It is funny to use this word.

I am glad that you come in peace. So many now days we can't really tell. lol I was a visitor to Canada afew years ago. It was lovely and very much enjoyed. I think I would rather be a visitor than a alien also. I wounder why we are so different in the words we use in such a situation?

How strange! To me "alien" is a word that refers to some beings from another planet.

I find it funny as well, because the word has both meanings or connotations. I prefer to call people tourists or immigrants. I have yet to see a flying saucer anywhere nearby.

"alien" is quite popular here! This is the most favorite word for young ones here to call friends or people whose behavior are rather weird and behave in their respective different and unique way. I think this would happen most probably they associate this with the aliens they have seen in the movies. Actually it's really good to learn new words from watching movies. Kids always learn new words unconsciously while watching their favorite films or cartoons. As what I know such word is same meaning as foreigner, stranger, etc. my ancestors were alien people as well the initial time they migrated here. Happy posting

I agree with you. Even though I live here, it seems odd that they use that term. As I have been working on my family tree, I have seen the term used even 100 years ago before anyone thought of people in space, so it must be something that is uniquely American. I think many people think calling someone a foreigner is an insult, yet I don't know why because everyone of us is from some other country when we go back on our family trees far enough. Some only have to go one generation and others eight or more generations, but NONE of us is from the United States historically speaking. We're ALL from somewhere else, no matter how some people act about it.

To be blunt,I don't get used to the appellation of alien,It lets me associate it with man from outer space.

LOL. That is funny and you are right. That is the word that we use here but we do call them foreigners also. I don't know why they use alien for a word for them people. They are not from outer space LOL.

We use that word here, too. And I've always been amused.

LOL this is funny to hear and when I was a child I was taken to Puerto Rico which is my origin. Having been born in the US, as we drove down the streets several kids were hissing and calling me an "alien". I could never understand whey they thought I was from another planet. I guess it is just what people are accustomed to call those from another country. I personally wouldn't as who knows someone might get very upset. I believe I usually say visitor as well.

We use both the words "alien" and "foreigner" in our country. the word foreigner is used more casually when referring to people from another nation, The word "alien" is used more in formal documents such as in citizenship, owning property or running a business in our country. Filipinos who are citizens of another country are referred to as aliens but not a foreigner since they are still considered Filipino by blood. Yes the word alien is sometimes funny because we tend to associate them with sci-fi films