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)
If you go to Spanish, Portuguese Wikipedia you are going to effectively find this information:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geograf%C3%ADa_de_Am%C3%A9rica
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilhas
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antillas
Isthmian Central America is just called Central America
And Insular Central America is just called Antilles.
It is not that I trust Wikipedia, it just show how things are taught, Spanish and Portuguse and French Speakers in the Antilles have well defined and divided the American continent.
For example the English definition of Caribbean excludes Spanish Speaking countries that have coast with the Caribbean sea but no Belice. Why?
1.North America
2.Central America
-Antilles (3.)
4.South America
1.Latin America
-Ibero America
--Hispanic America
--Luso-America
-Franco-America
2.Anglo America
3.Dutch-speaking America
Central America does have its coasts on the Caribbean Sea but these countries are not part of the Caribbean Antilles. Caribbean if I am not mistaken is were tribes who lived in those areas. Sometimes the people, for example the Miskitos natives living in these coasts of Central America on the Caribbean side are called "Caribbeans" by the same people in other parts of these countries in Central America. This is due to their origin and not necessarily due to where they live. This is more or less a name they get to be called like for example when those living in the mountains are called "Mountaineer" or "Islander" and are from the same country.
When I grew up the teachings were that America was divided into 3 North America, Central America and South America and then there were the Antilles. Norte America, Centro America, Sur America y las Antillas.
Exactly!!!
Everyone is taught that way, exception the US and Canada.
Hi All! I’m Glad to write the 1,000th Comment on this site!
Whenever I say America, I am always referring to The Americas and Pan America!
Whenever I say The Americas or Pan America, I am always referring to America …(The NEW WORLD)!
In fact, whenever I say the Americas … I really am referring to ALL words that are written in front of America (They are: North America, Northern America, Middle America, Central America, Caribbean America, South America, Anglo America and Latin America)!
Greenlanders to Chileans are all and forever AMERICANS!!! :D
Caribbean America doesn't exist it is the West Indies or the Antilles (Lesser and Greater).
FYI: The Carbibbean also includes countries in Central America excluding El Salvador and countries in South America like Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname.
1st of all, thanks for reminding me that … to the South of USA (mainly Miami, Florida), East of Mexico as well as Central America and North of Colombia as well as Venezuela … that it is called the West Indies or the Antilles (Lesser and Greater)! That’s good to know!
2nd of all, I have been talking to a Costa Rican on YouTube about the Caribbean! Their name is Susana Fernandez!
Just like you, she said “all countries of Central America except El Salvador as well as Colombia and Venezuela are the Caribbean’s mainland”!
But I told her, “I would NEVER be … thinking of/viewing … any Central or South American countries as other Caribbean countries (even though … the Caribbean is right next to the East or North side of their coastline)”.
FYI: Central and South America are their own divisions and forever ARE a part of America’s mainland! -->Even do I know that … Islands are lands that are not a part of any continent’s mainland!
… (to be continued)
(Continued from previous) …
Also, "the Caribbean" has to do with the name of a Sea called "Caribbean Sea" … which of course does exist as the real name of a place … and the Caribbean Sea is a part of … or … located within America’s Continent! Right?
So I have clearly told Susana … Central American countries can ONLY be a part of Central America and South American countries can ONLY be a part of South America --> even if their coastline is right next to the Caribbean Sea … because then I can tell them apart from the Caribbean island countries that are not a part of America’s Mainland!
So to get your attention … because (1)the Caribbean Sea IS a part of America and (2)the Island Countries/Territories of the Caribbean are together forming their own division apart from Central America and South America … I have to say that it does makes sense to call the Caribbean Island group “CARIBBEAN AMERICA”!
… (to be continued)
(Continued from previous) …
In this case, Caribbean America DOES EXIST! The Caribbean is 1 of America’s divisions. Its Real and Logical definition IS similar to the others. It means/refers to … the CARIBBEAN section of AMERICA!!
Susana replied to me … “yes, you are correct that Central America is one region and Caribbean America is another region … it’s just that some parts of Central America as well as Colombia and Venezuela have a lot of similarities with countries like the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico and even Jamaica. We share the same food, music and a lot of cultural things. -->You are right that geographically … we are SEPARATE REGIONS”!!! :D
Caribbean America doesn't exist. Think of the Mediterranean sea, pretty east, Italy, Spain and France are part of the Mediterranea as well as Cyprus, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, etc.
Caribbean America doesn't exist. It is redundant.
The division is:
North America: From Canada to Mexico.
Central America is divided in two: Isthmian Central America (aka, Central America) and Insular Central America (aka, the Antilles).
South America: Colombia to Chile.
The Caribbean includes the countries that are islands in the Caribbean Sea and have coast with the Caribbean Sea.
Stop making up things that doesn't exist in real geography.
You are confusing Caribbean and the West Indies.
Or you are confusing Insular ("Central") America with the Caribbean. For obvious reason the only countries in which they don't teach this way is US and Canada and their chums. So you are not going to find this information in the English Wikipedia.
I don’t care what is written in English Wikipedia or NOT.
The Mediterranean Sea doesn’t really have its own group. It has countries from Europe or Africa touching the Mediterranean.
Think about the continent Oceania. Oceania isn’t really a landmass but has the word Ocean in its name. Of course ocean and sea are water and Oceania is every island located in the Pacific Ocean. In the same way, the Caribbean is every island located within the Caribbean Sea!
