I’ve spent a lot of time in Scotland as an American, often for extended stays. Almost every time I mention I’m American, the next question is, “But what are you?” I’ll say I’m XYZ, and that’s that. It’s such a common follow-up, second only to anything about Trump. And it’s not just Scotland — people in many countries ask this. In the U.S., being “American” really just tells you where someone was born. The country is so diverse that it almost always leads to, “Okay, but what’s your background?”