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?
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 (1251)
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
You misused the colloquialism “Gotcha”. You probably mean “Got it”.
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.
Wait, but why not just say Eurasiafrica? Let’s consider the one vs two continents for a minute. Then fight over some upset people over what is right. And the way to calla country is typically their own business. United Statian I have heard from Brazilians, so why not “Federative Republicans” for said Brazilians? Why is it so difficult to add a ‘North v South’ before it. One, because Asia literally means east so clearly we are not opposed to directional names. Two, the continent would be needlessly masive. What is the big deal with people from the USA being called Americans? Everyone knows what you mean. When someone says, “oh gee, that silly American!” No one would think, “oh Guatamalan!” It is an ease of use issue too. Any other intentifer for a US person is long, ambiguous, and/or splitting unnecessary hairs. The States? Really? The States of what? Brazil? Ohhhh, the United States... wait, of America or one of the other ones? Like again, Brazil or Mexico?
That is not true. I've been living in the U.S (yes, the U.S) FOR A YEAR and never before in my life I hear so many idiots auto proclaim themselves "Americans". It was VERY confusing for me at the beginning because in my language they are not called "Americans" but something that translated would be like "United station". Indeed, if you say AMERICAN to me, it is someone or something from the continent, just like if you said "this is European". You and your fellow mates need some good geography classes.
Don't act like we're uneducated. We're not. We have fantastic geography classes at some of the world's best institutions. (We know that there are continents that share our name.) I hope you've enjoyed living here for a year. Get back to me when you've been here 45 years and you're 6th generation. America is the 4th word of our name and we decide what to call ourselves. If you want to think of it as arrogance, that's your prerogative. And I'm sorry if us calling ourselves Americans confuses you. But nobody from the outside is going to tell us what to call ourselves. I think you'd take exception if somebody told you that you what to call your country's inhabitants. Do I get to decide what to call you? Nope. End of story.
You keep mentioning education while proving you are completely ignorant of the name of our country. The of America is just a geographic reference. It's not part of the name.
“That in all continental commissions, and other instruments, where, heretofore, the words ‘United Colonies’ have been used, the stile be altered for the future to the “United States.” This is from the Congressional declaration date Sept. 9, 1776. Look it up and EDUCATE yourself.
Your name is hatter. how many hats do you have?
Here in the U.S. we love Mc Donald's. false. not everyone in the U.S. loves mc donald's,but the president of the US sure does.
America has the longest river in the world: Amazon (in Brazil). America has the biggest waterfall system in the world: Iguazu (mostly in Argentina). America has the highest mountain in the western and south hemispheres: Aconcagua (Argentina). America has the biggest Carnival celebration in the world: Rio (in Brazil). America has the most beautiful glaciers in the world: Perito Moreno (Argentina). America has beautiful beaches: Caribbean (Colombia, Venezuela) and Brazil. What a beautiful continent America is!
that's true.
This year I will visit America for the first time in my life. I will start in Buenos Aires (Argentina). From there I will take a ferry to beautiful Uruguay.
German, you are lying, or ignorant, or a troll, or a combination of some or all of these things.
First you said that both the Spanish and the Portuguese coined the name. This is false. Then you said it was just the Portuguese because they commanded that the map be made. This is also false.
The Waldseemüller map was produced by the Gymnasium Vosagense, in Saint-Dié. René II, the Duke of Lorraine, funded the Gymnasium. The Gymnasium, Saint-Dié, and Duke René were not in Portugal, were not Portuguese, and were not ruled by Portugal. Portugal had exactly nothing to do with the production of the map. It is not known for certain if it was Ringmann or Waldseemüller who coined the name ‘America’ while making the map in Saint-Dié, but it was certainly one of them. Neither of them was Portuguese.
You have been conclusively proved wrong. Accept it like a man and quit writing about things of which you are completely ignorant.
This is what your source says. Anyway, the name AMERICA was written over the southern part of America, the current territory of Brazil. That is proof enough that America is not the United States alone, but the whole continent from Canada to Argentina.
I see you're very concerned about this topic, since every time I take a look there are new comments written by you.
Am I ignorant? How come we are discussing this topic in YOUR language? Could you speak mine?
How can anyone be South American and not be American?
Suppose you are South European (from Spain or Greece), and then you find an imperialist French who tells you: "No, Europe is France. European means French only. All you are is South European".
Ridiculous!
USONIAN: Of or related to the United States of America; term coined by Frank Lloyd Wright to refer to his new ideal for architecture. This word is preferable to "American" since there are dozens of countries in North and South America. In some Latin American countries, such as Brazil, the use of "American" to refer to US nationals is considered offensive and officially discouraged.