What is an "American"?

    I know this a weird topic to post about since I have tried to spend the past couple months trying to post about books, but this topic came up from a debate I was having with my stepbrother in the car. He was arguing that immigrants from other countries should learn to speak English in order to be deemed an "American".  I think the reason this argument peeved me so much is because "American" is such a mutt term given that most Americans have come from other countries and as far I am concerned it is their choice as to whether or not they want to learn English while residing here.  This is complicated by the fact that people that come from other countries most likely come from various backgrounds.
      Some international residents are here to just get their degrees and leave. Another perspective is those generation 1.5 generation who are balancing maintaining their own language while deciding whether or not to acclimate to American culture.  Finally it could be the parents of generation 1.5 ers who might not want to learn the language of English (but I am sure their are outliers who do) but again it is their choice and they does not make them any less American. So I have to ask you readers out their does spending 7+ years learning a language such as English make you "American"?  I am not sure how I feel about this when America is known as the country where you have the freedom to speak the language you like be it Hmong, Spanish, Chinese etc...with the hope that you won't be judged by others.