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Well, if we don't call people from the United States, "Americans", what do we call them? United Staters? United Statese? United Statish?
Why not?
In French, it is now officially acceptable to refer Americans people as "Etats-Uniens" (that would be translated in English as= United Staters) instead of Américains (Americans). Etats-Uniens (United Staters) is now widely used in newspapers and stuff.
And I agree with that. America is not a country, it's a continent. Canada, Mexico, as United States of America, are geographically in this area.
You have the Estados Unidos Mexicos (United States of Mexico) and they are called Mexican because Mexico only refers to one country.
Personally, I think that there was a big lack of imagination at the time USA was founded, they should have chosen something more original ;-)
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Furthermore this could apply to a large area of the world. Why are people in Germany called Germans? There are plenty of Germanic people living in Switzerland and Austria. Couldn't they also call themselves German if they wanted to?
That's incorrect. Germans are called Germans because they live in Germany. Austrians live in Austria and so on...Yes, they do speak German in these countries, but you don't refer a person to his language, but to his country.
There is a French population in Canada, no one call them French. They are French speaking Canadians or as we say in our country, francophone.
Furthermore this could apply to a large area of the world. Why are people in Germany called Germans? There are plenty of Germanic people living in Switzerland and Austria. Couldn't they also call themselves German if they wanted to?
And in the Nordic countries as well, for that matter. In Swedish it's called "German" (referring to the "race", not the people from Germany) but in English this just means the people of Germany. Rather confusing.
This is a question that appears in many different discussions in countries outside of the US, so I think it's rather interesting to hear your opinion. Though I agree it may sound arrogant to call just one people Americans, it's actually all they/you are called. Not North Americans. Just Americans. So they/you haven't claimed all rights of the term "American". Always a start...
If it is the United States of America, couldn't it be called "US-American" then?
Specified, yet still American.
I don't think it's a problem. Go up to a Brazilian, a Venezuelan, a Mexican, etc. and yell "Hey Americano!" and see what sort of reaction you get. Most likely, they will 'correct' you ('Yo soy Venezolano, no soy Americano!')
It's simply due to geography? Maybe Central America, because it is just that; South America, is of course South. We are North America, and there you have it. Canadians are from Canada. I think it's just because it is what it is - well put, x-greensboro resident.
Calling us 'United Statesians' would be stupid, since our southern neighbor is Estados Unidos Mexicos -- the United States of Mexico! If claiming 'American' for ourselves is arrogant, then it's at least as arrogant to go by 'United Statesians', when the Mexicans have just as good a claim on the term.
I'm an American but born in Brasil and I, too, have wondered the same question. IMO, I think the USA just coined the name "American" since the last part of USA is "America". Canada = Canadian, Mexico = Mexicans, Brasil = Brasilians, Venezuela = Venezuelans. You catch my drift. Usually - or at least I know I do - if I'm referring to folks from different regions in the Americas, I usually will describe that person as being South American, or Central American. I have to admit though, I don't typically say "North American". Usually they are referred to as either American (from USA) or Canadian.
I see the OP's point of view but I have to disagree. There is a strong patriotic sense to the word American. It means so much to citizens of the United States. It's not to be arrogant. It is in the name of our country. Now, if the USA was called United Lands of the West or something, then I guess we would be called Westerners? (Yeah, I'm sure New Yorkers would *love* that!)
Well...actually, Australia isn't a continent, the continent is called Oceania...and New Zealand is part of it.
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Originally Posted by katenik
is that so?
I guess in a way you both are right though technically Australia wins it (if Wiki is accurate info). According to Wikipedia,
"Oceania is a geopolitical region, rather than a continent, consisting of many countries in the Pacific Ocean, including those in the continent of Australia and the Pacific Islands."
I learned that Australia was one of the seven continents. Maybe people who were educated in other parts of the world see it differently.
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