# "America", what does it really mean?



## Amastroi2017 (Jun 17, 2012)

I know this thread has nothing to do with skyscrapers but has a lot to do with geography.

People who live in and/or were born in the United States call themselves 'Americans". However, every single person who lives and/or were born in the entire Western Hemisphere can also call themselves 'Americans".

There are in fact 36 countries in North America and South America combined. So why doesn't Brazil call themselves Brazil of America, or Jamaica of America, or Mexico of America, or Grenada of America.

I know saying I'm a United Statesian or something along those lines doesn't sound cool or rolls off the tongue but at least it doesn't basically rub it in the face of the other 35 countries in the same hemisphere.


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## 1Filipe1 (Jul 13, 2012)

why do they call people from the netherlands dutch? same thing..


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## UrbanImpact (Jan 10, 2005)

People in Latin America don't usually refer to themselves as "Americanos"


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## bd74 (Nov 21, 2012)

Amastroi2017 said:


> I know saying I'm a United Statesian or something along those lines doesn't sound cool or rolls off the tongue but at least it doesn't basically rub it in the face of the other 35 countries in the same hemisphere.


Yeah, I've always wondered why the USA is the only country whose citizens reserve the right to call themselves "Americans" when in reality the entire north/south landmass of this hemisphere is America too. In fact, I've always thought that the name "United States of America" originally referred to America as a continent and not as a country. Because really, why would one country take on the name of the entire landmass itself? That's like if one European country decided to name itself The United States of Europe.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Call a Canadian an 'American' and they might take offense.
You don't refer to someone from Chile as 'American' and they don't either.

People from United States have always been called 'Americans' since that was where the original settling took place.

What else would they be called? 'United Statians'?


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## mhays (Sep 12, 2002)

Amastroi2017 said:


> However, every single person who lives and/or were born in the entire Western Hemisphere can also call themselves 'Americans".
> 
> There are in fact 36 countries in North America and South America combined. So why doesn't Brazil call themselves Brazil of America, or Jamaica of America, or Mexico of America, or Grenada of America.
> 
> I know saying I'm a United Statesian or something along those lines doesn't sound cool or rolls off the tongue but at least it doesn't basically rub it in the face of the other 35 countries in the same hemisphere.


That's all true. I usually say I'm from the US, and then break my own rule and say American when convenient. But Venezuela could easily call itself Venezeulan States of America, or the Southern States of America.


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## fastboyRD (Jun 8, 2010)

UrbanImpact said:


> *People in Brazil* don't usually refer to themselves as "Americanos"


Fixed!


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## fastboyRD (Jun 8, 2010)

ThatOneGuy said:


> Call a Canadian an 'American' and they might take offense.
> You don't refer to someone from Chile as 'American' and they don't either.
> 
> People from United States have always been called 'Americans' since that was where the original settling took place.
> ...




*United Statians* sounds great to me. :lol:


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## tim1807 (May 28, 2011)

What is wrong that people from the US call themselve Americans, they are.
And people from Mexico and Panama and Brazil and Chile can all call themselve Americans. It's the same as every people here can call himselve European. 
People from South Africa call themselve Africans, and so do people from Ethiopia and Morocco and Ivory Coast and Madagascar. 
And people from Qatar and China and Iran and Singapore can all call themselve Asian.
I think is harder to understand someone from New Sealand when he says he is Australian.


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

OK, here's the real deal.

Yankees or citizens of the United States of America are generally referred to and call themsleves 'Americans.' I do. 

Canadians don't; Panamanians don't; Ecuadoreans don't, etc., etc.

Re the other 2 biggest countries in the hemisphere: Brazil and Mexico. Brazil's official name is "Federative Republic of Brazil," and they certainly don't call themselves "Americanos." I believe they call themselves Brasileiros. ANd the people of Rio are not called Rio de Janeirainos. They are called the 'cariocas' (lower case "C"). 

Mexico was called the Estados Mexicanos Unidos (the United Mexican States), when it won its independence in 1882, and in an effort to emulate its northern neighbor. But they have NEVER referred to themselves as "Americanos," nor is that what they call the Yankees. I am sure you have heard it, the slang term for the north of the Rio Grande Americans are 'gringos.' And as late as November 2012, Mexico now wants to change its official name simply to "Mexico" in order to divorce itself from the earlier attempt to emulate the US. 

So, while the entire hemisphere are called the "Americas," the term "Americanos" cannot be applied to the odd 22 countries on the two continents.


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## sursena (Apr 12, 2012)

Maybe the Americans have always value the fact of being in America. Historically, we South Americans are not that proud of the continent since we were exploitation colonies of Latin Europe (and somehow culturally we continue to be ). Despite that, nowadays the great influency of the USA in South America is changing that I guess. 
At least I am happy and proud (not all the time) to be South American  

PS: in Brazil we use to call "Americans" as "North Americans" as well, forgetting the Canadians and Mexicans. lol


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## Nabartek (May 26, 2006)

Do we call people from the Middle East "Asian"? The Middle East is also known as Southwest ASIA but in the West, Asian has been limited to China/Japan/Korea/Taiwan.

