Tuesday, May 13, 2003, 01:38 GMT
If your parents came from France, Denmark, Ireland, etc. and you were born and raised in America, Australia, Canada, etc. I'd say that you are first generation. Your kids would be second generation if and only if their other parent is also second generation or an immigrant.
I think "second generation" means that at least one of your grandparents came to the country but none of the previous generations had been there. You have ancestors that have been in America since the early 1600's. The only way that you could be second generation American is if, on average, in your family, people have childeren when they are 200 years old.
Simon is going to live in Belgium but he'll always be British. Even if he becomes a citizen he won't be first generation because he was born and raised elsewhere. His kids would be first generation Belgium, unless their mum is Belgian. Children of immigrants are first generation. If your father is nth generation and you mother is mth generation then you're either (n+1)th generation or (m+1)th generation, whichever is greater (or, of course, both if they're equal). For the purpose of this algebra I'm counting immigrants as zeroth generation, though in reality you never use this term. This is the way I see it.
My great great great great grandfather came to Australia from Ireland. He was Irish. His son, my great great great grandfather was the first generation to be born and raised in Australia so he was first generation Australian. That makes my grandad the fourth generation and so I'd be sixth generation Australian. It wouldn't matter if I have more recent arrivals to Australia in my family tree. That's as many generations that my family have been in the country (as far as I know).
Now here's the puzzle. I was born in Canada so am I still sixth generation Australian or first gerenation Canadian? I suppose I could say I'm both I've got two passports but I grew up in Australian and almost all my family is there so I feel more Aussie than Canadian.
Simon, I'm afraid that I don't agree with you here. Neither do all do Americans want to be someone else nor does everyone else want to be Americans. Knowing your heritage is more about knowing who you are. You can over do it I suppose though. There is more to who someone is than their ethnic background and you shouldn't let yourself con yourself into believing that you're someone who you're not.
Why do I feel I should have written "... you shouldn't let yourself con yourselfself into believing ..."?
I think "second generation" means that at least one of your grandparents came to the country but none of the previous generations had been there. You have ancestors that have been in America since the early 1600's. The only way that you could be second generation American is if, on average, in your family, people have childeren when they are 200 years old.
Simon is going to live in Belgium but he'll always be British. Even if he becomes a citizen he won't be first generation because he was born and raised elsewhere. His kids would be first generation Belgium, unless their mum is Belgian. Children of immigrants are first generation. If your father is nth generation and you mother is mth generation then you're either (n+1)th generation or (m+1)th generation, whichever is greater (or, of course, both if they're equal). For the purpose of this algebra I'm counting immigrants as zeroth generation, though in reality you never use this term. This is the way I see it.
My great great great great grandfather came to Australia from Ireland. He was Irish. His son, my great great great grandfather was the first generation to be born and raised in Australia so he was first generation Australian. That makes my grandad the fourth generation and so I'd be sixth generation Australian. It wouldn't matter if I have more recent arrivals to Australia in my family tree. That's as many generations that my family have been in the country (as far as I know).
Now here's the puzzle. I was born in Canada so am I still sixth generation Australian or first gerenation Canadian? I suppose I could say I'm both I've got two passports but I grew up in Australian and almost all my family is there so I feel more Aussie than Canadian.
Simon, I'm afraid that I don't agree with you here. Neither do all do Americans want to be someone else nor does everyone else want to be Americans. Knowing your heritage is more about knowing who you are. You can over do it I suppose though. There is more to who someone is than their ethnic background and you shouldn't let yourself con yourself into believing that you're someone who you're not.
Why do I feel I should have written "... you shouldn't let yourself con yourselfself into believing ..."?