Calling US Citizens Americans? Not right to me

[kevbo]

feel free to call yourself American if you'd like.

Not like it's a title of honor these days...

 

[alley]

Ich bin ein a jelly doughnut.

Ich will eine Jelly doughnut...bitte.

 

[Críostóir]

Yeah, it's really just because there's no other good name. 'United Statesian' never caught on. Gee, I wonder why.

I would think that Canadians and Mexicans (and Brazilians and Chileans and...on and on, all of whom live in "America" too) would resent my country for giving America a bad name, due to our detestable behavior in the world for (at least) the last seven years, but given that America DOES have a bad name now (and will for years, even if the next POTUS works hard to repair our international reputation), I can't understand why anyone would want to court being associated with us by being included in what's thought of as "American."

It's not going to happen anyway. It's language. It doesn't change just because you want it to, or even just because it would be right. People will still hear a Toronto accent and think "American" (meaning US) in Europe, and most won't even give the innocent Canadian traveler a chance to explain that no, s/he's from the civilised country on the North American continent (sorry folks, there's only one, and it's not the one I live in).

Is it unpatriotic for me to diss my own country this way? Not at all. Criticism, even harsh criticism, is intrinsic to American (and I mean US) patriotism. (Rant on our current criminal POTUS and his criminal administration deleted here: too off-topic for an already drifting post.)

 

[Orlandude]

This is the most ridiculous thread I've ever read.

Totally agree. It should be called "semantics gone wild".

 

[Just_Believe18]

Lame subject. How else are we suppose to refer to ourselves? America is part of the title of our nation. Hence, Americans. We're not the only Americans, but no other country has adopted our lingo. I think people know in North and South America that they are "Americans," but prefer to identify by their nationality such as Columbians, Cubans, etc.

 

[BlueLantern]

I will take the oportunity and ask: It is just me who thinks that "United States of America" is kinda lame? I mean, all the countries have names who have some more elaborated meaning (Brazil for example is named after a kind of wood who was found here and was used in Red Die), but damn. "United States of American", so boring :3

Also, six or half dozen?

 

[kyless85]

I agree with those that say there's no other word to refer to those who were born or live in the USA, still sometimes I feel like they made the term exclusively theirs. Why are mexicans who live in the US referred to as mexican-americans, aren't they american already? If i ever went to another country and identified myself as American people would assume I'm from the US, with no exception.

To those grumpy and boring posters that say this thread is ridiculous, in what way is it ridiculous? I'm not insulting anyone, is it ridiculous to say what I think now? This forums are filled with people from all over the world, with a right to have an opinion, get over yourselves! You also have a right to have an opinion, but it could be a more intelligent one next time...

 

[kyless85]

Kyless,
I see your point of view, but what else COULD we call ourselves? "North Americans" wouldn't work because of the existence of Canada.

yeah, and remember Mexico is and has always been part of North America

 

[Spellbound]

To those grumpy and boring posters that say this thread is ridiculous, in what way is it ridiculous?

Its ridiculous because what else would American's call themselves?

You also have a right to have an opinion, but it could be a more intelligent one next time...

Speak for yourself.

 

[Eagle653]

This is the most ridiculous thread I've ever read.

LOL, I couldn't agree more!

 

[sabot3ur]

^ Exceptionally so. Despite waltzing in and doing that genocide thing they're so good at, they labelled THEMSELVES "Americans" and gave those they killed the moniker "Indians", just because the first whitey there had no clue where he was. They've at least bowed to pressure and changed the term to "Native American", which I guess is better than "Previous Tenant".

Lex

yeah man I totally hate all those americans that did all that shit, because they're certainly all still alive!

I generally don't like blaming people for what their fathers did, it just doesn't make any sense to me.

and as for this, I'm an american, and people are from the other americas are americans as well. I don't really care about the labels, because I am more than my nationality.

 

[M4P]

This North American is Canadian and proud of it

The term "American" has caught on for citizens of The United States of America and it will stick. Kind of like tissues are commonly referred to as kleenex even if they're not Kleenex brand

 

[syntax]

While in Europe, I would say I'm Canadian, and they would call me American, not because they assumed I was from the United States of America but rather from the Americas. I generally disliked being called an American and asked to be called Canadian,

This North American is Canadian and proud of it

The term "American" has caught on for citizens of The United States of America and it will stick.

