My real question is: Since when are immigrants called aliens? I'm on this site for a few months but in the beginning I didn't meet this expression. Is it a new one or did I simply miss it somehow so far?
2006-08-09 02:48:07 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
I see the point you're trying to make. These days the word alien is (to me) often associated more strongly with the galactic variety. But when I look it up in Webster's dictionary (below web link)....it seems more linked to a person from another culture or country. So the word, like many words, may have taken on a life of it's own after being defined centuries ago.
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/alien
2006-08-09 02:54:18 · answer #1 · answered by nothing 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Alien - referring to immigrants has been around a long time...it refers to anything that's unusual or foreign...It's not used so much for regular immigrants as it is for illegal immigrants (illegal aliens).
You've probably been hearing more often now because there is currently debate in the US over what to do about illegal immigrants that come into the country.
2006-08-09 09:54:51 · answer #2 · answered by jillymack06 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
anyone who comes from outside the dominant group is an "alien" (stranger). The term "illegal alien" has been around for a while as has "resident alien". I wonder if the ET meaning is actually newer than the nationalist one.
2006-08-09 09:51:18 · answer #3 · answered by rosends 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's nothing new but they say illegal aliens meaning they are from another place. But, you might want to think about how you asked the questions seems a little offensive and I don't know if that is what you were going for.
2006-08-09 10:02:58 · answer #4 · answered by Coco 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have been asleep. Wake up to what is going on around you. Aliens are anyone that comes into this country illegal. As far as ( ET ) well, you been watching too much Sci-Fi.
2006-08-09 09:56:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If somebody is running and shouting Aliens, I would get his head examined. Unless you look up to see a big space shuttle. Then I would be running too. Haha!
2006-08-09 12:25:05 · answer #6 · answered by ht_butterfly27 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess the correct term is illegal aliens and not ET's!@
2006-08-09 09:52:50 · answer #7 · answered by nswblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
stupid a** !!
2006-08-09 09:51:33 · answer #8 · answered by Big R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