Really, know big deal. The US was the first country to use "__________ of America".


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

sursena said:


> PS: in Brazil we use to call "Americans" as "North Americans" as well, forgetting the Canadians and Mexicans. lol


In Brazil sometimes we use to call them "Estadunidense".


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## gabrielbabb (Aug 11, 2006)

In Mexico and some parts of latinamerica we call americans, Estadounidenses, gringos and sometimes yankees


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## sursena (Apr 12, 2012)

xrtn2 said:


> In Brazil sometimes we use to call them "Estadunidense".


:nuts: Sorry, I never heard "estadunidense" in Brazil (I know almost all Brazilian States), and if someone say that in our country probably everyone else will laugh.

*I know that hispanics or people influenced by the spanish-speaking countries sometimes say "estadunidense" (usually the hispanics affront the American culture, something they inherited from Spain-United Kingdom relationship).*

Here in Brazilian Federation we *never* say that.



.


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## BringMe (May 7, 2011)

In Colombia and other countries in south america people call them "Estadounidense"


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## royal rose1 (Oct 4, 2009)

Amastroi2017 said:


> I know saying I'm a United Statesian or something along those lines doesn't sound cool or rolls off the tongue but at least it doesn't basically rub it in the face of the other 35 countries in the same hemisphere.


Jesus Christ, grow some balls. Who cares? Seriously. It's so dumb to argue this. It's not even like Americans are the ones who created their name, I'm sure it was foreigners, because even my family in Hungary calls people here "Americans"

ALSO Please can we be realistic, and can you tell me how often you refer collectively to everyone in North and South America at once? Because that's the only correct use of "American." As far as I'm concerned, in everyday language you will never talk about North and South Americans collectively. Therefore, your argument is moot. Close the thread, have a nice day.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

^^ Your ancestors chose a name that was already taken. What did you expect would happen? If you want to call yourself 'Americans' that's fine, but don't tell the other 35 countries that they can't use it any more. That's just ridiculous.



fastboyRD said:


> *United Statians* sounds great to me. :lol:


+1 Personally, I like 'Murkuns' for people from the US.

Joking aside, it's a word people are just going to have to share with all people from the Yukon down to Chile. No one has the right to claim it just for themselves.


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## wino (Sep 8, 2009)

@topic starter 

yeah i find it weird as well... 

In asia, we call ourselves as Filipinos, Chinese, Korean etc.. 
but we can also call ourselves "ASIANs" anytime, and be *comfortable *about it..
There is DUALITY in identity -- both country and continent. 
The same with Europeans...

but in North and South America, I don't think there is that same level of comfort for Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians etc.. to call themselves Americans.. I think mainly because USA "owned" it.

USA's name should be changed to United States of Washington.. or something like that.. 
so everyone else in the west would be freed to use American casually without the worry of losing their identity to the USA.. :lol:


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## Godius (Aug 31, 2011)

1Filipe1 said:


> why do they call people from the netherlands dutch? same thing..


That's a bit of an improper comparison, People of the Netherlands call themselves 'Nederlanders' (EN: Netherlandish) in Dutch. The history and terminology of the word Dutch is quite interesting but not the real subject of this thread.


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## lowenmeister (Oct 1, 2012)

When westerners speak of asia and that something is asian it is more often east and southeast asia they mean. South asia is called the indian subcontinent and west asia is always referred to as the middle east. Central asia is usually forgotten but is often just called the former soviet union. Asia is more like several "cultural" continents slumped togheter in one megacontinent. Europe should also be considered as asias western part.


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## sursena (Apr 12, 2012)

Like Africa mainly to black Africa, not to magreb.


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## charlottetonne (Aug 14, 2012)

Usaer or perhaps Americaner to distinguish it from "Americans" as in people from north and south America.


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

isaidso said:


> No one has the right to claim it just for themselves.


Don't be stupid. No one is CLAIMING exclusive use of "Americans" for use by USA residents. It is just what common usage has brought about since the official name of the country _is_ the United States of America. No OTHER country in the hemisphere uses "America" in its name, so why blame the 300 million residents of the USA if they call themselves "Americans"? 

And if you studied it more carefully, you will find it was the Europeans of the 18th an 19th centuries who drew the maps and appellations the civilized world know today, and just assigned "North, (Central) and South America's" for the New World. And it was Rome who divided South AMerica between Portugal and Spain; just as it was the French & the British who drew up the present day borders of the Middle East; and most of Africa (with the Belgians, the Italians and the Germans).

