MovieChat Forums > Lawless (2012) Discussion > About the 'foreigner' thing.

About the 'foreigner' thing.

posted 11 years ago by mackay254
8 replies | jump to latest

In Britain, we don't classify English-speaking people as foreigners. I know that it means someone from another country by dictionary definition. But here they're just Yanks or Canadians or Kiwis or Aussies or Saffers!
It seems strange how the USA classifies the rest of the English speaking world as 'foreign'.
Do other English-speaking people do so?
To us -British people- a foreigner speaks a foreign language.
I know that this has nothing to do with the film per se. It just perplexed me when I saw another thread.

[–] shonoffilm 11 years ago

We (americans) pretty much apply the word to anyone none American. Typically from overseas. Doesnt matter the language they speak. Though some people use it to define people not from their area in general. Not that big of a deal really.

[–] tomfrederick-65521 9 years ago

I know you posted this a long time ago, but I disagree that we British don't classify other English speakers as foreign.

As far as I am concerned everyone not from England is foreign to me, and this is the only way I have ever heard it used until I read your post.

I don't know how many other English people would agree with me or with you, but I have never heard anyone from England ever say that an American was not foreign.

[–] lansdownehouse 8 years ago

I know! Those horrid foreign Welsh; those nasty Northern Irish, and let's not even mention those evil alien Scots!

Why can't we all just be English & inbred instead?

[–] tomfrederick-65521 8 years ago

Are you calling me inbred?

Why do you think the use of the word 'Foreign' has anything to do with racism? Foreign people come from other countries. I am foreign to a Spaniard, just as the Spaniard is foreign to me.

To you take issue with the definition of words?

[–] ahviraisk 8 years ago

And you all are foreigners to me.

[–] AureliaBuendia 8 years ago

I think the term you're looking for is xenophobic! I have family from all 4 countries of GB, as well as ROI, and I can't imagine referring to them as foreigners. Likewise the Canadian, NZ or Aussie cousins!

[–] wesnuman 8 years ago

No just spics lol

[–] lemner (231) 8 months ago

I believe that, in general, Americans tend to call other English speaking people by their nationalities, as Canadian, British, Irish, Scottish, Australian. However, as a very general expression, those English speakers from other countries could be called foreigners. In addition, it's probable that an East Indian English speaker, for example, would be more likely to be called a foreigner than people from Europe or Australia who looked Caucasian.