> As for the U.S., the key difference with Germany is that our fertility rate is 1.89 (over 2.1 during the boom). Theirs is 1.36 (under 1.4 since 1990).
Please, when online (but also offline) do not use "ours" or "theirs". What is "ours" in this case? Germany or US? It is not clear from the context.
Also, if a person born in Germany goes to the US, what is "ours", what is "theirs" to s/he?
You will never reverse this oddity of English vocabulary, no matter how much you bellyache about it on the Internet. Sorry that basic lingual fact contradicts your sense of fairness or whatever.
If it helps, you can think of "American" as shorthand for "American of the United States". If that doesn't help, I suggest you just get over it.
Not totally true. I went to school with a lot of Mexicans and they would get verbally upset when I referred to the US as "America". As a Canadian, I could care less but they were very adamant about it.
For the most part they say "North American," South American or "Latin American" even "Anglo Saxon America" for North America not including Mexico, go figure.
Please, when online (but also offline) do not use "ours" or "theirs". What is "ours" in this case? Germany or US? It is not clear from the context.
Also, if a person born in Germany goes to the US, what is "ours", what is "theirs" to s/he?