It's too bad your hate and bile so distort your views. I imagine you'll grow to be a gnarled old creature...if that.


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

wino said:


> USA's name should be changed to United States of Washington.. or something like that..


Why should it be? It was the name assigned to the 13 colonies and what eventually became 50 states? Why should it be changed? *No OTHER country in the hemisphere is claiming to use the name "America"*. And they didn't go with the United States of Columbus because there already was a territory down south called "Colombia." Thus, why risk the confusion...unlike, say, Macedonia which the ex-Yugoslav province claims its own, but gets guff from Greece which does not want their Macedonian province confused with the new republic (of Slavic descent). Why don't you tell them to change either of their names?

Ridiculous suggestion.


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## seldomseen (Aug 10, 2010)

The only people that really refer to themselves as Americans are people that live in the United States. And here's why, the official name of the USA is "The United States *of* America". Hence, this is why people who live or where born in the United States refer to themselves as Americans. Candians, Mexicans, etc have the same rights to do so as well, but choose to delineate their difference based on the country the reside in or were born in. Which is perferectly fine. Being an American and a US Citizen/Legal Alien are two wholly different things.


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## Matheus Oliveira (Nov 6, 2011)

They could at least call themselves NORTH AMERICANS. Here in Brazil we dont see ourselves as americans, just south americans.


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Matheus Oliveira said:


> They could at least call themselves NORTH AMERICANS. Here in Brazil we dont see ourselves as americans, just south americans.


But why? If you guys consider yourselves "South" Americans, then NO one else is claiming the same, so why should we bother with "North" Americans if NO ONE else is claiming "North" either (and that would then include the Canadians who'd rather be called "Canadians" first, rather than "North" Americans?) So why confuse things when they DON'T have to be?


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## Nabartek (May 26, 2006)

lowenmeister said:


> When westerners speak of asia and that something is asian it is more often east and southeast asia they mean. South asia is called the indian subcontinent and west asia is always referred to as the middle east. Central asia is usually forgotten but is often just called the former soviet union. Asia is more like several "cultural" continents slumped togheter in one megacontinent. Europe should also be considered as asias western part.


Same logic can be applied with the "American" usage issue.

While there are westerners who consider maritime Southeast Asia as Asia, there are also those who think it is part of the "Pacific Island" group. And here in the West, when one says Asian, it is automatically assumed as "East Asian".

Get over it, people

Some even go as far as thinking all Asians are "Chinese". This is especially true among Latin Americans (no offense).

Americans are people from the USA
South Americans are people from South America
Latin Americans are people from former Spanish and Portugese colonies

In the Western Hemisphere, "Asians" are limited to East Asians (Japanese/Korean/Chinese). Besides, the US was the first to use _____of America. Mexico was not "____of America" but Nueva Espana, then Estados Unidos de Mexicanos.


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

In modern English, "Americans" generally refers to residents of the United States, and among native speakers of English this usage is almost universal, with any other use of the term requiring specification of the subject under discussion.

So, Canadians, you are Canadian. Mexicans, Mexican. Cubans, Cuban. etc. You'll never be called 'American', nor do I get why you seem to want to?


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## Knitemplar (Aug 16, 2008)

Dimethyltryptamine said:


> In modern English, "Americans" generally refers to residents of the United States, and among native speakers of English this usage is almost universal, with any other use of the term requiring specification of the subject under discussion.
> 
> So, Canadians, you are Canadian. Mexicans, Mexican. Cubans, Cuban. etc. You'll never be called 'American', nor do I get why you seem to want to?


The whole thread was kinda dubious to start with.


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## luife100 (Apr 12, 2006)

Mexico is in North-America, Canada too, so it will not work much better.


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## hailcaesar (Nov 28, 2011)

:banana:Look its easier to just call them bloody yankes or as we say in Australia bloody wankers both titles could work well.:lol:


wino said:


> @topic starter
> 
> yeah i find it weird as well...
> 
> ...


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## wino (Sep 8, 2009)

Dimethyltryptamine said:


> In modern English, "Americans" generally refers to residents of the United States, and among native speakers of English this usage is almost universal, with any other use of the term requiring specification of the subject under discussion.
> 
> So, Canadians, you are Canadian. Mexicans, Mexican. Cubans, Cuban. etc. You'll never be called 'American', nor do I get why you seem to want to?


Canadians are fine as it is.


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## royal rose1 (Oct 4, 2009)

isaidso said:


> ^^ Your ancestors chose a name that was already taken. What did you expect would happen? If you want to call yourself 'Americans' that's fine, but don't tell the other 35 countries that they can't use it any more. That's just ridiculous.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You Canadians are such bitches. Seriously, who cares if we're called "Americans"? Get over it, you're making this huge deal out of something so miniscule. And I don't know anyone in the US who has ever said citizens of the other 35 countries couldn't call themselves "Americans." 

