What does "American" mean?

Good points. Someone who wants to be a "citizen" of the United States, should want to give up their allegiance and citizenship to any other country, whether that country is in the Americas or not. I also agree if you want to be a citizen of this country, learn the language. I'll probably get harpooned with you, Wendy, but if the people in my family could do it, everyone can.

As an afterthought...
The statement "yet not so divergent as to be a separate language" does not clarify itself, in my opinion.
It SHOULD be classified as the official language of the US.
Apparently, it is not?
I take the statement "as spoken in the U·S" to mean, that as a 'majority' the United States People speak it anyhow. So, why isn't it?

I had never really given much thought to the term "American" like that before. It's actually an interesting point of view. But if you think about it from a different angle, The name of our country is The United States of America. It isn't too far out there to call ourselves American. And to be a citizen of the United States of America all you have to do is be born here or apply for citizenship and live here. It isn't wrong to call a Mexican or Canadian a North American as the reside on the continent of North America. The same way it wouldn't be wrong to call an Irish man a European or a Brazilian a South American or an Egyptian an African. But these are my views and I mean in no way to diminish yours. But I do agree that anyone who decides to reside in the United States of America, should be able to speak English.

Semantics, that's all that is. I think we all know what we mean when we use the term "American."

However, if you want to lengthen it to "Citizen of the United States of America" then feel free. I don't feel the need to clarify it with all those words. So, shall we start calling illegal aliens from Mexico; "Citizens of the United States of Mexico Illegally Residing on the Soil of the United States of America"?

yes, I see where your coming from ~However~ using the term as defined, would mean that when I claim my loyalty is to 'America' ...you 'should be" wondering which country?
We are OF America...my loyalty..my PATRIATISM...is to the United States.

Moggy, no -by definition...apparently they are American also, just ones that descended or immigrated [legally or otherwise] from the country of Mexico.

clarifying here..."just ones that descended or immigrated [legally or otherwise] from the country of Mexico."

...to the United States. [OF America]

We in the USA are Americans. There are North Americans (of which we are one of them) and South Americans and Central Americans but Americans are citizens of the USA. There is no ambiguity here. Glad to be an American.

Semantics = "the study of the development and changes in the meanings of words."

I think that "Americans" has come to be accepted as definition #3 by most of the world and definatley by the people of the U.S. of America. That is the way is most commonly used. Yes, it does mean from the "Americas", but most people do not use it that way.

The second definition in my dictionary is " of the U.S., its people, etc."

Moggy, point made. [remember, I said I'm fair!]
I still think however, that if it TRULY is green and I say it's blue, but the masses say green - majority rule stands, so it remains green. However, if by definition it IS blue, do "semantics" allow the masses to just change the definition? ...or does it remain truly green in the end? Who decides that the 'masses' are correct and 'semantics' should come into play?

Joe, you are correct also. My point is that to use the term "American" [imho] correctly, you would have to clarify EACH AND EVERY time, exactly 'which' Americans you are referring too.

I think you missed the main point of why people of the United States are called Americans. Our country's name isn't the United States, it's the United States of AMERICA! That is why we are called Americans, not United Staters.

so what are all the other countries then...tenants?
Of, to me is still the key.

OK OK OK I see where you are getting your ideals, BUT what you are missing, is I am not disagreeing with you. I am simply stating that we are NOT the ONLY Americans on the continent of North AMERICA.

we just happen to be the only ones of the United States

Two thoughts:

1) Language does change over time, often through effects of popular usage. Defintions are not solidly one thing for ever and ever.

2) It seems to me that the other key word in the United States of America is the word "States." That is the noun of the phrase, "united" and "of america" modify that noun. Does that mean our main allegiance is to our state first?

I agree with Joe that the phrase, as a whole, had taken on, at this time, a meaning that is commonly understood. I'm sure that this meaning is a little insulting, potentially, to other inhabitants of the Americas (which, by the way is another problem with the name, shouldn't it be United States of the AmericaS?), but it has entered the popular vernacular with an understood meaning.

Wendy, I say keep using your term, though--this is how language evolves. And in your case, the project seems to be clarifying and more accurate.

Interesting stuff.

I like your points Wendy and have to admit they are ones I never thought about - this is a great piece - Thanks

Debra~ thanks for being "open minded" enough to see another side. I never said we are not Americans. Putting it simply~ we just aren't the only ones...

"Moggy, point made. [remember, I said I'm fair!]
I still think however, that if it TRULY is green and I say it's blue, but the masses say green - majority rule stands, so it remains green. However, if by definition it IS blue, do "semantics" allow the masses to just change the definition? ...or does it remain truly green in the end? Who decides that the 'masses' are correct and 'semantics' should come into play?"

I think at that point its usually just a matter of time before Webster's updates their definition of the word. I'd say its a personal choice.

I remember growing up, my father would get so bent out of shape if we used the word "ain't". (I'm obviously in the south) His argument was always that it was not a word, he would hand us the dictionary and make us look it up. It was not in the dictionary. But low and behold, pick up an updated Webster's dictionary and look it up now! Guess what, it is now considered a word! My dad hates that, but he no longer has a valid argument against using it!

Wikipedia has an interesting article on the use of the title 'American' and alternatives, you might want to check it out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectives_for_U.S._citizens

I have never thought about being American like this. This does group North and South America as Americans. I guess i need to start calling myself a statesman from America... or something like that.. anyway.. great piece.

Canada is divided up into provinces, and our country (by whatever name you choose to call it) and Mexico are divided up into states. Many years ago, Aunt Marce (Uncle Finley's Tex-Mex wife) pointed out that Mexico could also be called The United States Of America. Perhaps, the best solution would be to either leave it as it is (Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans) or else make it Canadians (since they like that name, anyway), North Americans, and Mexican Americans/Latin Americans. The countries could be called: Canada, The United States Of North America, and The United States Of Latin America.

