U.S., US, U.S.A, United States, United States of America, America

[Ephemeral]

Why does the country in between (not counting Alaska or Hawaii) Canada and Mexico has so many names? Which one(s) do you use?

I call it the U.S. when I say it and write/type it. I notice non-Americans usually call it America.

 

[DeafFoxDemon]

when i write or type, i usally said U.S.A.

 

[unloadonme]

The Great Satan.

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

 

[theworldwithout]

The U.S.

I see no reason to call it just America... Afterall, there are two continents with America in their titles so it could get a bit confusing if you're talking with someone internationally.

 

[DJ1990]

United States of America.
USA is the same thing obviously.

Calling it America is not a horrible thing...when you say America it's pretty clear you mean the United States of America...unless you say North America or South America.

 

[Danncer128]

Using America internationally will get you a strange look, because they don't know what you're talking about. I tend to use "The US"

And just F.Y.I. England is part of The UK, there are three other countries in The UK so referring to the UK as England is a not a correct statement

 

[NVRMOR]

I live there and I call it "the United States" (but I'm "American").
My Slovak friends call it "America." That's "international," no?

 

[voyager1994]

I say United States and I write US.

 

[doctorsun]

There really is no country called "America". It's simply a nickname. The only legal name is the United States of America.

I always say "United States" when I write or speak the name.

 

[braex27]

Does calling it Southern Canada count?

Why does the country in between (not counting Alaska or Hawaii) Canada and Mexico has so many names? Which one(s) do you use?

I call it the U.S. when I say it and write/type it. I notice non-Americans usually call it America.

Why aren't you counting Alaska and Hawaii? And really, all the names you cite are variations of the official name and acronyms of these.

As for what I use, it depends on the context - if I am writing an official paper, then the United States of America. If I am talking to friends - the US, the States, America... whichever makes my sentence flow better.

Australia has a few names -

Officially: The Commonwealth of Australia
Generally: Australia
Short/Nickname: Oz, Land Down Under, Land of Thunder (thank you Men At Work!)

 

[Hot White Trash]

Eventually the land above and below us will be part of US so it will simply be America.

 

[gsdx]

Afterall, there are two continents with America in their titles so it could get a bit confusing if you're talking with someone internationally.

No, it doesn't. When people hear 'America', they think of only one country. It's not confusing at all.

 

[BostonPirate]

I was taught in grammar school that america was a continental system, and that the united states of america, shortened for convenience to USA, is on the north american continent.

I will also admit to using america instead of USA most of the time....HA

I learned the info, but still do my own thing....lol

 

[Autolycus]

England, Britain, Great Britain, the UK.

The Dutch people of Holland, or the Netherlands.

Myanmar or Burma.

I use the US. No particular reason, just habit.

You must realize that the UK is NOT England!

The UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. England is merely one of the Kingdom's constituent countries.


While we Brits would use the "United States of America" as the correct and formal title of the USA, in common parlance "America" means the same just as we call its citizens "Americans." This does not mean that we are in anyway confused about the continental inferences of the name.

When I was at a ball game in Oklahoma last year they sang 'God Bless America' now that was not a continental blessing was it?

 

[Fire]

No, it doesn't. When people hear 'America', they think of only one country. It's not confusing at all.

Yes, but many Latin Americans take offense at that usage. They're quite sore that everyone thinks of the Statue of Liberty first when they hear "America," rather than pampas and coca farms and colorfully painted ghettos. I mean, go figure, the world's foremost superpower and one-time beacon of hope is more salient in the human mind than a bunch of jungle backwaters whose progress seems inexorably held back by corruption, violence and crushing poverty.

Reason doesn't matter though: every now and then those South and Central Americans try to get themselves in the news, like some annoying little brother trying to remind the family he still exists.

 

[Knucklehead]

Using America internationally will get you a strange look, because they don't know what you're talking about. I tend to use "The US"

Really? I spent two years in Europe, and tons of people there call the U.S. "America.''

Everybody knows when your talking about America, you mean the U.S. -No one confuses America for Guatamala..

 

[Ephemeral]

Why aren't you counting Alaska and Hawaii?

Because Alaska and Hawaii isn't between Canada and Mexico.

Why does the country in between Canada and Mexico...

 

[construct]

When speaking and in informal writing, I generally use 'America.' In more formal writing, I usually use 'the United States' or 'the U.S.' In both registers, 'American' is the only word for inhabitants of the U.S. 'U.S.' as an adjective is only for specialized uses, for example, "U.S. gold dropped $20/oz. by midday but rallied in the afternoon." Otherwise the adjective is 'American.'

 

[gsdx]

Countries in North America

Antigua and Barbuda
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Canada
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat)
Grenada
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
United States of America


Countries in South America

Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela


The USA is the only country in the western hemisphere with 'America' in its name. Wheel of Fortune is America's favourite game show. Kate Smith sang God Bless America. Katherine Lee Bates and Samuel A. Ward wrote and composed America the Beautiful. Eddy Murphy starred in Coming To America. Whoopie Goldberg and Ted Danson bombed in Made in America. Supertramp released an album named Breakfast in America. Gene Kelly was An American in Paris. Marlon Brando was The Ugly American.

The list goes on and on and on and on and. . .

There is only one America in the world and the citizens of only one country in the world call themselves American, and that is the United States of America.

 

[Triple G]

Obamaville