Referring to people from USA as "American"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I would say that when you (plural you) are speaking English, the correct word is "American", and when you're speaking Spanish, the correct word is "estadounidense".

Especially since there is no continent called "America". The continents are North America and South America. People from Canada, the US, Mexico, and the countries in Central America are all North Americans. People from the countries in South America are South Americans.

You have been taught that there is no continent called America. Most people in the world, and all Latin Americans, are taught differently.

How do you know that "most people in the world", and all Latin Americans, are taught that the continents are Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and America?

Also, geologically and biogeographically it does not make sense to lump North America and South America into one continent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent
It says that Asia goes with 7 continents and most of the English speaking world. Doesn't say anything about Africa.
We've already established that most people in Central and South America are taught that there are 5 continents. Excludes Antarctica and combines North and South America to just America.

Most of Europe is taught that there are 6 continents- again America, no North or South.

Now we know that doesn't equal most of the world yet.

I'd be interested to know how it's taught in Asian and African countries. My best guess would be the same way it's taught in England or France for most of those countries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I would say that when you (plural you) are speaking English, the correct word is "American", and when you're speaking Spanish, the correct word is "estadounidense".

Especially since there is no continent called "America". The continents are North America and South America. People from Canada, the US, Mexico, and the countries in Central America are all North Americans. People from the countries in South America are South Americans.

You have been taught that there is no continent called America. Most people in the world, and all Latin Americans, are taught differently.

How do you know that "most people in the world", and all Latin Americans, are taught that the continents are Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and America?

Also, geologically and biogeographically it does not make sense to lump North America and South America into one continent.

We've already established that most people in Central and South America are taught that there are 5 continents. Excludes Antarctica and combines North and South America to just America.

Most of Europe is taught that there are 6 continents- again America, no North or South.

Now we know that doesn't equal most of the world yet.

I'd be interested to know how it's taught in Asian and African countries. My best guess would be the same way it's taught in England or France for most of those countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent
It says that Asia goes with 7 continents and most of the English speaking world. Doesn't say anything about Africa.
We've already established that most people in Central and South America are taught that there are 5 continents. Excludes Antarctica and combines North and South America to just America.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I didn't click on the wiki earlier.

If I had a choice in schooling there would be 5 and they'd be-

America
Asia
Africa
Australasia
Antarctica

Europe, India, and the Arabian Peninsula would be sub-continents.

Makes a lot more sense if we are distinguishing continents by pure geography.

[Anonymous]

If we are distinguishing continents by pure geography, there should be North America and South America. And there wouldn't be Australasia, there would be just plain Australia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, I didn't click on the wiki earlier.

If I had a choice in schooling there would be 5 and they'd be-

America
Asia
Africa
Australasia
Antarctica

Europe, India, and the Arabian Peninsula would be sub-continents.

Makes a lot more sense if we are distinguishing continents by pure geography.

Why would these be subcontinents, but North and South America be one big continent?

It appears to me that one could argue that North and South America have more reason to be seen as either separate continents or sub-continents as the above bolded three.

[Anonymous]

Geologically it should be Africa, Antarctica, Eurasia, North America, South America, Indo-Australia, and Pacifica (except that a continent is a land mass, and almost all of Pacifica is ocean).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does anyone expect the word "american" to mean the same in both english and spanish? Different languages, hence the different meanings attached to the same word.

It does mean the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They know exactly what you mean when you say it. They are just trying to prove some ridiculous point that why are you guys allowed to call yourselves American when we all live in South and Central America. Because the word "America" IS NOT in your countries name. Well, Mexico has United States in their name. Okay, well let them call themselves the United Stateters if they want. Around the world it is understood that American = someone from someplace like DC not Quito, Ecuador.

I am a native speaker in Spanish and majored in it in Spanish.

American means USA in French too.

Huh?

Majored in Spanish. obviously, it is a typo dummy. You know like people are English majors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really not up to other countries WHAT we call ourselves.

+1000

You got that right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does anyone expect the word "american" to mean the same in both english and spanish? Different languages, hence the different meanings attached to the same word.

It does mean the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They know exactly what you mean when you say it. They are just trying to prove some ridiculous point that why are you guys allowed to call yourselves American when we all live in South and Central America. Because the word "America" IS NOT in your countries name. Well, Mexico has United States in their name. Okay, well let them call themselves the United Stateters if they want. Around the world it is understood that American = someone from someplace like DC not Quito, Ecuador.

I am a native speaker in Spanish and majored in it in Spanish.

American means USA in French too.

I am a native Spanish speaker from Spain. There, we refer to people from the U.S. as "estadounidenses" to denote "from the United States." Not "Americans," or "americano/as."

"Americano/a" can mean from any country on the continent of America.

