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People around the world refer to citizens of the USA as "Americans"- people in China or Japan don't consider Mexicans or Costa Ricans as "Americans"-- it is just known the world over that people in this country are referred to as "Americans". That's just how it is- I have traveled to several other countries and this is always the case, and you see it in international news media- that is how they refer to us. So if someone from one of these other countries on the North American continent gets annoyed by that and refers to themselves as "Americans", then they are wrong. If someone is from Costa Rica, they are Costa Rican- if someone is from Mexico, they are Mexican. We are talking about nationality, not what continent someone is from, after all! You don't see people from Vietnam introducing themselves as being Asian- they would say they are Vietnamese. People from France would say they are French- they wouldn't say they are European.
She can claim to be from America, she cannot claim to be an American. We are the United States of America, it is the "America" in the full name of the US that is the reason it's citizens are rightfully called Americans.
She is from Columbia (a country, not a state, by the way, she didn't really answer your question), and is Columbian, not American.
Now that I know this is out there, If I ask what state, and they reply with a country name, rather than fall into the trap, I will say "Oh, your xxxxx-ian, not an American at all!" and watch the slow simmering melt down of the idiot.
Did you even read the article, or understand why this is controversial in the first place? The whole western hemisphere is a supercontinent known as America. I agree that making a big deal of the unfortunate word technicalities of a country called the United States of America is childish, and it annoys me too when people act like it's confusing to refer to oneself as American, but technically, she or anyone of the West can still refer to themselves as an American in the context of the continent.
By the way, it is Colombia* no U anywhere in that country name.
Here in Brazil we say "americano" (american) reffering to things from USA. The therm "estadunidense" is very uncommum.
But we dont say "America" reffering to USA. We say "Estados Unidos".
That makes me remember once time I was talking to a friend from Hungary and she asked me:
"Have you ever been to America??"
And than I amazed answered: "Where did you think Brazil was??!!"
It's all just silly...nothing to get in an argument about with anyone.
I was talking to my cousin recently...she is from Mexico and was studying in Taiwan for a year, where she befriended many Latin Americans. She said that when she met an American (from the USA), she would instinctively just call them 'americano.' At which point her other Latin American friends (particularly the South Americans/Suramericanos) would scold her and remind her that 'we are all Americans, and what she meant to say is 'estadounidense'.
Truth be told, in Mexico they don't care...as everyone there assumes that when you say American or Americano, it refers to anything or anyone from up North, de los gringos. It is really more of a South American issue, and I wager that is due to their history going back to figures like Simon Bolivar that talked about one free, liberated and united 'america' (of course, referring to South America'.
“The United States appear to be destined by Providence to plague America with misery in the name of liberty.” - Simon Bolivar
So, South America has always had their own continental idea of what 'America' is. While in the north, our identities and cultures have always been different enough (British Empire Canada, Imperialistic America, Mestizo Mexico), and not until recently have we started to develop a continental identity, like the Europeans or South Americans, as North Americans. Nonetheless, that affiliation is rather weak and you will hardly ever hear anyone from the U.S., Canada or Mexico describe themselves as a North American, like South Americans easily identify as 'americanos.'
People around the world refer to citizens of the USA as "Americans"- people in China or Japan don't consider Mexicans or Costa Ricans as "Americans"-- it is just known the world over that people in this country are referred to as "Americans".
Isn't this just a nuance of the English language? If you speak English, you will have to use English vocabulary regardless of the etymology. They can choose another word for Americans in Spanish if they wish. Why are they trying to debate our language?
Some years ago I checked into a hostel in Paris and was asked my nationality. I said I was American. The woman at the desk smirked and asked, "North American, Central American or South American?" I said "I am a citizen of the United States of America" with as bored a look and tone as I could muster.
Some years ago I checked into a hostel in Paris and was asked my nationality. I said I was American. The woman at the desk smirked and asked, "North American, Central American or South American?" I said "I am a citizen of the United States of America" with as bored a look and tone as I could muster.
Really. How many people who arent born in, or citizens of the USA call themselves "American" when asked? Such a response is silly.
If the person was asked which country and the response was "America" then she was correct to smirk. Any case who is she to talk as many French people dont consider French Antilleans to be truly French.
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