact that they are being disresptectful to others, If your going to be Pro anything do it on your own terms and do not Force it on anyone else.
1034786
No, I'll assume what I want, and if I'm wrong I'm wrong. It's not meant to be insulting. Like if I was in Europe and someone asked me if I was american when I'm Canadian, even though I don't care for the states I wouldn't be offended by the person. People make mistakes. It's not a big deal.
944928
Hey I agree with you baby - if you were born in America then your American, if you were born in Africa then your African and if you were born in Africa and moved to America and became a legalized citizen then you are African American.