Do You Regard English Speakers From Other Countries As Foreigners?

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to speak a different language. Idon't regard Americans and Australians etc. as foreigners. What are others'views on this subject?

One who is from a foreign country or place is a foreigner. In fact, any outsider could be considered as such.
That's my view.
Zz

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to speak a different language. I don't regard Americans and Australians etc. as foreigners. What are others' views on this subject?

If English is not their native language, they're foreigners.

If English is their native language, they're furriners.

If they're from another planet, they're aliens.
If they pick their teeth with tenpenny nails, they're barbarians.

Bob Lieblich
And if they pick their noses ...

on 02 Nov 2003:

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to speak a different language. I don't regard Americans and Australians etc. as foreigners. What are others' views on this subject?

Anyone who comes from a country other than mine is a "foreigner" regardless of their language. Language is only one part of culture and it is not sufficient to imply familiarity with the rest of the culture. Here in Taiwan, I am a foreigner and so are all the mainland Chinese, Singapore Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, Vietnamese Chinese, Canadian Chinese, American Chinese, etc, throughout the world. They aren't Taiwanese. A Brit is not a Yank is not a Kiwi is not an Aussie is not a Canadian etc.

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to speak a different language. I don't regard Americans and Australians etc. as foreigners. What are others' views on this subject?

In the United States, my understanding of "foreigner" is as including people from any other country, English-speaking or not, among foreigners, except Canadians. (I don't know if this is a good thing or not - but in the U.S., Canada isn't generally regarded as a foreign country. At best, it's sort of a domestic country.) But the word "foreigner" isn't used very much in any case.
-Aaron J. Dinkin
Dr. Whom

on 02 Nov 2003:

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to ... etc. as foreigners. What are others' views on this subject?

In the United States, my understanding of "foreigner" is as including people from any other country, English-speaking or not, among ... country. At best, it's sort of a domestic country.) But the word "foreigner" isn't used very much in any case.

That's true. It's usually "alien". But Canadians are definitely foreigners to me. There are many things in their culture that are different from American culture.

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to speak a different language. I don't regard Americans and Australians etc. as foreigners. What are others' views on this subject? Cheers, Matt

I don't think "foreigner" refers to language at all. The word "foreign" just means "unfamiliar", and the general usage is in reference to a person who does not share one's nationality.

Mike

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to speak a different language. I don't regard Americans and Australians etc. as foreigners. What are others' views on this subject? Cheers, Matt

A foreigner is from another country (including the past) In my Social Security days, I once gave a colleague guidance on how to treat a claim from a Canadian - viz, in the terminology of that decade's legislation, 'as an alien'. She was, as it happens, married to a Canadian (not the one who claimed) and took umbrage. She rarely spoke to me again. And Sting, of course, like dear Quentin, was a legal alien in Noo Yawk. Anyway, Americans and Australians *do* speak a different language.
John Dean
Oxford
De-frag to reply

For me, to be called a foreigner, one has to ... etc. as foreigners. What are others' views on this subject?

In the United States, my understanding of "foreigner" is as including people from any other country, English-speaking or not, among ... country. At best, it's sort of a domestic country.) But the word "foreigner" isn't used very much in any case.

I agree very much with that last sentence. "Foreigner" seems like a very un-American (and I don't mean that in the HUAC sense) sort of English word. Feels like it is associated with a more narrow-minded, insular cultural era (which nevertheless featured better taste in music, which just goes to show you that progress and regress sometimes go hand in hand). "Foreigner" is at least quasi-derogatory. OTOH I get the sense that British speakers still often use "foreigner", FWTM.

We don't really have a workable replacement for it in American English. The other day I was describing someone to someone else, and it was relevant that this person was from a non-American culture and was not a native English speaker. But to express this, I had to say "He's not a native speaker of English, and he's from Taiwan". That's the price you pay.