Which country are you from?

[Basics]

Geographically I live in a country in Europe, but I would never define myself as a "European".

Why is that? Is it kind of unmannered thing to call Europe-based person "European"? I guess you rather want to be called like "Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian"?

[bigsisjiejie]

Why is that? Is it kind of unmannered thing to call Europe-based person "European"? I guess you rather want to be called like "Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian"?

Snowflake's a Brit maybe? I don't know of any Brit that likes to be called "European."

[Mathman]

Where are you from, BigSis? I see you are posting from Beijing, but your total command of idiomatic American English makes me think you are from the U.S. ?

[snowflake]

Why is that? Is it kind of unmannered thing to call Europe-based person "European"?

It is not unmannered, but it is generalizing. People in Europe have different cultures, history, languages, climates, food, favorite sports, interests etc. And there are historical, recent and current conflicts between the nations.

I guess you rather want to be called like "Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian"?

Right

[Tonichelle]

everytime ANYONE views this thread the count goes up, that means someone who voted/created/replied on this thread gets counted more than once

and I'm in the US... in the largest state (you can put Texas in it three times and there'd still be room for more!) of ALASKA!

[Ptichka]

Not quite clear what the poll asks - do you really want to know where people are "from", meaning where they were born, or rather were they live and how they identify themselves. For example, I voted America because this is where I live and how I self identify, but I am actually from Russia.

[bigsisjiejie]

^^^@ Mathman: you speak truly. However, I have lived in my current location for many years, and have spent 1/3 of my (rather substantial middle aged) life in China + SE Asia, including many years growing up over here. I am now a stranger in my own land.

[Hsuhs]

Not quite clear what the poll asks - do you really want to know where people are "from", meaning where they were born, or rather were they live and how they identify themselves. For example, I voted America because this is where I live and how I self identify, but I am actually from Russia.

I was thinking the same thing. I voted Europe, while I'm from Russia (assuming Russia =/= Europe.... for some reason)

[Basics]

Not quite clear what the poll asks - do you really want to know where people are "from", meaning where they were born, or rather were they live and how they identify themselves. For example, I voted America because this is where I live and how I self identify, but I am actually from Russia.

Hm...it should be, "how do you identify yourself?" doesn't matter where you were born or where you live currently.

[snowflake]

Hm...it should be, "how do you identify yourself?" doesn't matter where you were born or where you live currently.

Looks like many posters/skaters have lived in more than one country and/or have more than one citizenship. Could be hard to identify yourself then. But it probably makes the board more interesting.

Do Canadiens ever identify themselves as Americans?/North Americans?

[Ladskater]

Canada is a country, but is also a member of the Common Wealth which links us to Great Britain. Although Canada does have it's own constitution and Prime Minister, Queen Elizabeth of England was conferred with the title Queen of Canada in 1953 and is still our Head of State. So we as a nation are still closely linked with Great Britain. That is why many of our laws and customs - not to mention spelling - are British based.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Canada

http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/fr-rf/101-eng.cfm

[snowflake]

Canada is a country, but is also a member of the Common Wealth which links us to Great Britain. Although Canada does have it's own constitution and Prime Minister, Queen Elizabeth of England was conferred with the title Queen of Canada in 1953 and is still our Head of State. So we as a nation are still closely linked with Great Britain. That is why many of our laws and customs - not to mention spelling - are British based.
]

OK, I know Canada is a country, but it also belongs to the continent North America, hence my question. Interesting though if you feel more British than American. And what about the French areas? Suppose people there call themselves French Canadiens.

[ImaginaryPogue]

No, we don't call ourselves N. Americans, but that's very much a Canadian way of defining ourselves as "not Americans"

[Tonichelle]

Suppose people there call themselves French Canadiens.

I'm not Canadian, but I know that there are French Canadians...

North America has three [BIG] countries, but only the US seems to use "American" to describe ourselves. "Native American" - I'm not sure if that's just for the US native peoples (I know canadian publicans refer to Indians/Eskimo/Other tribal peoples as "First People").

Canada = Canadians
Mexico = Mexican/Hispanic
USA = Americans (we're the "United States of America" so I think that's where it comes from, not like the idea that floats around these boards on occasion that we have the arrogance to think we're the only ones on this continent. We're well aware of Canada and Mexico... and SOUTH America)

[ImaginaryPogue]

Central America and the Carribean are part of N. America, so I think that's something like 23 countries (wiki)

That said, I have met Americans who didn't know where Canada was, so it's not like that idea was borne out of nothing.