I am American?

Question

I was born outside of the US. But I was born in one of the three americas therefore I am American. The term American, to describe people from the United States, is it correct?

Honey I am a US citizen.

For all of you I was born an American Citizen. Mexicans are North American. Central America isn't considered a continent so it is part of South America. I am North American but I wasn't born in Canada. Caribbean.

Answer 1

I get ya, that is true. People from Central and South America can technically be called Americans. It's one of those silly loopholes in the titles we give ourselves in the US, like what do you call caucasians from Africa in the us? African Americans? But that title is already taken by a bunch of people that have never been to Africa. Call youself whatever you feel like I guess.

Answer 2

Actually everyone in the New World so to speak is an American. The Caribbean, North South and Central America are all a part of the Americas so named after the famed "discoverer" Amerigo Vespucci.

However we tend to describe persons from The U.S.A as being American. I would say that the term is correct but it may be slightly ambiguous and there are no alternatives for persons living in the U.S.A so its theirs>>>>> for now.

P.S. The "proper label" for the caucasian African currently residing in the US had really got to me when i first joined Yahoo! Answers- it had me for days

Answer 3

To be American, you must have been born in the United States, or have become a citizen of the United States.

You'd be considered, South American, or Mexican American.

Answer 4

You are correct. Most people when they say American, they think from the United States of AMERICA. In songs aboutthe USA they say America. But if you are from South America or Canada or Mexica all is AMerica. SO if we all want to grammatically correct we should say i am south american or i am north american, etc. YOu have a good point here....

Answer 5

You are an American. just like some one from Nigeria is an African or someone from France is a European. The term to describe people from the United States is correct because the proper mane is The United States of America.

Answer 6

If you were born in South America, you're probably South American. If you were born in Central America, try Mexican or Central American.

While what I just typed sounds a little mean, I didnt mean it like that. I was just answering your question.

Answer 7

People worldwide will associate the word "American" with people from the US. If you are from a geographical America you will confuse people if you call yourself "American".

You might want to say you are "Canadian or Mexican" if you are from North America, "Central American" or "Panamanian", "Costa Rican", etc if you are from Central America or "Brazilian", "Peruvian" or "Latin American" if you are from South America.

It would make you sound more polite and less weird if you did that.

Answer 8

You are correct when you say:"to describe people from the United States"...other than that you are wrong to say you are American.

Answer 9

People like to pick on us for calling ourselves Americans, but unfortunately there's just no easier way to describe yourself if you're from the U.S. It's not very accurate, but I'm not sure what other options we have.

Answer 10

..funny!
..I'm an American too!!
we rock!!
god bless America!!!!!