What is your nationality?

Q. "What is your nationality?"
If I am asked this question, what would be the correct/most relevant answer for that of the following?

a) My nationality is the United States. (It is the United States.)
b) My nationality is American. (It is American.)
c) I am American.
d) I am an American.
e) None of the above

b, c, d sounds correct to me, but I would normally say c or d.

For b, I would use this expression when the sentence or the statement is not complete, like 'My nationality is American, but I was born and brought up in Italy.'

Or you could say: "I am originally from the USA/America" if you want to mention your nationality.

I'd normally say c) or d), however this is now regarded as politically incorrect in some circles. This usage is sometimes considered insensitive nowadays, since equating the U.S. to America tends to minimize the importance of the other countries of North and South America.

Some folks suggest using 'United Statian', 'United Statesian', 'Statian/Statesian', 'Yank', 'Yankee', etc. instead.

I'm a US citizen.

New Yorker, don't be so worried about what Europeans and Latin Americans think, merci.

Some people use "I'm from the states"

<<Some folks suggest using 'United Statian', 'United Statesian', 'Statian/Statesian', 'Yank', 'Yankee', etc. instead.>>

No they don't. You made this up.

KT the only thing it has to do with Europeans is their (I'm English, not European) inability to distinguish between the Canadian and American Accent(s). It is probably more of to do with political pressure in that hemisphere.

You want to be careful about being "American" it could become as meaningless as being "British", foreigners born in England refer to themselves as "British" and have little love for England, my brother would be an example, but I know plenty more. The US has a better track record of integration.

I can see your point about being "British" and being "American" since those words really do not say anything about ethnicity, or specifics about one's home culture.

I certainly don't want to be called a "Yankee", and LOL, "Statian" is just too dang close to "Martian".

Sounds ugly...

No! I will not have Michael Moore speak for me! I don't care if he IS related to the Super Sugar Crisp Bear! No TY. I used to like his earlier stuff, now I find him, well, let another country have him!

You often start these controversial threads, don't you, superdavid?

<<Some folks suggest using 'United Statian', 'United Statesian', 'Statian/Statesian', 'Yank', 'Yankee', etc. instead.>>

No they don't. You made this up.-Guest


Regrettably, some of the people who post in the English Forum AND some in the Languages forum also suggest those silly names.

A typical response for someone in the United States would be "I'm American," or "I'm an American." I'd probably say "I'm Texan," but in my experience that's a peculiarity of Texans... :-) lol

Thank-you, Skippy. I see someone named Elbarto is trying to promote this Statian nonsense at the Urban Dictionary.

<<
<<Some folks suggest using 'United Statian', 'United Statesian', 'Statian/Statesian', 'Yank', 'Yankee', etc. instead.>>

No they don't. You made this up.-Guest


Regrettably, some of the people who post in the English Forum AND some in the Languages forum also suggest those silly names.
>>

Actually, this has been going on for a long time (and not just here at Antimoon). Here are some of the suggested terms for Americans:

- American
- Leftpondian
- Merkin
- Moronican
- Murkun
- Murrican
- North American
- Stater
- Statian
- Statizen
- Statsian
- Uesican
- Uessian
- Unisan
- Unisian
- United statian
- United States American
- United statesian
- Unitizen
- US American
- USAian
- Usamerican (USAmerican)
- Usan
- Usanian
- Usian
- U-S-ian
- US-ian
- USican
- Usonian
- Yank
- Yankee