Countries, Adjective Forms, and Nationalities (#15), by Dennis Oliver

 
 

 

  The adjective forms for countries and the names for citizens of countries
are often confusing in English. This happens for two reasons. First, there
is no easy way to change a country's name to its adjective form because
several different endings are used for this purpose. Second, the words
for nationalities are often the same as the adjective forms, but not always.

Here is more information on names of countries, their adjective forms,
and the words used for their citizens.

 

Countries, Adjective Forms,
 and Nationalities (#15)

 

 
country
    
adjective
    
nationality
         
Uganda   Ugandan   Ugandan
         
Ukraine   Ukrainian   Ukrainian
         
United Arab Emirates   Emirian,
Emirati*		   Emirian,
Emirati*
         
United Kingdom   British*   British*
         
United States
of America		   American*   American*
         
Uruguay   Uruguayan   Uruguayan
         
Uzbekistan   Uzbekistani   Uzbekistani

 

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Special Notes:

 

1.   For the United Arab Emirates, two different adjectives
and nationality forms are used: Emirian and Emirati.
Both of these are used as adjectives and nationality forms.
 Emirati is more common.
     
2.   The United Kingdom is one country that consists of
a union of other countries and territories. The other countries
(for example, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
and territories (for example, the Bahamas and the British West
Indies) have their own adjectives and nationality forms, but
 British refers generally to all parts of the United Kingdom.
     
3.   American can refer to any country or nationality which is
located in North, Central, or South America, but there are
no special adjectives or nationality forms for the U.S., so
American is used.