Colorado State: 'Avoid' using 'Americans,' 'America'

[Ghostpanther]

The first mistake is caring what Colorado State thinks is the correct terms to use.

[Powerogue]

“erases other cultures and depicts the United States as the dominant American country.” The school suggests using “U.S. citizen” or “person from the U.S.” as substitutes.

If anything, "American" is more inclusive since, technically, it could refer to anyone from North or South America.

I'd be very curious as to the reasoning behind some of those other silly examples. "We can't say 'cake walk' because some people are too poor to afford cake, damn it!"

[Ghostpanther]

“erases other cultures and depicts the United States as the dominant American country.” The school suggests using “U.S. citizen” or “person from the U.S.” as substitutes.

If anything, "American" is more inclusive since, technically, it could refer to anyone from North or South America.

I'd be very curious as to the reasoning behind some of those other silly examples. "We can't say 'cake walk' because some people are too poor to afford cake, damn it!"

Lol! Good one.

[Sunseeker]

I'd be very curious as to the reasoning behind some of those other silly examples. "We can't say 'cake walk' because some people are too poor to afford cake, damn it!"

It gives the reasoning in the document linked in the article. Apparently it has something to do with "cake dances" that white slave owners held.

[Dreknar20]

“erases other cultures and depicts the United States as the dominant American country.”

yeah, cause the world superpower is somehow not the dominant American country

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Apparently it has something to do with "cake dances" that white slave owners held.

they also slept in beds, mine as well get rid of those too

[Ghostpanther]

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they also slept in beds, mine as well get rid of those too

Good point. It is getting ridiculous to the extent some are taking this political correction issue.

[Freighter]

Seems ridiculous as hell.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Ah they didn't say don't use the word cunt.

So CSU are a bunch of cunts.

As a German that is (surely unintended) doubly funny.

[Nellise]

The issue with "American", particularly in contexts like "American citizen", is that there are two continents that are Americas.

If you're a Uruguayan national living in the United States, and a police officer asks you if you're a citizen, and you say "yes, officer, I'm an American citizen", then you can't consider that to be fraud. He's a citizen. Of a nation in South America. That's an America, so they're an "American citizen".

The USA doesn't own "America" as a term.

People in the USA have been called Americans since it was founded. They've always been called that, it's not like somebody claimed it trying to take it from someone else. There's no non-awkward other way to refer to them. There's no English version of "Canadian" or "Mexican" for someone from the United States, so "American" has been used for that for over 200 years. A person from Uruguay saying they're an "American citizen" is purposely being disingenuous because South America as an entity doesn't give citizenship to anybody, the specific countries located there do.

[Cosmic Janitor]

People in the USA have been called Americans since it was founded. They've always been called that, it's not like somebody claimed it trying to take it from someone else. There's no non-awkward other way to refer to them. There's no English version of "Canadian" or "Mexican" for someone from the United States, so "American" has been used for that for over 200 years. A person from Uruguay saying they're an "American citizen" is purposely being disingenuous because South America as an entity doesn't give citizenship to anybody, the specific countries located there do.

I mean we could try to make the yankee thing an.. actual thing. If we invent pronouns and genders we might as well reuse old slang that already has a meaning - or is that my mistake here and we'd need to invent something new because it already exists? /confused

[spanishninja]

The issue with "American", particularly in contexts like "American citizen", is that there are two continents that are Americas.

If you're a Uruguayan national living in the United States, and a police officer asks you if you're a citizen, and you say "yes, officer, I'm an American citizen", then you can't consider that to be fraud. He's a citizen. Of a nation in South America. That's an America, so they're an "American citizen".

The USA doesn't own "America" as a term.



Because the group form is still "Latino", which presumes a male gender; that's the issue. You're latino, your friend is latina, together you're both latino, which seems to overlook her gender.

The "latinx" thing is meant to provide a different non-gendered group label that covers both. I think it's a bit awkward to say, linguistically (visually, they're essentially just replacing the -0 and -a gender ending with a variable), but I understand why they're pushing for something like that.

your example of the Uraguayan national is not any reason to stop using the term American. If you're from Uruguay and tell a cop you're an American citizen, you're totally free to call yourself an American, and the officer is totally within his power to verify that claim. both you and I know that at least in the United States, the likelihood that this scenario takes place is ridiculously low. It's not a thing.

also, by your logic, wouldn't a US citizen have at least as much of a right to call calling themselves American as someone from Uruguay, regardless of whether the country name "America" has historically been associated with the US? Last I checked, USA is also part of the Americas. If you're going to conflate the use of America as a country designator with its use as a general landmass designator, everyone living in North and South America is entitled to calling themselves "American", including US citizens.

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I mean we could try to make the yankee thing an.. actual thing. If we invent pronouns and genders we might as well reuse old slang that already has a meaning - or is that my mistake here and we'd need to invent something new because it already exists? /confused

you say that like I actually support inventing new pronouns and genders. I don't.

[Kellhound]

As a student in the CSU system, I will be sure to ignore these suggestions completely.

