Topic: The Origin of Species

[Les]

While sitting in bed this morning drinking a cup of tea, pondering over Darwin's "The Origin of Species"
I came up with a question that I could not answer.
If people from
Russia are Russians
china are Chinese
America are Americans
Japan are Japanese
Britain are British
Etc, Etc, Etc
(even in other country's)

Why are People from Africa in other country's, (America, Britain,etc) not called "African's" instead of "Blacks"

Les

[Peripatetic Phil]

Because Africa is a continent, not a country ?  Cf "Nigerians", "Ugandans", etc.
** Phil.

[Les]

Because Africa is a continent, not a country ?  Cf "Nigerians", "Ugandans", etc.
** Phil.

but all African's from the continent of Africa.

[Peripatetic Phil]

but all African's from the continent of Africa.

Agreed.  But if we know from which country a person comes, we use the relevant noun (Germans, Kenyans, Britons, Ugandans, Australians, Nigerians, etc) rather than just generalising to a continent (Europeans, Africans, Australasians, etc).   The only place in which I know of Africans being called "blacks" (other than pejoratively) is South Africa, where its usage /is/ pejorative but also enshrined in the local culture.  In North America they are generally called African-Americans; in Britain, we either use the real nationality (see above) or say "Africans".  What made you ask in the first place, Les ?

** Phil.

[Les]

Watched some programme on tv lately which where having a discussion on national's, where here in Britain it's wrong to call Africans "coloured" but must be called "black" because that is the correct term, I've never heard a black man being called African in my part of the country.


Les

[chonk]

Why are People from Africa in other country's, (America, Britain,etc) not called "African's" instead of "Blacks"

They are, partially.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Watched some programme on tv lately which where having a discussion on national's, where here in Britain it's wrong to call Africans "coloured" but must be called "black" because that is the correct term, I've never heard a black man being called African in my part of the country

Ah, that is different :  that is the adjectival use; where the older preferred term was "coloured" this has now been replaced by "black" because of black pride ("We are not coloured, we are black").  But the substantive use ("Blacks") is definitely pejorative, and Africans is undoubtedly preferably so long as the people referred to are indeed African and not (say) West Indian.

** Phil.

[Les]

Totally agree Phil,
maybe I put the question wrong in the first place, (lack of education :)

Les

[Keefy]

Good quote from Captain Beefheart (otherwise known as Don Van Vliet), the singer of Willie the Pimp on Frank Zappa's album Hot Rats :

"All people are coloured - otherwise you wouldn't be able to see them."