Why do we call the US America?
 

The continent the Unites States of America resides within is called America.

North, South, Central AMERICA

When we call the USA America we disregard every other country in the Americas.

It is dismissive, privileged and probably racist as well.

People in many other countries in the Americas hate the US for this reason alone.

Why do we insist on this?

i say US. (as in, you-ess)

i think referring to 'america' sounds less than informed. for example: "this is america: _______(fill in the blank)/you need to speak english!/etc"

maybe it's regional.

Why do people all over the world refer to those who reside in the United States of America as Americans? Why not refer to those residents as United Statesians? How do people in other countries of the continent of America refer to United Statesians, by the way? At least when they are trying to be polite? :toothache:

"I think it's because people in Europe were used to calling it "America" long before there were any independent countries here"

I am sorry, but I take offense to this part of your post. Where exactly is here?

And when Europeans called it America they were referring to the continent, not the US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci

I grew up in Argentina, the HATE it that people from the US think they (we) are the only Americans.

Agreed! very arrogant.


When I visit Europe today, they say the US.

Expats say "the States"

Brazil is also "The United States of Brazil" , so it can be confusing?


I say it like you do, I think it is an important distinction.


Oh and "this is America, so you should".... is so incredibly arrogant there are no words.....

Thank you for mentioning that!

I don't automatically assume people who say America for the US do it on purpose, I try to think that maybe they have not thought about it?

Everyone in the world does not refer to us as Americans.

I travel a lot, and many people do say Unites Stasians in their language, like Spanish for example.

Estados Unidenses in Spanish speaking South America, or Norte Americanos which does not say what country.

In Europe I hear US.

Maybe before there were individual countries?

So, South American's are uptight for resenting US citizens feeling like we deserve to be the only American's?

Mexico is kind of in North America too.

I'm from England and all I ever remember hearing is America and Americans, for the most part. The only time I heard any one refer to the US as "The States" was other Americans. But that's just my experience. I'm not as well travelled as you :) Although I do remember the French calling Americans....well, never mind. That's probably not repeatable. Melissa

In London I usually hear US, but they seem to abreviate a lot! :) UK, US, EU and so forth....

And yes, I have only heard people from the US or Canada call the US "the States" and it is only from people who have lived outside the US.

What do the people of England call us if not American?

Citizens of the United States of America?

If not Americans, what should we call ourselves?

Before San Martin and Bolivar!

We are all Americans South, Central and North.

I think it is important that when we are speaking of the US in particular we say US.

It seems pretty racist, classist and arrogant to say otherwise.

My friends in London say "from the US" or "Yanks" or Yankees which outside the US tends to mean all people from the US, not Southerners.

What should Argentines call themselves, or Mexicans, or Canadians, or Chileans? They are all Americans too.

I always have too, but a Brazilian friend busted me on it :)

My Grandfather ---> Yanks, damn yanks, bloody yanks.......

I am from Central America and the only way I ever heard the US referred to was..Los Estados Unidos... and it's residents were called gringos.. I know gringo is not liked or PC but I am just providing a reference.

I have never even thought of this place as anything but America but I can see why this subject could be thought of in all the ways it has been portrayed.

I will think about this because United Stasians just sounds wierd to me !! I like human haha. I like like a citizen of the world. An earthling.. lol !!

f1~

I am not trying to make anyone angry or challenge anyone's identity, but people on our continent HATE us for thinking and saying we are The Americans.

If I say American, I mean from the Americas. :) America the continent as a whole. :)

It is a small thing that we should think about in a good way. In a "how can we be more culturally aware" way.

:)

And if we did everything the English wanted us to, we would still be a colony.

The people of England call you lots of things lol. But all I heard was America, Americans, Yanks. To us you are just dear old Americans. This brit apologizes for offending the citizens who reside in other parts of the continent of America and not in the particular part also known as The United States. Although if Texas secedes what do we call you all then. The United (Minus Texas) States. I love Texas by the way. It is is own little country. I think I was a Texan in a former life. :)

Mel

I have heard Gringos too. Thank you.

Unites Statesians is awkward I agree. I like human too! :) We are all ONE.

I wasn't disagreeing.

I was just curious as to what her friends did call people from the US.

Mine always use "Yank"- but they also always use that tone and I'd really prefer to be called something else. :lol2:

What a lovely answer! Thank you!

I usually say Brits, or from the UK, or English, Scottish and so forth for you. :)

I say I live in the US or say I am a US citizen.

Maybe we should call ourselves the USA-icans ...or USA-ers... or USA-ites.. I could go on and on heheh

f1~

it is Olympic Games time..............and the chant that is always heard at the Olympics and any other international sporting event is U S A .

I try to never ever never say American(s) when referring to citizens of the United States of America. I'm sure somewhere on the net I will have said Americans. My default language is the 'US' or 'folks from the US'.

When I was an expat, I always said I was from the 'US' or 'the States'. For those that don't know, I lived in New Zealand for a year back in 2002-2003.

I say..

American from the US...

For me.. American doesn't belong just to the USA..

But lingustily.. USAian.. just doesn't flow off the tongue..

The Americas