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It's easy to see why someone from the United States of America would shorten it to, simply, 'American'. It's really the only part of our country's actual name that's a name of any sort.
Likewise, the Estados Unidos Mexicanos shortens easily to just Mexico, and its inhabitants therefore known as 'Mexicans'.
Canada has always been known simply as 'Canada', and people who live there, 'Canadians'.
So there's nothing inherently wrong or egotistical to call people from the United States, 'Americans', even if everyone knows that there are more countries in "the" Americas than just the United States.
If we really wanted to appear less arrogant as to the perceived notion that we're the continent's only country, we should change the name of our Country, not that of the language we speak in it.
Just like in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the U.K. and the U.S. um .. it's English
Nope, American is different in that the USA makes it's own rules for spelling in a big way.
We in Aus,the UK , NZ use standard English spelling.
Whereas the USA with American tends to change the spelling of words.
Same as different words altogether, we use autumn, you use fall etc etc etc.
It is strange that you have degrees such as English Literature, but what is studied is American, should it not be changed to a degree in American Literature ?
Nope, American is different in that the USA makes it's own rules for spelling in a big way.
A "big way?"
English has the largest vocabulary of any major world language... more than a quarter million words not counting technical terms. There are less than a dozen spelling rule differences between American and "standard" English, affecting perhaps 500 of them.
Two tenths of one percent difference is essentially no difference at all.
The only people I have come across in Europe who are all upset about people from the U.S. calling themselves 'Americans' were some Argentinians who also called themselves 'Americans' and really uptight Americans who feel that denigrating their countrymen makes them look better in the eyes of Europeans who, by and large, don't give a crap what Americans call themselves and use the word 'American' to describe people from the United States all the time.
At least that is the result of my extensive experience in Britain, Norway, and Germany. Maybe its different in other parts of Europe.
When I was in England, the BBC always referred to the U.S. as America, and every Brit that was interested to ask me, always asked me "How's life in America?". I've yet to come across a Brit who calls the U.S., the U.S. America seems to be the preferred British term for our country and you'd think that chielgirl would give the fight up, considering her European master that invented the English language, prefers to call the U.S., simply America.
Nope, American is different in that the USA makes it's own rules for spelling in a big way.
We in Aus,the UK , NZ use standard English spelling.
Whereas the USA with American tends to change the spelling of words.
Same as different words altogether, we use autumn, you use fall etc etc etc.
It is strange that you have degrees such as English Literature, but what is studied is American, should it not be changed to a degree in American Literature ?
Noah Webster, the American lexicographer did indeed change some spellings in American English. What he did was to remove (alter) spellings that were, through the zealous pedantry of British grammarians, slaved to their Latin/French roots. In other words, short of removing Latin-origin words from American English, he did Anglify them. The first examples that comes to mind are the British programme to the American program, centre to center, defence to defense, etc. (Perhaps somewhat ironically, this conformation of words with Latin roots to an Anglo spelling convention was termed 'Americanization'.)
Also, American English still contains many English words that are considered archaic or obsolete in modern British English where they have been replaced with foreign (mainly French) words. For example as you already stated, British -by way of French- Autumn is more commonly in America a proper English Fall.
But we wouldn't want to call the English spoken in Britain, Latin English, would we? No, because spelling is the worst way to organize the difference in language since language's primary function is spoken communication. I could write this whole post in Cyrillic and it would still be readable English to anyone who understood the sound values of the Cyrillic alphabet.
In summary, in many ways, American English from vocabulary to spelling, and even to (historical) pronunciation is more English than any English spoken in the Estuary or the Commonwealth.
Now before you accuse me of merely trying to put put America on top where our shared language is concerned, I will happily admit that where the inheritance of the English language is at its strongest is actually in Scotland where the English dialect, Lalans (lowlands) Scots, is spoken.
Finally, regarding the naming of the English Literature degree in America, the word 'English' refers to the language in which the literature is written. the subcategories of an English literature degree may consist of American lit., British lit, Australian lit., etc. all of which comprise the world's collection of literature in the English language.
Last edited by ABQConvict; 03-06-2011 at 11:08 AM..
Yeah, because there are no rude and loud and pushy EU tourists. Who not only drink from sun-up to sun-down...but seek out Americans to argue with them about anything they hate the US for. And this is in the Dominican Republic, on the isle of St. Croix, Aruba...and my worst experience was on St. Martin with some of the refined French while shopping on the French side of the island.
Yeah, Europeans aren't just as trashy as the "rude American". It's just that no one really talks about how rude and trashy those EU's are.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chielgirl
I always respond from the United States.
I'm not telling anyone what to do, I say I'm from the United States.
I am offended by US arrogance in thinking that the are the only people on two continents that count. Perhaps I'm more sensitive because I'm from the US and have lived throughout the world. It's the same as cringing when I recognize the loud and rude tourists are from the US.
The ignorant and arrogant from other countries have no bearing on me; I probably don't understand the language enough to recognize it.
So sorry that you can only comprehend part of my posts.
Do try to keep up, won't you?!
Last edited by chielgirl; 03-06-2011 at 12:00 PM..
Originally Posted by chielgirl
I always respond from the United States.
I'm not telling anyone what to do, I say I'm from the United States.
I am offended by US arrogance in thinking that the are the only people on two continents that count.
Perhaps I'm more sensitive because I'm from the US and have lived throughout the world. It's the same as cringing when I recognize the loud and rude tourists are from the US.
The ignorant and arrogant from other countries have no bearing on me; I probably don't understand the language enough to recognize it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by camping!
That is a good option. I'm just saying that I don't think using the identifier 'American' is being arrogant or dismissive towards the rest of the people who live in North or South America. I liken it to someone saying they are English or Columbian or Canadian or Australian -- which is probably the best example as Australia is the name of their country and their continent.
But that's just it, we are not the only country on the continent.
I see it as dismissive.
It may not be how you're using it, but that's how I see it.
Just this weekend someone asked me if I were from the United States. I was traveling in Prague, Czech. They don't ask me if I'm from America, it's if I'm from the United States.
In currency exchange sites, it's not America, it's US.
When selecting the country you're from, it's not America, it's USA in the pull-down menus.
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