this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2024
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I don’t identify as a US American.
I identify as an American.
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I realize that foreigners, in languages other than English, use terms that directly translate to US American. However our preferred nomenclature is American.When interacting with someone from another country, I identify as an American.
When interacting with a fellow American, I identify as a resident of my state, where I have lived nearly my entire life, excepting times spent out of state & out of country while I was in the military.
When interacting with a fellow resident of my state, I identify as a resident of the major city in whose suburbs I reside.
When interacting with a fellow resident of the metro area, I identify with either the general region of the metro area or the specific municipality in which I actually reside.
I usually use US American as Canadians and Mexicans are also Americans, and that can go all the way to Central and South America depending on how you divide continents
You won't find many people who would seriously complain about that phrasing, but it would come off as awkward and stilted to most people from the US.
And if you extrapolate this and start saying Mexico Americans and Canada Americans for people in those countries, you're just going to confuse people
Awkward, stilted, and a little holier-than-thou.
Mexico American - doesn’t make sense
Mexican American - American whose origins lie primarily in Mexico
Canada American - doesn’t make sense
Canadian American - American whose origins lie primarily in Canada
Frankly, I think most Canadians would probably feel insulted if you addressed them as Canada Americans. They don’t want to be tainted by association with us.
Mexicans and Canadians have those demonyms, so no need to worry for them.
I've seen Canadians being okay with being called "North Americans", when discussing something impacting both Canada and the USA, so it seems in this situations it's fine by team. Canada Americans would indeed be strange.
North American yes, but it would be unusual for a Canadian to call themselves just American. Same for Mexico, though obviously Spanish has its own demonyms that don't have this problem.
For a European equivalent, should we say "UK British" when referring to people living in the UK? The UK is the only country to commonly use British to refer to its citizens, but they are not the only country on the British Isles.