Comments on: Collectively, Americans Abroad Are 21st Most Populated “State”

By: Danny Sullivan

Danny Sullivan — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:01:43 +0000

Yes, I learned the entire “should the US not call themselves Americans because there are two different continents that use the name America” when I was a kid in school, and how this could be perceived as unfair or overreaching by some from other countries on the continents.

Then again, no one’s really suggested an alternative. What would you call people from the USA? Unitedstatesians? I think you’d agree that’s awkward. Usaians?

You’ve got to call Americans from the US something. I have never, ever met someone from another country in North or South American who has identified themselves as an American to me. They’re Mexicans, or Canadians or Brazilians or you name it.

My guess is that because most of the New World immigrants seemed to settle in the English colonies, that helped propel the usage of that term in English — which also raises a further linguistic injustice, that Native Americans got ousted as simply being Americans, period.

Also, I suspect that ironically, the citizens of the nation you feel are so righteous to claim the name of two entire continents probably had little to do with it. From what I remember, people of the individual colonies identified themselves as being from their colonies – Virginians, for example — not as Americans. It wasn’t until the Revolutionary War united the colonies fully that they gained a second identity — and perhaps adopted the name that they were referred to collectively already by those in Britain?

I did a little looking around. Wikipedia has an article with some history, though I didn’t find it that clear on the origins:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_%28word%29

You don’t have to call Americans Americans, of course. Nor does anyone. It’s like arguing whether Navajos shouldn’t refer to themselves as Dine — which means “The People,” as I understand it. If someone really doesn’t like what someone else calls themselves, don’t use that appellation.

By: gerickson

gerickson — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:25:12 +0000

What else would we call ourselves? United States of Americans?

By: Wow

Wow — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:23:01 +0000

I’m surprised you still refer to yourselves as American’s — news flash, there are many other Countries in America: Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Canada, Peru to name a few… How righteous a nation must feel to claim a continent. Embarrassing.

By: John Serra

John Serra — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:36:17 +0000

The sources for the numbers are probably from the passport service (ie. number of passports w/ permanent addresses abroad), and/or the counts of registered Americans at their respective embassies and consulates (we are suppose to register when spending extended periods of time in the area). So, they are probably lower than the actual count of Americans living abroad. Just think of all the Americans who spend a year or two abroad, with every intention of returning home. I don’t believe they change their permanent addresses, and plenty don’t bother to register…

By: Graeme

Graeme — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:48:38 +0000

How difficult would it be to host the census online? It seems like we should be at that point by now, and I think it would allow us to access those overseas a lot easier.

By: Byrne

Byrne — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:22:28 +0000

How do other countries handle this?

Also, that’s a surprisingly huge number. I always thought Americans had a reputation for staying within the US — I guess when we leave, we really leave.

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:05:22 +0000

Agree totally.

Several European countries have elected representatives for their citizens abroad. But then again, many American citizens born and raised in the US have no representation; see Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands.

By: Evan Fishkin

Evan Fishkin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:23:36 +0000

I’ve never lived outside the country but you raise an excellent point Danny and I agree with your assertion that their needs to be representation for these individuals.
As we move towards a far more globalized age I want to think that I can go spend years of my life traveling and seeing people all over the world. But to have to worry that I would be unrepresented and may be affected detrimentally by security measures put in place to protect the homeland than I’d be less inclined to make those travels. I’m also certain there’s a handful of issues more that my phrasing doesn’t even cover. I’ll be very interested to see if those numbers become more concrete over the years and to see if they rise or fall.