War Of The Words: The Case Of The ‘expat’ And The ‘immigrant’

9 hours ago

Torremolinos, Costa del Sol. Credit: Chris Dorney - Shutterstock

Is nan correct word “expat” aliases is it “immigrant”? The comments are galore connected Euro Weekly News stories. Many talk of British expats successful Spain, while others insist nan word should beryllium “British immigrants successful Spain”. We will fto you determine which nan correct word is, but let’s return into information immoderate grounds first.

We don’t specify connection ourselves. We usage it to communicate. “The entity is blue”, for example, is universally considered nan truth (at slightest connected nan Costa del Sol). We request to usage these wide position we each understand successful bid to beryllium understood successful immoderate conversation. “The entity is purple”, for example, would person group scratching their heads. With fewer words we tin person nan ground of a friends conversation. If we alteration 1 of those words, we will extremity up pinch a lengthy dissertation connected deconstructionist philosophy, and nary 1 wants that down nan pub.

Who decides what connection is what?

Many world languages are controlled by an charismatic academy that has nan last say, specified arsenic pinch Spanish and French. English tends to beryllium a small much antiauthoritarian successful that we look to nan Oxford English Dictionary (OED) for conflict solution here. The OED decides connected what words to see owed to nan fame of their use, and much than 2,000 caller words and phrases participate nan OED each year. Lest we hide that nan OED felt compelled to see a definite “F” connection owed to its galore years of wide use, which they held disconnected from doing until 1972.

The lawsuit for nan plaintiff: “It’s immigrant, not expat!”

“Expat”, aliases “expatriate”, is an incorrect term, according to those who kick against its usage successful publications for illustration nan Euro Weekly News. It intends “a personification surviving temporarily abroad”, specified arsenic those who mightiness relocate for six months earlier returning. The correct word is ‘immigrant’, they say. Brits successful Spain usage it to beryllium elitist, they argue, but they are nary different from foreigners from different countries!” The penchant stems from a desire to debar hypocrisy, clasp integration, and dismantle perceived privileges tied to nan word “expat”.

Anti-Brexit Brits successful Spain, who voted to stay successful nan EU, reason that calling themselves “expats” perpetuates nan aforesaid nationalism that fuelled Brexit and existent UK migration debates. One specified resident told The Guardian that it’s “hypocritical” to declare expat position while supporting policies that restrict others’ authorities to move.

So, should Brits successful Spain mention to themselves arsenic “immigrants” and not “expats”?

The lawsuit for nan defence: “It’s expat, not immigrant!”

The word “expat” is simply a sub-meaning of “immigrant”. There are galore types of immigrant. Asylum seeker, settler, refugee, incomer, foreigner, pilgrim, and 1 often recovered violative by those successful Europe, ‘alien’ (popular successful nan USA). Each is simply a valid word and is utilized successful differing contexts and tin definitive attitude, formality, familiarity, ineligible status, friendship, anger, and truthful on. Choosing nan correct 1 depends connected who you are talking astir and who you are talking to. An expat to an expat will say, “I’m an expat too!” A Brit successful Spain to a Guardia Civil will opportunity “Soy extranjero” (I’m a foreigner). An article connected “Expat ineligible services” mightiness conjure up different ideas successful one’s cognition than “Immigrant ineligible services” aliases moreover “Asylum seeker services”.

Gay men are not ever gay.

That connection will origin a stir! Words tin besides alteration meaning pinch time. ‘Gay’ ever utilized to mean happy, joyous, colourful, etc. You had cheery music, cheery shirts, and cheery days! Then, thing shifted successful larger society.

Today, if I opportunity to nan landlord of my favourite pub, “What a cheery garment you are wearing!”, nan guidance mightiness beryllium different than 150 years ago. “Expat” mightiness person erstwhile meant 1 who resides successful different state temporarily, but it’s not needfully nan lawsuit today. The lines are blurred, not slightest pinch nan 90-Day Rule. The years and celebrated usage person decided otherwise. Context, attitude, and who you are conversing pinch each person a base connected what words you use.

Let’s trial it pinch science.

Google, successful their infinite mysteriousness, decided to scan arsenic galore books, documents and moreover manuscripts arsenic possible. No 1 really knows why; they conscionable did it because they are Google. Then immoderate developers decided to usage nan information to create nan Ngram viewer which land nan wave of published words done history. Let’s usage it to spot which word is (democratically) correct and truthful bully for inclusion successful nan Oxford English Dictionary and English conversation.

Ngram Viewer’s beforehand page, arsenic you tin spot below, demonstrates nan humanities usage of Albert Einstein, Sherlock Holmes, and Frankenstein. You tin play astir pinch this artifact astatine home. It’s fascinating for history buffs!

Ngram spectator tracks nan wave of connection passim history.

So, let’s use nan aforesaid subject to nan discourse of “British expatriates” and “British immigrants”:

"British immigrant" is little predominant than "British expatriate"

Ok, but connection usage depends connected context. So, let’s adhd immoderate context:

"British migrant successful Spain" doesn't registry connected nan Ngram viewer

British immigrants successful Spain don’t moreover registry arsenic celebrated capable to look connected nan graph.

English is simply a antiauthoritarian language. That intends nan number cannot determine what nan correct word is successful a community. Only nan mostly tin do that. Cat, sky, person, … woman. We each cognize what those words mean because we unrecorded successful nan English-speaking community, and only nan immense mostly tin ever democratically alteration words successful community.

I remainder my case, your honour.

How do different nationalities opportunity “expat” alternatively of “immigrant? These are each position nan French usage erstwhile talking to different French people, aliases Germans pinch chap Germans, and truthful on. And “British expat” is simply a word British expats usage erstwhile speaking to each different without meaning offence to anyone.