American Pilgrims on the Camino/Gatherings

[Robert Ward]

WIth all due respects, I don't think we can call the use of "American" to mean "citizens of the US" an error. It's just plain English usage, and - as everyone has already observed - no other word exists. I don't know any Canadian who uses "American" in any other sense, and as far as I can tell it is normal usage in British and Antipodean English as well. Even the Italians - and Amerigo Vespucci was Italian - refer to US citizens as "Americani". So I don't think that Americans need to worry that they have "arrogated" that name to themselves, at least not where other English speakers are concerned. (Thanks though for your concern.)
As for speakers of Spanish, or rather, Castellano; well, that might be another story...
>
> From: GC Fraser <mad.monkaCOMCAST.NET>
> Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 14:11:14 -0500
> To: GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu
> Subject: Re: American Pilgrims on the Camino/Gatherings
>
>         As I understand it, the use of the word "American" to refer only
> to people from the USA is a (very) common error.  From the first use of
> the word, it meant anyone from the Americas, North and South.  Clearly,
> most US residents arrogate the term to themselves.  Others, Canadians
> and Europeans mostly, sometimes use it in its wider, original meaning.
>         There isn't another convenient term to mean citizens or
> residents of the United States, I suppose that's why so many use
> "American" as an easy out.  For myself, If I'm asked whether I'm an
> American, I just answer "yes".  If the question is put differently, I
> usually say, "I'm from the US" or some equivalent.
>         I suppose this is a wasted effort on my part, but as far as I'm
> concerned any Canadian, Mexican, Costa Rican or Ecuadorian should be
> able to answer "yes" when asked if they are American.  Maybe the
> international community of the compañeros del Camino is a good place to
> start this more historically accurate and inclusive practise.
>         Are there any takers?
>
> Fr. Gerry Fraser
>