Sheesh! It's so complicated!

Anyway, I like the term USA as well as American. If someone wants to figure out from which part of America I hail, I'll just say that I'm a Hoosier (same as saying that I live in Indiana).

As for language...we've spoken American English for a long time, and I see no reason for it not to be our official language. However, I think we should be compassionate to those who are learning it as a second language. It should be gradually introduced in schools.

A friend who now lives in Egypt (his original place of residence) used to teach English as a second language to kids in a special classroom. They learned the same things as those in the mainstream, but they were gradually being helped to become more and more comfortable while speaking American English, which is different in a lot of ways than British English (e.g. elevator instead of lift; bus instead of lorry; toilet instead of loo; cookie instead of biscuit; trolley instead of motorcar). We definitely have a language of our own where we have taken the King's English and mixed in a bunch of other different languages.

One more thing...we have it pretty easy.

Even when we go to another country to live for a time (e.g. to work), there seems to be enough places that speak English that we could survive there indefinitely without learning the local language, so I'm not bothered by seeing other languages alongside of mine in directions on merchandise, etc.

giggles, United Staters.

You can go anywhere in the world and tell 100 people you are an American. 99 of the will assume you are talking about the U.S. I was in the military for 20 years and have been pretty much everywhere no-one ever confused me for a Canadian or Mexican while in civilian clothes.

It was named for Amerigo Vespucci. An Italian who made two trips to the New World as a navigator and claimed to have discovered it. Remember Columbus really discovered the DR.

Nah but a funny thing. I was in a pub in Bunratty Ireland. And one of the barmaids asked me where I was from. I answered with the standard "I'm American". Well she just smiled and I started thinking "oh sh*t, bad answer". She took some pints to a table with a bunch of young couples. The next thing I knew the guys were chanting "USA!, USA!, USA!". They invited me to join them and I spent the evening and a great part of the night decribing the country and its people from coast to coast and border to border. Now those people are some of my best friends and one couple immigrated last year to Boston.

Wow! Who would have thought that such an article would create so many different points of view. I think that the real issue here is that we as Americans are part of something that is bigger than any of us individually and we want to maintain or better our way of life. Not by taking advantage of others, and we expect the same in return. To come to the U.S.A. and be part of it, is to pledge allegiance to it's flag, beliefs, and laws that the rest of us do. It is becoming more difficult to differentiate just exactly where anyone should stand because of all of the other crap that seems to go along with being politically correct. I am a very straight forward person and I hate it when our way of life is challenged to accomodate someone or some group of people that say we should change to make them feel better or make their life easier. I say no, you came here, take the bad with the good just like the rest of us! If you think that you deserve special treatment because you are a foreigner, then that is part of the problem. I guarantee that if I were to go to a foreign country, I would not receive any special treatment. I would probably be lucky to be alive after the first day in some countries. The last time I checked, we were not executing people for being foreign. My point is this, most of the U.S.A. is made up of immigrants from many other countries. Some came willingly, some did not. The common thread is that we are all here and trying to live by the rules set down by some very wise people. To overlook that is a crime to all Americans!

The US is not made up of immigrants. 280 million are native 212 million are 5th or 6th generation. In 2020 my family will have been on this continent for 400 years. My ancestors were not immigrants they were colonials. They never intended to make a new country or change their allegiance it just turned out that way.

Being an American is not a name that we gave ourselves. It was given to us by Europeans and Asians because the U.S. was and is the predominant country in the Americas active on the world stage. Its an "over there" mentality. There are no indigenous people.

Indigenous: adjective

Having originated in or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment.

If you claim that the in habitants of North America prior to the 17th century are indigenous then you have to follow that logic with: They are not a separate race but a separate species. We all know there is only one species of human on the planet now.

are you ok? take a breath...its all good little man. I have my opinions, you have yours. They don't have to agree. I just used some words to express mine. I wasn't tryen to start a debate. I'm glad you have had fun with your research...
however, until they change some continent names, and remove OF, everything I said, I still agree with.

'little man'...a term of endearment used around here (MY here) regularly, no offense meant, maybe shoulda followed it with a 'lol' but honestly, I aint upset at cha in the least. Opinions are good. Reasearch is good. It's when you have no interest in those things that issues occur...

I'm not sure if you are throwing the "chill" bucket on Mike or myself. But I prefer the term "old dude" as my wife calls me when I wont cut the grass or go shopping with her.

Ar' ...ya made me giggle
Now maybe you should go help your wife pick out an outfit? *wink*
[...wow somehow jack sparrow just popped in my head hmmm that was just wierd!]

or a lil' bit of both, perhaps?

I agree. It's too bad the founding fathers chose not to give this country a name. Each of the states has name, but the country as a whole only has a descriptive designation. Yes, the country is in America, it is composed of states, and these states are united under one government. But that government is not the American government. The correct appelation is United States Government. Likewise it is United States Navy, Ambassador to the United States, etc, etc. The delegates at the U.N. are seated in alphabetical order. Right after United Kingdom (another country with no name) is United States. Recently on entering my bank I read a sign saying "Closed on Columbus Day". I asked the teller why we celebrated Columbus Day. I didn't really expect that she would know. She replied "because he discovered the United States". You see how this lack of a name for such a large and prestigious country has so confused its people? Most people in Europe and Asia call this country "America", Canadians tend to call it "The States". Latin Americans are outraged by this country's appropriation of the term "America" for itself. They call us Estados Unidos.