People need to start focusing on real issues and not this type of bullshit. The liberal agenda is mind boggling


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## poshbakerloo (Jan 16, 2007)

USA...


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## mhays (Sep 12, 2002)

As a technical writer, I have to point out that "United States of America" doesn't suggest that we ARE America, but only that we are IN America. 

For clarity, I call us the United States. But it's ok to say American informally.


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

It's like the whole Dutch/Netherlands thing. You are _from_ the Netherlands, but _are_ Dutch. You are _from_ the United States, but _are_ an American. The only difference is the Netherlands doesn't derive from a continent... though there isn't a whole lot else to call you guys... Yanks, I suppose?


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## TimothyR (Feb 17, 2011)

hailcaesar said:


> :banana:Look its easier to just call them bloody yankes or as we say in Australia bloody wankers both titles could work well.:lol:


Yes, Australians have many names for us. :lol:


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## photolitherland (Apr 8, 2009)

God fearing white male Christian conservative gun owning anti gay Republicans are the only true Americans.


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## Treka (Jan 26, 2013)

photolitherland said:


> God fearing white male Christian conservative gun owning anti gay Republicans are the only true Americans.


and anyone who voted for obama is a socialist,communist,athiest,muslim,kenyan,pig! lol,jk:lol:


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## J349 (Feb 7, 2013)

I think we (the British) probably started it, when you won the American war of independence, or possibly the term was coined after the American civil war.

If US people weren't allowed to call themselves 'Americans' what would they be?? 
I suppose you can have Virginians, Texans etc. but what if you want to refer to a group of different yanks from different states 
Definitely you yanks have problems with your name! 

Just call United States of American's - Yanks, its easier


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## IngMarco (May 10, 2010)

By the thread's title... America means nothing, this continent was named after Américo Vespucio, which is the man who first saw this land.

Has no one ever heard about "destino manifiesto"?... "América para los americanos" it might have had some echo within USA popullation. 

But nowadays... is just some commun stuff, americans are used to call themselves americans. It's not some sort of conquery or selfish thing. Take it easy and don't act like butthurts.

And I don't give a damn as well.


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## sursena (Apr 12, 2012)

fastboyRD said:


> I'm not central american and Brazil has nothing in common with the Hispanic Americas. You are not Hispanic and that's why I don't refer to Brazilians when i talk about "Hispanic world" or something like that. :sleepy:
> 
> 
> Anyway, this topic is not important to me, so please do not expect me to play along.


But you've talked about "latin america", so Brazil included. We are *South Americans*, like Uruguayans, Colombians, Argentinians, etc. :cheers: The inhabitants of the USA are "Americans" or "North Americans".

PS: Republica Dominicana is Central America


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## Сталин (Dec 29, 2011)

Its an alien word with some ancient secret meaning, as seen on the history channel.


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## leogodoy (Jun 23, 2008)

Oooo, so a word has two meanings, that I have never seen, this is like dividing by zero and will make the Universe collapse. 

BTW, here in Brazil every sane person uses "american" (or "americano", in Portuguese) when refering to our good friends up North. Anyone who uses "estadunidense" is an idiot trying to force an infusion of the language with ideology (anti-american, that is).

Oh, and "americano" in Brazil also means a ham and eggs sandwich. HOLY CRAP NOW A WORD HAS THREE MEANINGS OH THE HUMANITY...


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## rsepsot (Jan 15, 2007)

America is a continent, I live here so I'm a good source. :lol:


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## Bannor (Jul 23, 2011)

lowenmeister said:


> When westerners speak of asia and that something is asian it is more often east and southeast asia they mean. South asia is called the indian subcontinent and west asia is always referred to as the middle east. Central asia is usually forgotten but is often just called the former soviet union. Asia is more like several "cultural" continents slumped togheter in one megacontinent. Europe should also be considered as asias western part.





BringMe said:


> lol I call everyone with epicanthic fold and other people don't even call them Asian they call them chinese instead XD


Both of you got it right. The eyes is the key ingredient here. That is exactly how we feel about it in Europe at least. Although every time I talk to a "south asian" and hints about this, they start taking offence. Still, I love to tease them about the whole subcontinent they come from. It is its own techtonic plate I tell them, which is about to get subdued under the Himalayas, and is not really the same continent as the rest of Asia, lol! 

You know the indian way of nationalism tells them that everyone comes from India, and that they therefore have the rights over the rest of the Eurasian continent. Pretty crazy theory, and they draw the Indian map as a never ending V. So I play on that.

But I do have Singaporean friends who managed to claim that Russia was an asian country too, and that is rediculous. Even though 80% of Russia lies east of the ural mountains, it is a culturally european country, and that is the important coefficient here!

I also have philippino friends who are split on what they are. Some say they are asian. Some say they have an identity issue. Some blame the US Census for naming them "philippino" as opposed to other asians. And finally some say they are latino. I think the philippinos are the people with the biggest self identity problem in the world.