[Crissi]

Gotta say, in my interactions with people from central / South America as well as Geography related professions, not once have I heard the "We're Americans too!" complaint. people from Belize want to be Belizians. Peru? Peruvians. Guatemala? Guatemalans. If they want to identify with their region, with in groups it may be Americans but with people outside their groups its been variations of Central / South Americans. The Americas is also suitable.

People from the U.S have been Americans since the start because its basically the same pattern as the rest of the countries. Its not meant as a slight against the rest of the 2 continents. Calling us United Statsian is just flat out clunky and odd. Yanks could work, but it also has been used as a slur against people form the Northern US.

[Kaleredar]

I still don't understand how "latinX" or "latinE" are different from "latin". Like, that's not how english works, for starters, and the pronounciation in english leaves these words almost identical to the original. Also, the French and Italians are included in "latin". And "hispanic" is preferred by some Brazilians, Spanish (from Spain) and Portuguese to differentiate themselves from "latin" which typically refers to everything south of the US border.
?

I assume "latinx" is the preferred term because "latino" or "latina" imply gender and a presumed "gender disparity" wherein any group of things that includes a male, no matter how many females there are within it, automatically becomes referred to as a collective males, rather than a mix of both. Like how referring to people as "latinos" refers to both men and women of latin descent, despite "latino" being male.

But that's my assumption. I never "asked" anyone if that was the case.

Of course if that is the case they should really take that up with the rules of the Spanish language itself, seeing as everything has a "gender" in it.

Gotta say, in my interactions with people from central / South America as well as Geography related professions, not once have I heard the "We're Americans too!" complaint. people from Belize want to be Belizians. Peru? Peruvians. Guatemala? Guatemalans. If they want to identify with their region, with in groups it may be Americans but with people outside their groups its been variations of Central / South Americans. The Americas is also suitable.

People from the U.S have been Americans since the start because its basically the same pattern as the rest of the countries. Its not meant as a slight against the rest of the 2 continents. Calling us United Statsian is just flat out clunky and odd. Yanks could work, but it also has been used as a slur against people form the Northern US.

The only people I've heard swear that "American" doesn't refer to people from the United States are people from Europe.

And yes, that includes times on this forum. Nobody from either of the Americas seems to care.

I think some Europeans wanted a way to "well actually" Americans to try and take them down a peg in their world standing by looking more worldly than them.

"Oh you think you're so big, WELL ACTUALLY 'Americans' refers to ALL of America, not just the United States, you corn-fed hick!"

A sentiment along those lines.

[melodramocracy]

before anybody goes "derp derp it's a canpus reform article derp derp!", the text includes link to the university's own words.

It's still colossally stupid.

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The first mistake is caring what Colorado State thinks is the correct terms to use.

We rarely agree, but this is one of those times.

[Daedius]

Gotta say, in my interactions with people from central / South America as well as Geography related professions, not once have I heard the "We're Americans too!" complaint. people from Belize want to be Belizians. Peru? Peruvians. Guatemala? Guatemalans. If they want to identify with their region, with in groups it may be Americans but with people outside their groups its been variations of Central / South Americans. The Americas is also suitable.

People from the U.S have been Americans since the start because its basically the same pattern as the rest of the countries. Its not meant as a slight against the rest of the 2 continents. Calling us United Statsian is just flat out clunky and odd. Yanks could work, but it also has been used as a slur against people form the Northern US.

Don't you know it's their favorite hobby to be condescending sods to speak on behalf of others even when not asked?

And even then when someone of the demograph they're 'defending' says they don't care nor is it an issue these white knights dismiss or insult them.

These fake defenders of "justice!" are just doing it to feel good about themselves, stroking their pseudo morality ego...

[Foosha]

As a resident of Colorado, it's well known that CSU is the reject school. So bad, that many would rather go into a vocational school or community college rather than attend CSU.

Anyways. Where do I sign up to be on said stupid committees? I want free hours and/or money

[PickleballAce]

The only people I've heard swear that "American" doesn't refer to people from the United States are people from Europe.

The process is almost always:

- Idiot from Europe comments on something happening in Canada intending to bash the United States.

- Idiot from Europe gets called out for their mistake.

- Idiot from Europe, instead of admitting their mistake, tries in vain to convince the rest of the thread that by American they actually meant anyone from the Americas.

- Nobody but other idiots from Europe will buy the excuse.

[BeepBoo]

CSU will continue to get told "fuck off" whenever they call for free handouts. I paid them what they thought my education was worth, but with dumb things such as nuking the largest parking lot they had when parking was ALREADY A PROBLEM and they oversell parking spaces with no guarantee you'll be able to park... Nah. Now I'm learning they have some committee that helps them decide what is PC to say? Double nah.

Also, being handicapped defacto means you're lesser than your fellow "normal" man in some way. Sorry not sorry.

[Independent voter]

Berkely, California just passed a law that changed a couple dozen words. For example, you can't say "manhole cover" anymore, you have to say "maintenance hole".

Google it, if you're interested.