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May 20th, 2007, 19:03
Someone recently took exception to the term "alien" about Thailand. We Americans use it more often than many other folks, I believe, when we talk about non-Americans. Am I right?
Marsilius
May 21st, 2007, 04:10
It's certainly not a term that an English person would use (unless he was talking about visitors from outer space!)

We refer to "foreigners".
May 21st, 2007, 04:44
It's certainly not a term that an English person would use (unless he was talking about visitors from outer space!)
We refer to "foreigners".I use it as an adjective, a stronger version of foreign
Dboy
May 21st, 2007, 21:09
in Texas we use the term "illegal alien". It's rude, and that's the point.


Dboy
May 22nd, 2007, 07:59
In the US we've been using that term since the beginning. It could be a "legalistic" useage (as in the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798).
Could be (and this is only a guess) that its used to distinguish beteween a Citizen of the US (who may be a foriegner) and a citizen of another country.

Remember, the goofy useage of "alien" to mean "beings from outer space" is an invention of the 20th century.

BTW, we usually use the term "immigrants" for resident aliens (that word again) rather than "foriegners". Foriegners to us are people who live in other countries and are visiting - foriegn students, foriegn tourists, foriegn businessmen etc.
May 22nd, 2007, 13:29
In the US we've been using that term since the beginning. It could be a "legalistic" useage (as in the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798).
Could be (and this is only a guess) that its used to distinguish

beteween a Citizen of the US (who may be a foriegner)

eh?
and a citizen of another country.



Remember, the goofy useage of "alien" to mean "beings from outer space" is an invention of the 20th century.

BTW, we usually use the term "immigrants" for resident aliens (that word again) rather than "foriegners". Foriegners to us are people who live in other countries and are visiting - foriegn students, foriegn tourists, foriegn businessmen etc.

Confused? ... you wll be ...

so is a foreigner a visiting expatriate?
May 23rd, 2007, 07:27
...a citizen who is "foriegn born" ie "naturalized citizen".