[FrancesHinden]

mike777, on 2012-July-13, 08:13, said:

I think one huge difference America has from other nations is that we are still growing our population, mainly through immigration, while many parts of the western world have declining populations. Demographics is driving many changes around the globe. One example is a declining workforce supporting an older, growing, nonworking population.

Another differnce in the American Way may be a stronger belief, compared to other countries, in capitalism.


I do note that Canucks, through their pension/retirement plans are owners of many of these large corporations.

here are a few countries in which the population is growing (data from world bank via google):

UK
France
Canada
New Zealand
Australia
Netherlands
Italy
Singapore
Spain
Switzerland

(this is not by any means an exclusive list, I just looked at a few countries in the 'western world' at random)

It's true that all these countries also tend to have substantial immigration, but to suggest the USA is somehow unusual in that respect is a little odd.

[mike777]

I think one huge difference America has from other nations is that we are still growing our population, mainly through immigration, while many parts of the western world have declining populations. Demographics is driving many changes around the globe. One example is a declining workforce supporting an older, growing, nonworking population.



http://www.indexmund....aspx?c=ee&v=24


Country Comparison > Population growth rate

I note indeed the population is growing in many countries but at a rate close to zero,

The main point remains in many places a minority of workers may soon have to support a majority who do not work outside of the home due to age, illness, retirement, disability, etc etc...






Beware Of Europe's Ticking Demographic Time Bomb

http://seekingalpha....aphic-time-bomb


--


btw we see this in American cities as well as some countries in Europe already where the working/tax paying populations are having problems paying for those that are retired public workers.

So perhaps parts of America are indeed becoming like many other parts of the world.

[Zelandakh]

onoway, on 2012-July-14, 12:33, said:

Just "Americans" means something entirely different.

...to you.

I think you are missing the whole point that American can also refer to an inhabitant of the continent(s) rather than specifically of the USA. Thus American is no different from European in this context. When referencing Canada in combination it is clear that this is the meaning being attributed to the word American. Noone is suggesting that Canada is part of the USA any more than referencing a Brit as European suggests they will start eating sausage and sauerkraut and become German.

[gwnn]

Zelandakh, on 2012-July-16, 03:51, said:

I think you are missing the whole point that American can also refer to an inhabitant of the continent(s) rather than specifically of the USA.

And I think you are missing the whole point that this usage is extremely rare.

Quote

Thus American is no different from European in this context.

Yes it is, because this usage is extremely rare.

Usage is the most important factor when trying to find out what English words mean. And the most common use (by far) for the word 'American' is 'from USA' (or citizen of USA or something related to USA). If you want to pretend otherwise, fine.

[mycroft]

I got a new one on this yesterday flying home from the Nationals.

MSP->YYC, we were told by the Triangle Airlines staff that the in-flight internet is only available in North America, so it would stop working once we entered Canada. We had about an hour of (massively expensive) internet available to us before we left North America.

Yes, he did say this twice.