Help from an American?

[shadowscast]

I seem to start every entry with apologies and/or excuses for being so absent from fandom. Maybe I just need to make peace with the fact that my participation waxes and wanes.

It's not that I'm not thinking about Spike and Xander. It's just that I'm spending most of my spare time writing this Fall For S/X story, which is growing out of control (it's at 14,000 words now), and I'm doing that offline. In my notebook from the Writercon registration kit, actually (which I've almost filled)!

Anyway. I just need a teensy, weensy bit of help from an American—and I'm pretty sure there are some of you out there! *g* I'd ask yourlibrarian, who's being a wonderful sounding board and all-around inspiration as well as a beta reader, but she doesn't seem to be online right now and this is bugging me! It's such a simple little thing: what do you call your own country?

That is, would an American say (speaking of Spike, btw): "How long has he lived in the States?" or "How long has he lived in America?" Or are they both okay? Or should it be something else?

ETA: Okay, I've been helped!

Comments

[that_mireille]

what do you call your own country?

*snorts* Lately, nothing printable. *g*

I'd lean toward "in America" or "in the U.S." "In the States" just sounds... not wrong, but much less common.

[shadowscast.livejournal.com]

'K, thanks! "In the States" was actually what I'd written at first, but then it occurred to me that maybe that was what we call you, not what you call yourselves. I'll go with "in America" then.

[tarotgal]

It's a personal preference, really. And probably a little regional.
But definitely not "in the States" IMHO

As an American, I'd probably say "How long has he lived here in the U.S.?" or "How long has he lived in America?" with a preferce for the U.S. version.

Happy writing.

PS- I worked more on the tagfic today! Hope to have it to you soonish :-) Hopefully without *too much* angst. heehee

[shadowscast.livejournal.com]

more tag fic: yay!!!

[margarks.livejournal.com]

If I were asking in regards to Spike (or anyone who wasn't born here, like me) I'd say, "How long has he been in the States?" But that's because I'm an immigrant even though I came when I was 2 years old...

Most people probably say "the US".

[shadowscast.livejournal.com]

Yeah, "the States" was my first impulse (it's what I'd say) but then I thought that I remembered hearing that actual Americans don't usually call it that, and responses here seem to have confirmed that...such a silly little thing! :)