Reply to Just curious - what do you say when ppl in foreign countries ask where you are from?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The States.  But then that's because I'm Canadian.[/quote]

Earlier other Canadian. That is what we say too. The States. I've also heard many people say I am from the US or the USA. It would be extremely odd to me to say if we were crossing the border...we are going to America...as we are already in America (in Canada)..and America isn't a country.

And as you noticed - the Dane identified himself by country - he didn't say I'm from Europe (assuming you would know that meant Denmark!)

For me, I am not offended at all. [b]I just find it funny that one identifies their country as being the continent or the continent as being one country[/b]. I am guessing there are many who in the US have no idea that they are not the only Americans (and many that do). It has become colloquial language because of the 'we are the only country that matters' perspective that someone from The States assumes that the name of the continent means their country. Substitute France/Europe or Japan/Asia for the US/America, and see how it sounds to you... it just sounds odd/funny but not offensive.

Sometimes if someone says they are from America, I will say oh me too...then they ask where, and I tell them and they get all confused![/quote]

See, that is where you have it wrong.  We view the continent as "[b]North [/b]America" (or South).  "America" is not the continent; it is just shorthand for United States of America.[/quote]

So what do you think [i] of America[/i] in the United States of America refers to, if not the continent?

[/quote]

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