board77

Everyone in the Americas is an American. This is confusing in some parts of the world.

I never call myself an American because I'm a Canadian, but I am an American, too.

The term has come to mean the citizens of the USA to most people, but it is not universal. People learn pretty quick, though.

People in the US are called Americans be cause it's part of our country name: The United States of America. Does any other country in North or South America do that? Not that I know of. What else would you call us? Unitedians? USAians? Statesians? Americans is the popular term and accurate enough.

It's common usage, but it's incorrect, because "America" is the name of the continent: calling USA citizens "Americans" is like calling the French "Europeans" - naming the part after the total.

USA stands for United States of America. There's nothing wrong with calling the citizens of that country "Americans." It's part of the country name.

Now the original choice of name was a bit silly, but that's not my fault.

When "America" is the commonly used name for both a country and a continent, I don't see anything wrong with residents of the country using it to refer to themselves. Plus, to be more pedantic, if we are to refer to residents of "the Americas" by the name of their continent, then there are simply "North Americans" and "South Americans," rather than plain old "Americans."

Now, if any other North Americans or South Americans have a yen to be called "Americans" for some reason, they should let us know and we can talk. But somehow, I suspect that most of them are happy to be distanced from that name.

Just invent a name for yourselves and stop using the continent's name, you lazy buggers.

Erunáme wrote:

Jude wrote:

How about "Yankee"? I know it's considered slang, but it conveniently fills a void in the language.

Uh, no. Most definately not. You'll likely offend anyone living south of the Mason Dixon line if you call them that. I know I very much dislike being called one.

I'm a Yankee and I'm offended that you'd want to group those south of the Mason Dixon line in with this term. That's like calling Canadians, American wannabes.

Ber has a valid point you have to admit that we in the North America are all technically Americans. We are North Americans! However, if I can't pin point where someone from Europe is from I generally refer to them as European. France, UK, Poland whatever.....they are all European!

Berhael wrote:

Just invent a name for yourselves and stop using the continent's name, you lazy buggers.

What? and deprive us of the fun of listening to you (insert non USA nationality here) types waste time bitching about it constantly?

maybe ya'll need to find somthing more....I dunno... important.... to whine about.

We didn't start calling ourselves that. Blame the damn Brits.
Or better yet, blame Canada.

And anyways what about the Canadians, why doesnt anyone complain about them? They dont even call their country the right name, since everyone knows its not Canada but more properly "The Great White North"

EDIT: This is what I get for not reading above me...

And yeah, southerners would most definitely not take kindly to Yankee....
EB White explained it this way:

To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast

...

I did say that the problem was with the English language, who didn't have a word like "estadounidense".

And the continent is America! If you talk of two continents - North and South America - where does that leave poor Central America? Eh? Eh?

oldtoby wrote:

And anyways what about the Canadians, why doesnt anyone complain about them? They dont even call their country the right name, since everyone knows its not Canada but more properly "The Great White North"

It's Canuck not Canadians! Get your facts straight, eh!

What about the Amish? Don't they call everyone English?

They don't call anyone Crucifer, duh

It's Americans like this who deserve some bashing:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/10052007/watch2.html

They pretty much scare the crap out of me. He's right about history repeating itself, at least; just not in the way he thinks.

...

TheMary wrote:

They don't call anyone Crucifer, duh

What does that mean?

And to the video thing, God established the kingdom of heaven, not just Israel...
He also established Eden...

LOL the Amish dont use telephones therefore it follows that they can not call anyone.