So again, the Caribbean is a part of America’s continent!
I don’t make it up because Caribbean America DOES EXIST and it doesn’t matter what mainland countries have their coastline right next to the Caribbean section.
Insular Central America or Insular America is NOT really related to the word Caribbean. Caribbean America is the real name for the Caribbean island countries/territories that are all located within the Caribbean Sea!
The Caribbean islands are part of America as well as the Caribbean Sea
Hi Mrs. Anonymous!
I would like to know your opinion (NOT Andy or Andrea’s opinion or anyone else’s) …
As Canada’s province of British Columbia has its own coastline right next to the North Pacific Ocean on its left side, are British Columbians ever considered to be a part of the continent Oceania?
Do they have an origin similarly to Central America in which they are called “Oceanians” … and is not necessarily due to where they live?
If someone else replies to this comment before you do, then I will just ignore them and will be waiting for you to answer.
USA is not America, Are British Columbians part of Oceania? I don't think so. Are they called "Oceanians" I am not sure if this is the case in that area, but why would they call them like that? As far as I can see, BC is on the Pacific Ocean and not as close to Oceania so why would they be called Oceanians? It seems that they had Asian influence since Asian seemed to have come over before the discovery of America. In Central America, we have the Caribbean coast who were inhabited by the Carib tribes as well as other parts that have coasts or are in the Caribbean Sea. For that reason, the inhabitants of those coasts are called "Caribenos". Adding to that they are also called "Miskitos". Different tribes inhabited those coasts before the discovery of America.
"
Thanks Mrs. Anonymous!
I just want to say that I find it more easier to communicate with you … more than Mr. Andy or Andrea himself.
hahaah ese you-bobo sí es soquete. Trae documentos oficiales que demuestran que Estados Unidos está en América.
¡Gracias David por el apoyo!
https://www.change.org/americacontinent
1050+ lets go!!!
Not just 3 cats as you say yoo boobo (David)
Mrs. Anonymous
yoo boobo is David so you can ignore him, remember that he is the laughingstock of this site, the best you can do is report him and ignore him.
thanks for letting me know Andy or Andrea!
The "of" means of the continent America in this Treaty so the 13 States are the United States and they are in the continent of America. British had other lands and dominions in America which is not part of the United States, but part of the continent. When talking about American Fishermen they meant those from America the continent and included those from the United States. When they wrote American they were specifying not from Europe or British.
Again this is clear as well again from article 3rd of the Treaty of Paris: "And also on the Coasts, Bays & Creeks of all other of his Brittanic Majesty's Dominions in America;"......America is the continent not a country which in this Treaty is specified as the United States.
From the same link yoo boobo: "Article 8th:
The Navigation of the river Mississippi, from its source to the Ocean, shall forever remain free and open to the Subjects of Great Britain and the Citizens of the United States."...........Comparing countries and naming both one Great Britain and the other United States. For me, this is clear as water.
From the link provided by Bo Boobo: "Article 9th:
In case it should so happen that any Place or Territory belonging to great Britain or to the United States should have been conquered by the Arms of either from the other before the Arrival of the said Provisional Articles in America, it is agreed that the same shall be restored without Difficulty and without requiring any Compensation." ..... It is clear that here they meant the continent in which both the territories of Britain and the United States are in.
Mrs Anonymous,
You are free to think what you want about the British Empire, but as you suggest, the U.K .defined and redefined the Americas, as it saw fit, as it increased its power in North America. The thirteen colonies received the name “America” from the U.K. After Great Britain was defeated in the America Revolution, in the Treaty of Paris (1783), it was forced to formally acknowledge the independent of the thirteen colonies as “the United States of America”. U.S. legitimacy for the use of “America” comes from the America Revolution and, after its defeat, the formal acknowledgement from Great Britain, that we are Americans. That is reality, and no squabbling over names on maps will change that. Sorry there was no United Nations back then to acknowledge the legitimacy of new states.
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=6&page=transcript
And of course, if you reject the legitimacy in my argument, you are rejecting the legitimacy of your own revolutions, and your own respective peace treaties with Imperial Spain. You are fee to call yourselves whatever you want, and any in sense that you like too. But, I am quite legitimate in calling myself an American, in the sense that I am a citizen of the United States of America, and that won’t change.
oh, this was from you boo-boo, not yoo boobo. lol!
I can definitely make fun of your last sentence if I have to.
After all, it’s just as you said “You are free to call yourself whatever you want, and in any sense that you like to.”! :D
sounds like imperialism on the new world to me.
Thanks Yo Boobo for the link you provided us with. It helps to understand that the British knew that there was a continent called America and that the United States was the new country in America ei United States of This is from the Article 3rd:... " And also that the Inhabitants of the United States shall have Liberty to take Fish of every Kind on such Part of the Coast of Newfoundland as British Fishermen shall use, (but not to dry or cure the same on that Island) And also on the Coasts, Bays & Creeks of all other of his Brittanic Majesty's Dominions in America; and that the American Fishermen shall have Liberty to dry and cure Fish in any of the unsettled Bays, Harbors, and Creeks of Nova Scotia, Magdalen Islands, and Labrador, so long as the same shall remain unsettled," I underscored and italized words.
So the English in the colonies took the name of the continent and didn't care if there were others living in it?