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## wino (Sep 8, 2009)

Bannor said:


> I also have philippino friends who are split on what they are. Some say they are asian. Some say they have an identity issue. Some blame the US Census for naming them "philippino" as opposed to other asians. And finally some say they are latino. I think the philippinos are the people with the biggest self identity problem in the world.


I've read somewhere that US schools teach that Philippines is in the Pacific Islands.. not Asia...

thanks, people are confused even more...


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## Bannor (Jul 23, 2011)

^^ In my mind The Philippines is in Asia, and the whole ASEAN is. When I tihnk of Asia I think of ASEAN, China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and some other smaller countries like Bhutan, Uzbekistan, Kirgyzstan, parts of Kazakhstan and sometimes Nepal and parts of eastern Russia. But I somehow don't consider Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, India and Tajikistan. But I am a bit torn there in central asia. It comes down to where people with slanted eyes live. And just because the Spanish came into your archiepelago just to make some sweet love to your women doesn't change your location 

Just my 2 cents!


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## Leo Nic (Oct 11, 2006)

We call our country "America" because when immigrants from Europe or Asia migrated here, they all said, "we are going to America." Which was both the continent and the country. Once here they continued to use the term America and that's why we say "America."
However, that word means different things for different Americans.
For example, for LatinAmericans there aren't two continents. Thereis only one. For people from the USA, we are taught that there is North America and South America. Two continents. Latins believe there is only ONE continent and AMERICA begins in the most north of Canaday and ends in the most southern tip of Argentina. Every latin person is also an "American" for being in the continent and they don't like it very much to call people from the USA "Americans" because they feel they are as AMERCIAN(part of this continet) as anybod else.


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## Bannor (Jul 23, 2011)

^^ yeah, it is just as I said about the Indian and Bangladeshi wanting to be as much Asian as anybody else as well 

But I have to arrest you on one part though. In Europe we used to say that we were going to America when we meant Canada as well. Or at least we used to 100 years ago. Recently I suppose the term has moved away from including Canada to only being hijacked by USAans due to USA casting a shadow over Canada in terms of population size I suppose...


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## markkkerr (Feb 20, 2013)

Its really surprising for me that In Colombia and other countries in south america people call them "Estadounidense".


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## Motul (Nov 8, 2003)

Of course, we are all american.. why should that term be reserved for one out of 40 countries comprising the continent?


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## wino (Sep 8, 2009)

markkkerr said:


> Its really surprising for me that In Colombia and other countries in south america people call them "Estadounidense".


It means "United Statians"
I think 


It makes sense though... since they themselves are also Americanos.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Leo Nic said:


> We call our country "America" because when immigrants from Europe or Asia migrated here, they all said, "we are going to America."


But they said the same thing when they were headed to Nova Scotia, New France, New Spain, and what became Brazil. When they said they were going to America, they meant the New World. The English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese had colonies all over America from present day Canada to Chile.

It's like Peruvians calling their country 'America' because immigrants to their country said 'we are going to America'.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

wino said:


> It means "United Statians"
> I think
> 
> 
> It makes sense though... since they themselves are also Americanos.


Quite right. Unfortunately United Statian doesn't exactly role off the tongue in English. I like 'Yankees', but people in the US south tend not to like that one.


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## Sarcasticity (May 21, 2005)

Do other american countries have _of America_ in their official name?


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## wino (Sep 8, 2009)

^^ In Spanish..

it's simply "ESTADOS UNIDOS" - United States
"_of America_" is not even used


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## Motul (Nov 8, 2003)

USA should've chosen another name to not screw the rest of the continent.. although the name is how they screwed us the least. :lol:


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## wino (Sep 8, 2009)

:lol:


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Sarcasticity said:


> Do other american countries have _of America_ in their official name?


Not sure, but we could. How about the United Provinces of America instead of Canada? :colgate:


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## Vincen1 (Jun 19, 2011)

How about calling countries outside the USA: the Not Yet United States Of America NYUSOA

All together I think it's a rather silly question since the answer seems rather obvious. It's in the name.


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## mexico15 (Jan 21, 2009)

redbaron_012 said:


> *Yeah, you would never hear a Canadian or Mexican call them selves an American ? Hmm maybe lots of Mexicans do but.....I think the single word America without a North or South prefix is generally accepted as the USA.*
> 
> PS...There is often talk here in Australia whether we should become a republic...Most feel we are independant anyhow and just use the political system derived from Britain and we continue to be part of the Commonwealth...anyhow. As we are a country with states that would become united in this country as a republic we could end up the United States of Australia ? Abrev...USA. Damn confusing for map makers...leave it as it is : )







*HABER NACIDO EN AMERICA ES UNA GRAN BENDICION! TIERRA DE MIL COLORES, BELLAS MUJERES Y FLORES. AHORA A LOS PUEBLOS DE AMERICA LES CANTO ESTA CANCION! DE AMERICA.. YO SOY.. DE AMERICA!*


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## valisaires (May 19, 2010)

UrbanImpact said:


> People in Latin America don't usually refer to themselves as "Americanos"


Actually, most people call themselves americanos in the spanish speaking countries if they are speaking to their region not country. 

