Argentine or Argentinian – Which Is Correct? (AP Style)

When referring to someone’s ethnicity or nationality, you always want to make sure you get it right. So, is it Argentine or Argentinian? Which of these is correct? In this post, we’ll cover the answer to this question in detail.

Argentine or Argentinian – Which Is Correct?

Unfortunately, AP style does not specify what to call someone from Argentina. Currently, both “Argentine” and “Argentinian” are considered acceptable, though each term has its opponents and proponents. The English language considers “Argentine” and “Argentinian” to be synonymous. However, “Argentine” is used the most.

Yep, this is just one of those vague things in the English language. Frankly, there has been no official consensus on what to call people from Argentina, be it from a dictionary or another writing style, like Chicago Manual. It’s completely up in the air.

Some people feel that the natives of Argentina should be called Argentines, while others feel that they should be called Argentinians. However, this comes down to personal preference. There is no official English rule that states that one or the other is correct.

Styles, such as AP or Chicago Manual, care more about you properly capitalizing Argentine or Argentinian than they do about making you use only one or the other. After all, with no official consensus on the matter, they can’t really say that either one is wrong.

So, which one should you use? Well, let’s see if there’s really any difference at all, or if it doesn’t actually matter which one you go for.

Argentine

Merriam-Webster defines “Argentine” as “a native or inhabitant of Argentina.” Well, you can’t really get any more clear-cut than that. If you wanted to refer to someone who was from Argentina, you could clearly call them “Argentine” in the same way you would call someone from America, “American.”

It’s worth noting that “Argentine” does have some other definitions, including as an adjective that means “silvery.” However, most people would definitely think of the country before they thought of silver if you said the word “Argentine.” Here are some examples of “Argentine” in a sentence:

• Benicio was born in Argentina, so that makes him an Argentine.
• As an Argentine, I wish more people would visit and appreciate my country.
• Alma’s mother is from Argentina, making her half Argentine.
• Bautista is a proud Argentine soldier, serving his country.

Argentinian

The Cambridge Dictionary defines “Argentinian” as “related to Argentina or its people.” This definition is a little different from the one offered for “Argentine” previously, as it doesn’t specify that “Argentinian” only refers to people. This definition says it can describe anything from or related to Argentina.

So, based on this difference, it would seem that it would be proper to call an item from Argentina, such as food or a car, as “Argentinian” as opposed to “Argentine.” Still, it’s up for debate, and not all dictionaries use the same wording. Here are some examples of “Argentinian” in a sentence:

• There aren’t enough people out there who have tried Argentinian cuisine.
• This Argentinian pottery is some of my favorite décor in the house.
• My jacket is actually Argentinian: it was crafted by a tailor there.
• An Argentinian vacation sounds like it would be very nice.

We’ve used objects and things in these example sentences, but be aware that you could refer to someone from Argentina as “Argentinian” as well, and this would generally be considered just as acceptable as “Argentine.” There’s just no official consensus on the matter.

Which Is Used the Most?

We have two graphs here to show whether Argentinian or Argentine is used more, and we have one for both American English and British English.

The first graph, for American English, shows that “Argentine” is used far more frequently than “Argentinian,” though they got a little closer in use after 1950.

For British English, “Argentine” is still used more frequently than “Argentinian,” though in this case, there was a lot more fluctuation over the years. “Argentine” used to be far more common in British English, but the two words came a lot closer in use eventually.

Which leads us back to our earlier sentiments: while the English language was heavily in favor of “Argentine” at one point, that is no longer the case. “Argentine” still seems to be favored, but “Argentinian” is used often enough to consider the two terms as synonymous.

Each of these terms is common enough that English speakers overall have no consensus over which one should be considered correct, which means it really comes down to personal preference and which term you feel is more appropriate.

Final Thoughts

Both “Argentine” and “Argentinian” are correct when referring to someone from Argentina. AP style has no official consensus on either one being correct over the other. Both “Argentine” and “Argentinian” are used frequently, and they both have opponents and proponents.