Why do Brits and Americans have a special term instead of just using Immigrant?

    • 1984@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      arrow-down
      31
      ·
      edit-2
      2 days ago

      To be fair, they are pretty bad, unless you do like America and only allow people with certain skills and intelligence. Allowing refugees from war torn countries is very nice, but ultimately brings that war to the country itself and changes the culture into something very different.

      Source: Sweden.

      • TheGalacticVoid@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        2 days ago

        Bro skilled people wanting to become US residents or citizens have to wait an absurd amount of time to even have a chance

          • TheGalacticVoid@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            1 day ago

            No, it’s because there’s a lottery system that has been backlogged for decades. US immigration is such a bad process that skilled people go to Canada instead because the government there actually values those people.

            • 1984@lemmy.today
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              arrow-down
              3
              ·
              1 day ago

              Ah ok. Yeah I guess they don’t make it a priority for some reason.

    • Kilometers_OBrien@startrek.website
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      14
      ·
      2 days ago

      Or it’s a term tied to tax status that is easier to say than explaining taxation status for those living abroad 🤷

      No, it’s all just a big racist conspiracy, don’t bother looking up any definitions or anything lmao

        • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          11
          arrow-down
          23
          ·
          2 days ago

          Do you seriously need someone to explain to you why there are multiple words with similar meanings in the world?

          • lime!@feddit.nu
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            15
            arrow-down
            7
            ·
            2 days ago

            well when you challenge an opinion you usually offer an alternative opinion.

            • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              7
              arrow-down
              20
              ·
              2 days ago

              Usually. But if the premise is particularly stupid I might choose to prompt the speaker to actually think about what they’ve said for a moment.

              Or you could just read any of the numerous other comments here which offer other explanations.

              • lime!@feddit.nu
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                11
                arrow-down
                5
                ·
                edit-2
                2 days ago

                i did think about it and it matches my experience. i will read the rest of the thread.

                Edit: i have now read the rest of the thread. nobody seems to agree and i see no sources.

                • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  4
                  arrow-down
                  1
                  ·
                  24 hours ago

                  You’re looking for a source for the answer to a question so idiotic that it has probably never been asked before in the history of man?

                  You can’t be a real person.

          • Windex007@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            2 days ago

            They aren’t used interchangeably so this implies a different definition or at least distinct connotations.