No, ya'll know what is by Americano. It's not complicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If we are distinguishing continents by pure geography, there should be North America and South America. And there wouldn't be Australasia, there would be just plain Australia.

Okay, I could see North and South America being separated. The strip of Central America is quite small. But they should then have two completely different names. Not North and South something. Its like if there was North EurAsia and South EurAsia. Europe/Russia/China etc being north and Africa being South. They also have a small strip of land that connects them.

For whatever reason in my head, I don't like Australia as a continent name. I don't think it should be the country name and continent name. It leaves out the surrounding close by islands that way. While if we went by the strict definition of large land mass this would work, but I'm thinking more as the large land mass and also encompassing the close islands around it. The islands should also have some identification with a continent to place themselves geographically and one from New Zealand shouldn't have to say they are Australian to identify themselves by which continent they are from.

Just musings...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I would say that when you (plural you) are speaking English, the correct word is "American", and when you're speaking Spanish, the correct word is "estadounidense".

Especially since there is no continent called "America". The continents are North America and South America. People from Canada, the US, Mexico, and the countries in Central America are all North Americans. People from the countries in South America are South Americans.

You have been taught that there is no continent called America. Most people in the world, and all Latin Americans, are taught differently.

How do you know that "most people in the world", and all Latin Americans, are taught that the continents are Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and America?

Also, geologically and biogeographically it does not make sense to lump North America and South America into one continent.

I am Latin American and have lived abroad extensively. I know for a fact that Latin Americans are taught that America is one continent. While I haven't done the math, and "most" can be a vague word, I am positive that most countries teach their nationals that America is one continent -- exceptions are the USA, the Uk, and other former British colonies, China and India (all well populated, but just a handful among all countries in the world).

We can argue about the geoLogical part, part historically it would be silly to deny the strong linkages between what you have been taught as North America and South America. Do you want to talk about the differences between Panama and Colombia? (By the way, you do know that Panama was part of Colombia, until the USA intervened and fomented the partition of the country so that the U.S. could build the canal -- after The U.S. intervened in Nicaragua and pretty much occupied the country but realized it wasn't feasible to build the canal there, right?)

The point is that differences in views about 1 vs 2 continents have a big role in Op's question.

[Anonymous]

I prefer 'Murican

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Latin Americans are taught that the continent called America is divided into three parts -- south, central (or "meso") and North America.

The funny thing is that, for South Americans, Mexico is part of Central America, while Mexicans are adamant that they belong to North America.

No, South Americans know full well that by America and say "Yo soy Americano" you mean you are from the U.S.A. But they pull that bs like well we are all Americans to try to force some silly point.

I was born in South America and it annoys me when I go back on vacation and everyone is so "offended" if you say American. Offended by what? It is the country's name!!!!!

AMERICANO= USA

The country's name is not America. It is the United States of America. But it is reasonable for US people to use "American"; unfortunately, that creates confusion with the fact that a Latin Americans regard "American" as "someone from the American continent."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I would say that when you (plural you) are speaking English, the correct word is "American", and when you're speaking Spanish, the correct word is "estadounidense".

Especially since there is no continent called "America". The continents are North America and South America. People from Canada, the US, Mexico, and the countries in Central America are all North Americans. People from the countries in South America are South Americans.

You have been taught that there is no continent called America. Most people in the world, and all Latin Americans, are taught differently.

How do you know that "most people in the world", and all Latin Americans, are taught that the continents are Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and America?

Also, geologically and biogeographically it does not make sense to lump North America and South America into one continent.

I am Latin American and have lived abroad extensively. I know for a fact that Latin Americans are taught that America is one continent. While I haven't done the math, and "most" can be a vague word, I am positive that most countries teach their nationals that America is one continent -- exceptions are the USA, the Uk, and other former British colonies, China and India (all well populated, but just a handful among all countries in the world).

We can argue about the geoLogical part, part historically it would be silly to deny the strong linkages between what you have been taught as North America and South America. Do you want to talk about the differences between Panama and Colombia? (By the way, you do know that Panama was part of Colombia, until the USA intervened and fomented the partition of the country so that the U.S. could build the canal -- after The U.S. intervened in Nicaragua and pretty much occupied the country but realized it wasn't feasible to build the canal there, right?)

The point is that differences in views about 1 vs 2 continents have a big role in Op's question.

OP here. I agree this must be why I'm corrected a lot! It's a pretty interesting discussion. I even had most of my Spanish teachers correct me from saying I'm "American." Most of my teachers were Cuban or Mexican. I hadn't had anyone from South America correct me though. I thought they referred to themselves as sudamericanos and didn't realize they called themselves American too.

I guess being from the USA I never refer to myself by continent the way we refer to Asians, Europeans and Africans by continent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I prefer 'Murican

Fuck yeah!