USA is not America

Indeed, U.S.A. is not America!

America is the name of a whole continent. United States of America means that the United States belongs to America and NOT that America belongs to the United States. So, next time you want to refer to The United States of America, you can do it as U.S. or the States or whatever you want but not as only America. Gotcha?

America

How should I use the term America then?

Here we will show you some wrong and correct uses of the term America:

  • This is how we do it in America.
  • This is how we do it in the States.
  • America is my country and I love it.
  • The United States is my country and I love it.
  • America lost the Vietnam war.
  • U.S.A. lost the Vietnam war.
  • Here in America we love Mc Donald's.
  • Here in the U.S. we love Mc Donald's.

Please, note that this page in not about demonyms (gentilics) but about the way to call a country.


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Comments (1248)

Eric Wolfsbane(United States)says...

*****.

If you refer to anyone from one of the other countries in the western hemisphere as an American, they will quickly and vociferously correct you. They will tell they are not Americans, rather they are a proud citizen of the nation they are from.

They do not identify as Americans. They identify as a citizen of their nation. They are proud of their nationality.

There is only one America. The United States of America. The only people who are Americans are citizens of the United States of America.

Amagawa Setsuko(United States)says...

Not if they speak Spanish.

christopher shivers(United States)says...

That’s not true, technically they are American since their country is in the Americas. Like Chinese people are Asian since their country is on the continent of Asia. Whether they like it or not they still are American

Norman fuckin rockwell(Brazil)says...

Have you ever talked to someone from here? Everyone from America are american. And we're don't refuse to be called by "americans" this is something from your mind. Xoxo

Nicosays...

Do (so-called) americans even know who was Américo Vespucio?

Holly Ross(United States)says...

Yes, Nico, we do. We're educated, but thanks for checking.

JED(United States)says...

We aren't as educated as you think. Not correctly anyway. After actually reading the writings of our founding fathers, I learned that we get a dumbed down and innacurate education of our own history for at least our first 12 years of school.

Fritz(United States)says...

America goes beyond the geographic limits of what the worldwide ignorance and what the US people have been calling the United States. In top of that, the US Person, considering themselves as the only Americans.

The latter sounds arrogant, imperialist and racists.

Fritz(United States)says...

The denomination of The Americas to call the whole American continent of its geographical subdivision in North, Central and South America, and to impose the concept of two separated continents as North and South America is the result of the United States' propaganda, cultural transfer and economics influence of the United States worldwide in other be able to hijack the name of "America" for itself as well as to monopolize the name of Americans only for the people of the United States. Unfortunately, a great majority of the the Americans that are borned in the American continent but not in the United States accept and promote this propaganda imposition. This acceptance could be the result of many years of brain wash as a result to the exposure of this propaganda and cultural/economic influence of the US on them. Also to the mental inertia of lack of thinking before opening their mouths.

JED(United States)says...

Actually it started prior to the U.S. even becoming a country. The called the colonies British America or simply America and the residents Americans. By the time we formed our own country it had been used for so long it stuck. I can honestly say I feel that my country is arrogant and feels they should control world, but this is one case that's not actually an example of that.

Actually prior to our federal government getting way too big for their britches and started ignoring their own Constitution people were more commonly called by their state name. The reason being each state was supposed to be sovereign feds are supposed to have very limited power over a handful of very specific things that needed to be uniform among the states. Kind of like the EU was originally intended to be.

Fritz(United States)says...

Wonder since when the United States has been called America? Was the name of America used to refer to the British Colonies in America.

Ur retarded(United States)says...

This is ***** dumb. Most people know that when I call the United States America, I’m only referring to the U.S. What stupid thing to get butt hurt about.

Destroyer(Canada)says...

The name United States of America means that the United States is part of America they help make up America. The key word is "OF" - Of is not is.

You don't see United states is America you see United States of America.

How can something be is and of at the same time?

If you go online and look at the world map you will never see the United States being called just America. But you will see America at the whole continent North,Central and south America.

Now what would The United States of America be called if "of America" was not in the name?

Holly Ross(United States)says...

We're not arrogant. It's part of our name. "United States-er" sounds stupid. So we went with American. Aren't you proud to be a Canadian? We're not trying to claim the whole continent. Sorry, you don't get to mess with our identity.

Destroyer(Canada)says...

I am proud to be "American-Canadian" and I am sure Mexicans are also proud to be "American-Mexicans" as much as you are proud to be a United States citizen. Right

Holly Ross(United States)says...

I'm an American twice over. Once because of my continent and once because of my country ...And proud of both. I'm not a United States citizen. I'm a citizen of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Destroyer(Canada)says...

Isn't everyone from the continent America, Americans.

The Real and True American(Canada)says...

I'm replying to Holly Ross: You're NOT American twice over. In fact, America and American can't have 2 definitions like other words can. Names of places in the world should only refer to 1 kind of place. (Even do I know Vancouver is a city in both United States and Canada)!

America is FOREVER referring to the 2 Continents ... "North America" and "South America" ... ONLY. America NEVER will refer to only 1 country by itself (in this case ... the United States)!

United States is the short name for United States OF America. "U.S. Citizens" is obviously referring to the Citizens (or Residents) of the country United States (which is "OF America"). In this case, you ARE a 'United States Citizen' being as you said in your own words "I'm a citizen of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"!!! Too Bad, So Sad!

Cristian Schunke(Argentina)says...

Has anybody heard "Canción con todos", by Mercedes Sosa? It goes... "Canta conmigo, canta, hermano americano" (sing along with me, American brother). I don't think it refers to yankees only. The song is about American brotherhood, from Alaska to Patagonia. The same can be said about Violeta Parra's "Los Pueblos Americanos" (The American people), and hundreds of popular songs.

Davidsays...

You have told us what ‘Americano’ means in Spanish, now please tell us what ‘American’ most commonly means in English. That is the topic of this website, after all. Thanks.

Cristian Schunke(Argentina)says...

The same as in English. Why should a place name have different meanings in different languages? Nationals of "Italia" are "Italianos" in Spanish. Does "Italian" mean "Greek" in English?

Davidsays...

Really? You are going to pretend that the most common meanings of ‘America’ and ‘American’ in English are the same as the most common meanings of ‘América’ and ‘americano’ in Spanish? I think you know this isn’t true. I don’t think you are really so ignorant. You seem to be one of those strange people who pretends to be simple-minded, ignorant, and confused when it comes to the meanings of these words in English. I understand that you probably don’t like these meanings, and that you probably think that they “should” or “have to” be the same as the meanings in Spanish, but why deny the reality of the actual meanings of these words in English? How does acting stupid and making obviously false statements help your argument? If the words didn’t mean what they mean in English, then why would this website exist, and why would you be commenting here?

JED(United States)says...

In English it means someone from North or South America. If you really want you get technical, it refers only to the indigenous people of those continents, because most of us are of European heritage.

Dave(United States)says...

You misused the colloquialism “Gotcha”. You probably mean “Got it”.

Guy DeBarge(Canada)says...

Estadounidense is quite possibly the most beautiful term I have heard for someone from the United States. Too bad the English language is just as ugly as the inbred idiots that made it.



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