American Ethnicity - Is it possible to be ethnically American?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don't think so, unless you're referring to Native American ancestry. Everyone else is a descendent of an immigrant and their ethnicity comes from elsewhere.

Where did the Native Americans come from?

[Anonymous]

How long does America have to exist before you consider it an ethnicity?

Italy has only been Italy since the mid-19th century. We're older than them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ethnicity encompaases cultural factors such as nationality, culture, language and beliefs. I consider myself to be ethnically American. Some may say I am Italian-American, but I don't. I don't identify with Italian culture (music, food, traditions) an more or less than other non-American cultures.

It depends on how you were raised.

I grew up with both languages, learned how to make sauce and pasta, and have many friends with Italian spouses who keep to traditions. So I definitely think I'm a 50-50 split.

[Anonymous]

When I lived in London, I was filling out a survey at our local public library branch and they asked a question about ethnicity, probably to figure out what groups were using the library's services. I chose Caucasian for race and the options that the survey gave me for associated ethnicities were English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, or other. I am a mix of English, German, Swedish, and Dutch ancestry so I marked down other and wrote in American.

I normally wouldn't consider myself ethnically American, but this seemed like the best answer given the parameters of UK government categories. I am white, but not one of the "white ethnicities" that make up the big groups in the UK.

[Anonymous]

My dad's side has been in this country since before the Revolution. One of my ancestors was vice president under President Monroe. I once asked my grandfather what our ethnicity was and he said "American." Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, my Gramps (BTW the correct answer is English).

[Anonymous]

I have Chinese-american friends whose fAmilies have roots in the us longer than my white family .... Ditto for black friends. So who is ethnically American?

[Anonymous]

I think there are ethnic groups that have evolved and developed in this country, and are distinct from others of the same ancestry in their home countries. I'm in that category. My ancestors are English, and French, and Scottish, and Dutch, but they've all been here long enough that none of the original traditions remain. My friend's ancestors came over as slaves, probably from several different African nations, with some Native American and white ancestors mixed in, their family culture however, is African American, a heritage/ethnicity that's unique to this country. Cajuns in Louisiana, are another example of a group with a distinct culture unique to the U.S..

So, I'd consider all these groups to have an American ethnic identity. However, of all of them, the WASPy ones like me are the only ones with enough privilege to claim that they are "the" American ethnicity or "just" American or "real" American, as opposed to simply one of a variety of wonderful American cultural groups.

[Anonymous]

"However, of all of them, the WASPy ones like me are the only ones with enough privilege to claim that they are "the" American ethnicity or "just" American or "real" American, as opposed to simply one of a variety of wonderful American cultural groups."

DCUM Laff of the Month.

[Anonymous]

Yes. White Americans and Black Americans have more in common with each other than they do with their "race brothers" in Europe or Africa.

[Anonymous]

"My ancestors are English, and French, and Scottish, and Dutch, but they've all been here long enough that none of the original traditions remain."

Do you speak English, moron?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"My ancestors are English, and French, and Scottish, and Dutch, but they've all been here long enough that none of the original traditions remain."

Do you speak English, moron?

Language is not a tradition.

[Anonymous]

My paternal grandfather's side goes back to late 1700s (from England)-- in North Carolina. The rest of my grandparents were from Ireland circa 1920 and Italy circa 1930s. We joke my grandfather brings a touch of class to the mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My paternal grandfather's side goes back to late 1700s (from England)-- in North Carolina. The rest of my grandparents were from Ireland circa 1920 and Italy circa 1930s. We joke my grandfather brings a touch of class to the mix.

Maybe joke that your grandfather brings a touch of thug and criminal element to the mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"My ancestors are English, and French, and Scottish, and Dutch, but they've all been here long enough that none of the original traditions remain."

Do you speak English, moron?

Language is not a tradition.

Whether you call is traditions or language or ethnicity, the traditions do remain, from religion to language, from Chrismas Carols to Halloween, fairy tales to colloquialisms to nursery rhymes and lullabys. We are steeped in those traditions.

[Anonymous]

I did not tink so when I lived in NY where everyone in my high school was first or second generation Irish-, Italian- or Jewish- American. But then I moved to the South and started meeting people who were "Irish-Scots-German-NativeAmerican" mix and whose families had been here 300 or 400 years. Then I started thinking, yeah, those people are ethnically American. Or Southern, at least.