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From a continental standpoint, it would be either a "South or North American" not simply "American". There is a difference, so your wrong with that statement.
Population? When discussing the "2nd largest country in the Western Hemisphere", that usually refers to area and size, not how many people live in the country.
Russia is the largest country in the world, and Canada is second largest. Canada is the largest country in the Western Hemisphere, and the US is second. Brazil is the third largest country in the Western Hemisphere.
You can use that terminology for population size as well. It really doesn't matter.
Interesting thread. I think the reason why the term "American" is usually applied to someone from the United States of America is because the U.S. is the only country in the Western Hemisphere that uses the word "America" in its name. It isn't our fault other countries named themselves differently. And while I am well aware there are a lot of Americans who couldn't find their hometown on a map of their state, much less be aware of the fact that the "Americas" refers to two land masses in the Western Hemisphere, there are many who are aware of these facts. Getting offended over use of the term "American" to describe citizens of the United States is a waste of time. I am never out to offend anyone, but if people are looking for reasons to get offended they will usually find one. The girl described in the OP was looking for a reason to be confrontational. In my estimation this is more ignorant than someone applying the term "American" to a citizen of the U.S.
Once upon a time I had a ton of correspondence from international travelers. If I am speaking with someone from China I will ask which Province he was born. If he asks where I was born I would say the United States which usually opened a nice conversation about general lifestyle and geography.
To others I might say the Midwest which usually elicits a question about Chicago. If I say North America, the response usually bring questions about the United States, and sometimes Canada.
If someone tells me they are Latin American, I say, "That's lovely.," and walk away. At least with NA, and AA I know who they are - just as I know who Kiwi and Aussie and Creole are.
Frankly, every time I hear the catchphrase Latin American I cringe. It reminds me of VP Dan Quail and his famous South American tour. At his first stop he said, "I don't speak Latin. I'm sorry I can't speak to you in your own language."
It is a vague, ambiguous, pretentious, empty statement made by those who wish to portray themselves as worldly and mysterious. As for me... go peddle your snake oil somewhere else. I'm not buying it.
If United Statians believe that they can call themselves americans on the basis that their united states are in the Americas, then everyone else in the Americas can do the same thing. I'm getting the impression that United Statians want dibs on the term "american", but no one else is buying it. Being american means that someone comes from the Americas. Being european means that someone comes from Europe, and no one country in Europe has dibs on being "european" to the exclusion of all others.
If people from other countries on the American continents want to start calling themselves American and constantly have to rehash the rationale behind doing so I could care less.
It seems needlessly petty and contrarian to do so. It's like the people who enjoy pointing out "microaggreasions" on Facebook or other media news feeds. They look like reactionary and immature people with nothing better to do with their time than get in others' faces over utterly inconsequential crap. Attempting to neuter language is a waste of time IMHO.
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