Funny. I'm from the US but lived in Canada for most of the 1990s. Very often, but not always, when the issue of my nationality came up and I said "I'm American" or "I'm from America" some Canadians would object and say that they were "Americans" too.

I think this is a pretty fascinating thread because of the diversity of opinion and perspectives. Most of the posters who think this thread is ridiculous probably are from the US and don't see the perspective of others living in the Americas.

And of course, we only call ourselves "Americans" because a European cartographer in the 16th c. named this territory after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_021.html

 

[josher]

North America includes Canada, the USA, Mexico AND the Central American countries.

Central America is not a seperate continent.

In fact most geographers would include Mexico as a Central American country, because it shares more in common (language/culture/religion/etc.) with those countries.

 

[theFallenGod]

I always refer to The U.S. as the states rather than America...

As for people... I refer to them as "Our neighbours to the south... you know...THEM ..."

 

[Apollo]

I tried looking for another thread with this topic, but couldn't find it. Anyway as i was posting on another thread this came into my mind, and I thought it would be interesting. I currently live in Mexico City, but I have lived in many different countries and I come from a very mixed background. I have thought about this a lot, and I think it is insulting to other American countries (North, Central, and South) for US citizens to call themselves American, as if they were the official "Americans".

I believe most people from the US do it because it's easy and they're used to, but still it kinda bothers me 'cause some people do it with a feeling of superiority (btw I have no inferiority issues, that's not the problem). The other day as I arrived on a flight from Mexico City to New York I was greeted with a "Welcome to America" (it was not said in a nice way), and it bothered me because I LIVE IN AMERICA!

Anyway, I hate being whiny, but I had to post about it. What do you think?

And btw this is not meant to become a thread of America vs. the US. Most people from the US are cool.

Well, seeing how we are the United States of America, there isnt really another name to call us.

I guess we could be USsers but doesnt roll off the tongue. Or maybe the united peoples? orrrr statesmen? American statesman?

What would you call us?

 

[Apollo]

I'm baffled that you call it 'United' Sates of America. United it certainly isn't. Different states have different laws for a start. Hardly united.

*cough*idiot*cough*

 

[Apollo]

I agree with those that say there's no other word to refer to those who were born or live in the USA, still sometimes I feel like they made the term exclusively theirs. Why are mexicans who live in the US referred to as mexican-americans, aren't they american already? If i ever went to another country and identified myself as American people would assume I'm from the US, with no exception.

To those grumpy and boring posters that say this thread is ridiculous, in what way is it ridiculous? I'm not insulting anyone, is it ridiculous to say what I think now? This forums are filled with people from all over the world, with a right to have an opinion, get over yourselves! You also have a right to have an opinion, but it could be a more intelligent one next time...

It's how the world have known us since the beginning of this country. You must be one of 10? who have complained in all these years of the USA being around.

 

[Apollo]

I agree with those that say there's no other word to refer to those who were born or live in the USA, still sometimes I feel like they made the term exclusively theirs. Why are mexicans who live in the US referred to as mexican-americans, aren't they american already? If i ever went to another country and identified myself as American people would assume I'm from the US, with no exception.

To those grumpy and boring posters that say this thread is ridiculous, in what way is it ridiculous? I'm not insulting anyone, is it ridiculous to say what I think now? This forums are filled with people from all over the world, with a right to have an opinion, get over yourselves! You also have a right to have an opinion, but it could be a more intelligent one next time...

It is ridiculous because no one cares.

They are known as mexican-americans because they are from Mexico now living in the United States of America which is known as America. Therefore, they are mexican-american.

I think you are just thinking too much. Or just way to sensitive and need to see a therapist. Or, you know, care about real issues?

 

[Apollo]

Funny. I'm from the US but lived in Canada for most of the 1990s. Very often, but not always, when the issue of my nationality came up and I said "I'm American" or "I'm from America" some Canadians would object and say that they were "Americans" too.

I think this is a pretty fascinating thread because of the diversity of opinion and perspectives. Most of the posters who think this thread is ridiculous probably are from the US and don't see the perspective of others living in the Americas.

And of course, we only call ourselves "Americans" because a European cartographer in the 16th c. named this territory after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_021.html

Or they are just incredibly sensitive and need to grow a pair. They are Canadian first and North American second. Just like people of the USA are American first and North American second.

Just like someone from Honduras is Honduran first, and CENTRAL American second. Or a Brazilians is Brazilian first and South or Latin American second.

Next time they say that, ask them if they have heard of a place called Darfur and tell them to care about a real issue.