When people refer to people from the United States in Spanish they usually call them: estadounidenses or norteamericanos or by nicknames like yankees here in Argentina or gringos in Mexico and Central America.


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## valisaires (May 19, 2010)

*This is a very famous and popular song in the Spanish speaking countries and it talks about the entire continent as a whole. *

Where the warm sun shines
with a new glow
toasting the sands
Where the air is still clean
in the soft light
of stars
Where love becomes fire
the river talks
and the mountain is jungle
Today I found a place
for we both in this new land.

America, America
all a huge garden
This is America.
When God made the Garden of Eden
he thought in America.

In each new sunset
the sky starts burning
and I can listen to the wind
which brings me with his song
a complaint of love
as a lament
The perfume of a flower
the rhythm of a drum
on the prairies
dances of war and peace
of a people who still
did not break their chains

America, America
all a huge garden
This is America.
When God made the Garden of Eden
he thought in America.


This one has part of the lyrics in English,


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## Motul (Nov 8, 2003)

Great song, but not the luis Miguel version, please!! 

This is the *original* version, by Nino Bravo, the most powerful voice in Spanish:







Beautiful song. it's a sort of anthem for the continent..


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## mexico15 (Jan 21, 2009)

Here in Mexico, the young generation is starting like a nationalist sentiment revival, you guys can see in sites like Tumblr lots of people posting images and song referring to "America is not a country , is a whole continent" or " Mexico is also part of North America". We refer to the citizens of the USA as "estadounidenses" , because we all are americanos. Viva America !


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## mexico15 (Jan 21, 2009)

My dream is to see all America united, all the countries working in peace with each other. There's a great barrier between Canada and USA and the rest of the countries, like you guys in Europe don't have an idea, and no it's not like Poland- Germany, the change is so extreme, like another world.... Canada and USA are in the same continent but sometimes I can believe that...


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## Bannor (Jul 23, 2011)

There was a film a few years ago with aliens having taken over Mexico, and USA having to strenthen its borders. It kinda made a joke about the whole situation I guess (now I can't remamber the name of the film).

I've heard the biggest difference is between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. We've all heard about that.

The comparison in Europe wouldn't be between Germany and Poland though. It would be between Europe and North Africa. Since we have already started making an effort to bridge the gap eastwards, the gap in that direction is falling now due to the common labor market within the EU. Ofcourse you have countries like Albania and Moldova still outside though...


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## mexico15 (Jan 21, 2009)

And I am pretty ire that in that film Mexico is displayed like a big adobe slum in the middle of a desert, with people wearing sombreros, riding donkeys and drinking tequila, like all the Hollywood movies when the are in Mexico xD


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Vincen1 said:


> All together I think it's a rather silly question since the answer seems rather obvious. It's in the name.


Quite right, they're the United States. Not sure why that name isn't good enough. The 'United States' is a great name and there's zero confusion as to what one is referring to.


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## CDNer (Aug 7, 2011)

Hi 
Guess what... In Italy, we usually call "Americano(=america)" a inhabitant from the whole northern continent of the americas (even canadian people are american for us)
we call "Latinoamericano" people from southern america(s), in particular we specificate "Colombiano, argentino, venezuelano" etc
and last but not least.. "Statunitense"(United Statian !) means, according to my(and our italian -but also spanish - definition), person from "United states".
I think these definition are exactly the same as a Latin american would say 
so, for us, if you say "I come from america" it indicates the whole continent (at least the northern one)


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## garum0 (Jul 26, 2010)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Provinces_of_Central_America

What did they call themselves?


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## fastboyRD (Jun 8, 2010)

sursena said:


> But you've talked about "latin america", so Brazil included. We are *South Americans*, like Uruguayans, Colombians, Argentinians, etc. :cheers: The inhabitants of the USA are "Americans" or "North Americans".
> 
> PS: Republica Dominicana is Central America



That's why I said, "*for most Latin americans*". The intelligence of most Brazilians is just amazing. :yes:

PS: Dominican Republic is in the Caribbean, you smart-ass.


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## mexico15 (Jan 21, 2009)

Lalalala


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## BeLogical (Feb 25, 2013)

As quoted from the top of the forum section:

"Tall Talk general news, discussion and announcement forum about skyscrapers"

Im not quite sure how this thread fits under the aforementioned description...


