Hyphenated American

In the United States, the term hyphenated American refers to the use of a hyphen (in some styles of writing) between the name of an ethnicity and the word "American" in compound nouns, e.g., as in "Irish-American". Calling a person a "hyphenated American" was an insult suggesting divided loyalties, especially in time of war. It was used from 1890 to 1920 to disparage Americans who were of foreign birth or origin, and who displayed an allegiance to a foreign country through the use of the hyphen. It was most commonly directed at German Americans or Irish Americans who called for U.S. neutrality in World War I.

In this context, the term "the hyphen" was a metonymical reference to this kind of ethnicity descriptor, and "dropping the hyphen" referred to full integration into the American identity.

Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were outspoken anti-hyphenates. Contemporary studies and debates refer to hyphenated-American identities to discuss issues such as multiculturalism and immigration in the U.S. political climate; however, the hyphen is rarely used per the recommendation of modern style guides.

Hyphenated Americanism, 1890–1920

The term "hyphenated American" was published by 1889, and was common as a derogatory term by 1904. During World War I, the issue arose of the primary political loyalty of ethnic groups with close ties to Europe, especially German Americans and also Irish Americans. In 1915, former President Theodore Roosevelt in speaking to the largely Irish Catholic Knights of Columbus at Carnegie Hall on Columbus Day, asserted that,

President Woodrow Wilson regarded "hyphenated Americans" with suspicion, saying in his Pueblo speech: "Any man who carries a hyphen about with him carries a dagger that he is ready to plunge into the vitals of this Republic whenever he gets ready."

Hyphenated American identities

Some groups recommend dropping the hyphen because it implies to some people dual nationalism and inability to be accepted as truly American. The Japanese American Citizens League is supportive of dropping the hyphen because the non-hyphenated form uses their ancestral origin as an adjective for "American".

By contrast, other groups have embraced the hyphen, arguing that the American identity is compatible with alternative identities and that the mixture of identities within the United States strengthens the nation rather than weakens it.

" European American", as opposed to White or Caucasian, has been coined in response to the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S., as well as to this diversity moving more into the mainstream of the society in the latter half of the twentieth century. The term distinguishes whites of European ancestry from those of other ancestries. In 1977, it was proposed that the term "European American" replace "white" as a racial label in the U.S. census, although this was not done. The term "European American" is not in common use in the US among the general public or in the mass media, and the terms "white" or "white American" are commonly used instead.

Usage of the hyphen

Modern style guides, such as '' AP Stylebook'', recommend dropping the hyphen between the two names;Merrill Perlman
AP tackles language about race in this year’s style guide
''Columbia Journalism Review'', April 1, 2019 some, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', recommend dropping the hyphen even for the adjective form. On the other hand, '' The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage'' allows compounds with name fragments ( bound morphemes), such as ''Italian-American'' and ''Japanese-American'', but not "Jewish American" or "French Canadian".

American English

The first term typically indicates a region or culture of origin paired with "American". Examples:
* Region, continent or race: African American, Asian American, South Asian American, European American, Hispanic American, Middle Eastern American, Native American, Pacific Islander American, etc.
* Ethnicity or nationality: Arab American, Armenian American, Bangladeshi American, Chinese American, Colombian American, Danish American, Dutch Americans, English American, Ethiopian American, Filipino American, French American, German American, Greek American, Haitian American, Indian American, Iranian Americans, Irish American, Italian American, Japanese American, Jewish American, Korean American, Mexican American, Norwegian American, Pakistani American, Polish American, Russian American, Scottish American, Spanish American, Swedish American, Turkish American, Ukrainian American, Vietnamese American, etc.

The hyphen is occasionally but not consistently employed when the compound term is used as an adjective. Academic style guides (including APA, ASA, MLA, and ''Chicago Manual'') do not use a hyphen in these compounds even when they are used as adjectives.

The linguistic construction functionally indicates ancestry, but also may connote a sense that these individuals straddle two worlds—one experience is specific to their unique ethnic identity, while the other is the broader multicultural amalgam that is Americana.

In relation to Latin America

Latin America includes most of the Western Hemisphere south of the U.S., including Mexico, Central America, South America, and (in some cases) the Caribbean. U.S. nationals with origins in Latin America are often referred to as Hispanic or Latino Americans, or by their specific country of origin, e.g., Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and Cuban Americans.

See also

* Americanization
* Cultural nationalism
* Demographics of the United States
* Diaspora studies
* Ethnic group
* Ethnic interest groups in the United States
* Ethnic nationalism
* Hyphenated ethnicity
* Melting pot
* Multiculturalism
* Nativism
* Political correctness

References

Further reading

* Bagby, Wesley M. ''The Road to Normalcy: The Presidential Campaign and Election of 1920'' (1962) pp 153–15
online
* on economic discrimination
* Burchell, R. A. "Did the Irish and German Voters Desert the Democrats in 1920? A Tentative Statistical Answer." ''Journal of American Studies'' 6.2 (1972): 153-164.
* Dorsey, Leroy G. ''We Are All Americans, Pure and Simple: Theodore Roosevelt and the Myth of Americanism'' (U of Alabama Press, 2007)
online review
*
*
*
*
* Vought, Hans. , "Division and reunion: Woodrow Wilson, immigration, and the myth of American unity." ''Journal of American Ethnic History'' (1994) 13#3: 24-50
online

External links

{{Wikisource, Address to the Knights of Columbus
Hyphenated Americans
''The National Museum of American History''

Ethnic groups in the United States
Identity politics