Foreigner & Alien

Question

What's the difference between the them? Thank you very much.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

AnonymousWhat's the difference between the them? Thank you very much.

In that context, the word alien is used in American English in particular.

Philip · Answer

AnonymousIn that context, the word alien is used in American English in particular.

In what context?

Wilpeter · Answer

Alien in England, unless it changed, means from a foreign country. An item or a person can be alien.
Alien in North America, especially USA, seems to include a permanent resident who does not have Citizenship of the country or of the particular State.
A Foreigner in England is the same as Alien (except for those two-headed people next door, of course).
A Foreigner in USA is anyone who isn't a resident of USA. However, I've heard that an American Citizen living in Canada remains an American, so doesn't become a foreigner.
Anyone wish to correct my assumptions?

Clive · Answer

I live in Canada. Here are just a few comments.

alien Common in the US, eg in phrases like 'an illegal alien'. Has an 'official' tone.

foreigner I don't often hear this word. When I do, it's often negative in tone, eg Foreigners are stealing our jobs.

I often hear 'non-Canadian'. I also often hear simply eg He's German, if nationality is being discussed.

Anonymous · Answer

wilpeterAlien in England, unless it changed, means from a foreign country. An item or a person can be alien. Alien in North America, especially USA, seems to include a permanent resident who does not have Citizenship of the country or of the particular State. A Foreigner in England is the same as Alien (except for those two-headed people next door, of course).A Foreigner in USA is anyone who isn't a resident of USA. However, I've heard that an American Citizen living in Canada remains an American, so doesn't become a foreigner.Anyone wish to correct my assumptions?

That's unusual in the UK, where the word alien is usually used in the little green/grey men sense.

Wilpeter · Answer

AnonymousThat's unusual in the UK, where the word alien is usually used in the little green/grey men sense.

Yes, feedback from my cousins there confirms that they no longer "round up aliens and put them in prison camps," as they did during wartime, when I lived there. Now one would be called 'Johnny Foreigner' (defined in Collins Dictionary.) Oh, and any investment made outside Canada by a Canadian is a 'foreign investment'-- not that it matters here.

Clive · Answer

Indeed, my comments were just about the word 'foreigner'.

In Canada, the word foreign is in my experience much more common and neutral in tone. But it is not usually applied to people.

Foreigner & Alien

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