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## maxsanta (Mar 4, 2006)

I just dont care anymore, I just call them "People in the US" if I'm speaking english, "Muricans", "Gringos", or the more official "Estadounidense" if im speaking spanish, there are still some idiots in here that like to call them "Americanos" or "Norteamericanos" (like Canada doesnt exist).

People that say we in other parts of the Americas dont call ourslves "Americanos" don't know what they're talking about.


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## Rev Stickleback (Jun 23, 2009)

Nabartek said:


> Do we call people from the Middle East "Asian"? The Middle East is also known as Southwest ASIA but in the West, Asian has been limited to China/Japan/Korea/Taiwan.


In the UK, someone described as "looking Asian" would be from India/Pakistan, not the far east.



IngMarco said:


> By the thread's title... America means nothing, this continent was named after Américo Vespucio, which is the man who first saw this land.


Isn't there some doubt over that? Isn't is just a guess with no actual evidence to back it up?


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## IngMarco (May 10, 2010)

Rev Stickleback said:


> Isn't there some doubt over that? Isn't is just a guess with no actual evidence to back it up?


Sure. Though I was kind of wrong... He discovered South America.

http://geography.about.com/cs/historicalgeog/a/amerigo.htm

You can also type him as Amerigo Vespucci.


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## sursena (Apr 12, 2012)

*AMERICA = the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. PERIOD.*


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## sursena (Apr 12, 2012)

fastboyRD said:


> That's why I said, "*for most Latin americans*". The intelligence of most Brazilians is just amazing. :yes:
> 
> PS: Dominican Republic is in the Caribbean, you smart-ass.


WOW... tell me about the intelligence of the Dominican Republic. :nuts: I think you are a good example of that


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## sursena (Apr 12, 2012)

maxsanta said:


> I just dont care anymore, I just call them "People in the US" if I'm speaking english, "Muricans", "Gringos", or the more official "Estadounidense" if im speaking spanish, there are still some idiots in here that like to call them "Americanos" or "Norteamericanos" (like Canada doesnt exist).
> 
> People that say we in other parts of the Americas dont call ourslves "Americanos" don't know what they're talking about.


Therea are some idiots in hispanic countries that envy USA. 

We in the other parts of Americas are too "americans" but in a very broad sense. *In strictu sensus Americanos are the inhabitants of the United States of America. PERIOD.*


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## mexico15 (Jan 21, 2009)

sursena said:


> Therea are some idiots in hispanic countries that envy USA.
> 
> We in the other parts of Americas are too "americans" but in a very broad sense. In strictu sensus Americanos are the inhabitants of the United States of America. PERIOD.


Who the f*ck are you? *******


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## fastboyRD (Jun 8, 2010)

sursena said:


> WOW... tell me about the intelligence of the Dominican Republic. :nuts: I think you are a good example of that


A BRASUCA talking about intelligence, this just made my day.:rofl: :rofl:


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## 1Filipe1 (Jul 13, 2012)

manuelmonge said:


> Who the f*ck are you? *******


you act like its not true lol


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## sur_les_étoiles (Aug 4, 2008)

In Argentina:
someone from USA: 

"estadounidense" (for the most part, more commonly heard, broadly accepted) , 

yankee (very familiar way to refer to them but very common too. This way is not accepted in, say, intellectual circles), 

norteamericanos (sometimes heard, not accepted in intellectual circles as it excludes mexicans, canadians)

we dont say gringos. Gringos are usually argentineans of central or northern european background (also called "polacos" due to the big polish inmigration to the country)or just europeans (light complexion ones). Sometimes italians (blond or dark) are also refered as gringos. ****** is more about physical appearance not nationality

As for "AMERICANS", some people might say it when talking about "estadounidenses" but it would mostly be a new trend (globalisation maby?), we mostly think of anyone living from Canada to Argentina as an american. So yes, I consider myself american =) 
its very important to take into account that, in the past, when europeans came to the country the phenomenom was arquetipically refered as "los gringos haciendo la América" (gringos (or europeans) coming to America, or making a living in America) In that case, America was our country not the northern one, and gringos were commonly italians, spaniards and germans...curious right?

An argentinean could easily self refer as : american, south american or latin american; it depends on what exactly you want to express. We never use the word LATINO for us, when we hear that word, we immediatly think of someone from Mexico, the carabean or central America. 

Who's american? I can only think of a subjective answer.


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## Motul (Nov 8, 2003)

"En la selva se escuchan tiros, son las armas de los pobres son los gritos del *latino*". 

Lyric by Bersuit Vergabarat. Argentinean.


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## sur_les_étoiles (Aug 4, 2008)

Motul said:


> "En la selva se escuchan tiros, son las armas de los pobres son los gritos del *latino*".
> 
> Lyric by Bersuit Vergabarat. Argentinean.


what's the point?


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## Motul (Nov 8, 2003)

Argentines=latinos.


