Unless you came from another country yourself you shouldn’t use the hyphen. My ancestors came from Ireland during the potato famine of the late 1840’s so I can say I’m an American of Irish extraction but not Irish-American.
North Atlantic blend here— If you go by where they came from, I descend from Norwegians, Irish (County Mayo,) Canadian and Acadian French. But, were they really that? Family myth says there was Spanish mixed in with the Irish, Saami and/or Greek and/or Scottish mixed with the Norwegian, and indigenous American mixed with the Canadian/Acadian French. Somehow, I came out with reddish black wavy hair, a dark Mediterranean skin-tone, epicanthic eye folds, and a less-common mitochondria that is more prevalent in Iran, Northern India and Finland.
My husband’s family is equally mixed. He has grandparents born in Northern Italy and Finland. His father was what are sometimes called “Portuguese” in the US South. His sister prefers to define it as ‘central Florida swamp gumbo.’ That’s a little Jamestown Virginia English, a little colonial Spanish, (or maybe Portuguese) spiced and blended well with both indigenous and African American.
Our son’s take on this — We are just pure blooded American mongrels. If our passports say we are American, that’s what we are. No hyphens necessary.
Macushlalondra over 2 years ago
Unless you came from another country yourself you shouldn’t use the hyphen. My ancestors came from Ireland during the potato famine of the late 1840’s so I can say I’m an American of Irish extraction but not Irish-American.
blunebottle over 2 years ago
Good point.
Considering my family roots go back 5 generations in this my homeland, I AM CANADIAN.
The Pro from Dover over 2 years ago
And I am an AMERICAN.
Wren Fahel over 2 years ago
I’m part Blackfoot & Canadian-french. My husband is English/Scottish/German/Filipino. Our girls like to think of themselves as mutts. LOL
Alberta Oil Premium Member over 2 years ago
I’m a Canadian because I got a piece of paper from the government that says I am.
awcoffman over 2 years ago
Every human being in America (N & S) is either an immigrant or is descended from one.
ellisaana Premium Member over 2 years ago
North Atlantic blend here— If you go by where they came from, I descend from Norwegians, Irish (County Mayo,) Canadian and Acadian French. But, were they really that? Family myth says there was Spanish mixed in with the Irish, Saami and/or Greek and/or Scottish mixed with the Norwegian, and indigenous American mixed with the Canadian/Acadian French. Somehow, I came out with reddish black wavy hair, a dark Mediterranean skin-tone, epicanthic eye folds, and a less-common mitochondria that is more prevalent in Iran, Northern India and Finland.
My husband’s family is equally mixed. He has grandparents born in Northern Italy and Finland. His father was what are sometimes called “Portuguese” in the US South. His sister prefers to define it as ‘central Florida swamp gumbo.’ That’s a little Jamestown Virginia English, a little colonial Spanish, (or maybe Portuguese) spiced and blended well with both indigenous and African American.
Our son’s take on this — We are just pure blooded American mongrels. If our passports say we are American, that’s what we are. No hyphens necessary.
gammaguy over 2 years ago
Well, if everybody with ancestors from Africa is considered to be “Afro-American”, then I guess I’m “Euro-American”.