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## Bronxwood (Feb 7, 2010)

isaidso said:


> ^^ Your ancestors chose a name that was already taken. What did you expect would happen? If you want to call yourself 'Americans' that's fine, but don't tell the other 35 countries that they can't use it any more. That's just ridiculous.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Unless, of course, you had first dibs on the name! Finders, keepers... ;P

Honestly, we are not denying anyone else call themselves 'American'. People can call themselves as they see fit. Thing is, people in south america, mexico, etc. NEVER refer to themselves as such on daily basis. I've come to the realization that this sudden uproar is just an excuse for further "hatred" towards the USA. Usually it's only people from Latin America that have an issue with this, I've yet to see any Canadian complain. It's like a third world thing to do, hate on those on top.


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## Motul (Nov 8, 2003)

Canadians are highly shaped by the USA and are actually US americans by default. Why would they ever complain?


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## sur_les_étoiles (Aug 4, 2008)

Motul said:


> Argentines=latinos.


I insist, what's the point?

I said the term was hardly ever use here, didn't meant to say we are not latinoAMERICANOS. 
Please, don't deviate the focus of my post which is, linguistic particularities regarding the use of the word AMERICAN.


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## sur_les_étoiles (Aug 4, 2008)

Bronxwood said:


> Unless, of course, you had first dibs on the name! Finders, keepers... ;P
> 
> Honestly, we are not denying anyone else call themselves 'American'. People can call themselves as they see fit. Thing is, people in south america, mexico, etc. NEVER refer to themselves as such on daily basis. I've come to the realization that this sudden uproar is just an excuse for further "hatred" towards the USA. Usually it's only *people from Latin America that have an issue with this*, I've yet to see any Canadian complain. *It's like a third world thing to do*, hate on those on top.


That's absurd. Not all latinamericans agree with the use of the term. Brasilians seems to be more likely to say americans to the people of the USA. The degree of the use of american seems to change in hispanic speaking countries. Italians might not always refer to the people of the USA as americans. Frech would always say americans = USA. 
a third world issue? Leaving behind the fact that thirld world = doesn't exist; why would this be a thirld world issue?. 
This is a linguistic issue. And a generational one. I've heard more young people accepting the term "amercian = USA" and i've never seen older people saying that.


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## Motul (Nov 8, 2003)

Germans say "US Amerikaner"..


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## sur_les_étoiles (Aug 4, 2008)

see. The issue has two main faces for me:

1: LINGUISTIC. Different languages = different point of view. Like the continents, which also translate into a geographical conception. There are two Americas (north and south) in the english speaking and french speaking world. There's only one America in spanish speaking world. Linguistic fact.

2: US superpower status: The country that has ruled the world over decades has apparently impossed their own use of the term to others, This is not bad actually or rude, its just like power works. Although there are still some places where the use of the term has another connotation.


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## Intoxication (Jul 24, 2005)

To me it means the United States of America.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

^^ And to hundreds of millions of people in America it doesn't. The word 'America' in United States of America is in reference to the continent its on. Likewise, Canada could have chosen 'United Provinces of America' for its name and Mexico could have chosen 'Mexican States of America' for its name. America has always meant the New World although a lot of people incorrectly use it to mean just 1 country in it.

America to mean the United States is a misnomer.



Bronxwood said:


> Unless, of course, you had first dibs on the name! Finders, keepers... ;P


Exactly, and that would be the people of the American continent.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

sur_les_etoiles said:


> In Argentina:
> 
> As for "AMERICANS", some people might say it when talking about "estadounidenses" but it would mostly be a new trend (globalisation maby?), we mostly think of anyone living from Canada to Argentina as an american. So yes, I consider myself american =)
> its very important to take into account that, in the past, when europeans came to the country the phenomenom was arquetipically refered as "los gringos haciendo la América" (gringos (or europeans) coming to America, or making a living in America) In that case, America was our country not the northern one, and gringos were commonly italians, spaniards and germans...curious right?


I'm Canadian and the cultural influence from the United States is immense. The use of 'America' in reference to the United States is far more common today than it was 30 years ago. Canadians often adopt US practices without question, but that doesn't make it accurate ... only colloquial. 

I will use 'American' in reference to people from the United States because there is no suitable alternative and we have such a close daily interaction with our neighbours to the south. What I NEVER EVER use is 'America' in reference to the United States. 'America' means the continent, has always meant the continent, and they already have a perfectly good name for their country: the United States. They don't need 2 names.


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## sur_les_étoiles (Aug 4, 2008)

that's a clear point isaidso. I would never use "America" for the USA neither, nor american for a US citizen when speaking spanish, i will say "estadounidense". But when talking french, i will use "américain/e" and when talking english i will use "american". Its a matter of being loyal to the language you are talking, and the social construction you have regarding a topic. A subjective complex thing if someone ask me.


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