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)
David says...
When will you and your ilk learn that proof of the existence of one meaning of ‘America’ does not disprove the existence of the word’s other meanings? Yes, we know, ‘America’ can mean ‘the Americas’. We also know that it can mean the USA. You can list all the soccer tournaments you want. You can mention the 5 rings of the Olympic flag. You can pretend that the name of the Organization of American States is some devastating proof of your so-called argument. Yet, after all this, the fact remains that many, many, many people use ‘America’ to mean the USA. Sorry, kids, but facts are facts. The truth sometimes hurts, but it shall set you free.
a year ago
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”
Incidentally, this was my post that Fake David copied while impersonating me. Fake David wrote:
“When will you and your ilk learn that proof of the existence of one meaning of ‘America’ does not disprove the existence of the word’s other meanings even when wrong? We rule the world. Get over it! Mongolian-American”
David says...
‘America’ originally meant South America. The word has acquired different meanings in various languages over the years. One meaning of ‘America’ is the Americas. Another meaning of ‘America’ is the United States of America. Neither of these meanings is the original meaning of the word. However, we know that both newer meanings exist, and that they are both equally valid.
a year ago
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”
I think it's time for UK to recolonize the US...
Time to clean up this mess...
(Don't be offended United Statian friends; I am joking... almost...)
China discovered America in 1421.
Hahah you will not find that in United Statian literature
David says...
“The name America, such a natural poetic counterpart to Asia, Africa and Europa, had filled a vacuum, and there was no going back, especially not after the young Gerardus Mercator, destined to become the century's most influential cartographer, decided that the whole of the New World, not just its southern part, should be so labeled. The two names he put on his 1538 world map are the ones we've used ever since: North America and South America.”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-waldseemuller-map-charting-the-new-world-148815355/
a year ago
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”
David says...
The map is notable for a new interpretation of the name "America". As far as it is known, the new continent was named "America" by Martin Waldseemuller in 1507, who applied the name only to the southern continent.
This viewpoint was common over the years. However, Mercator viewed the landmass discovered by Columbus as a single part of the world comprising both continents and, in 1538, he signed on the map, mentioned above, accordingly, 'America. The northern part' and 'America. The southern part'.
http://expositions.nlr.ru/eng/map_merkator/2.php
a year ago
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”
“ People call the USA ‘America’ for exactly the same reason that people call the Americas ‘America’. Because words can and do acquire multiple meanings over time. ‘America’ originally referred to just South America. This is now an archaic sense of the word that is very rarely used. Later ‘America’ could also refer to all of the Americas. This is a very common sense of the word today in some languages, but rare in English. Then ‘America’ could also refer to the USA. This usage is the overwhelmingly dominant one in English today. Speakers of many other languages also frequently use ‘America’ to refer to the USA.
People call the USA ‘America’ because ‘America’ has come to mean the USA. People call the Americas ‘America’ because ‘America’ has come to mean the Americas. It is just as simple as that. It’s the exact same process in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, etc. The word ‘America’ originally meant South America, now it has other meanings in many different languages.”
I posted this a year ago.
Hey, get a girl or learn a sport. Have a healthy life.
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”
David says...
Who here is saying that the name didn’t originate as a name for the continent of South America? I don’t remember ever reading on this site the claim that the name ‘America’ was first used by the USA.
12 months ago
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”
I posted this 12 months ago: “Words can and do have multiple meanings. This is the case with America. America originally referred only to South America. Now it refers to many other things, including the Americas and the USA.”
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”
9 months ago you (in your Saris Maria guise) and I had this exchange:
Saris Maria (United States) says...
Are you stuck in history? You seem to have slept thru it. The north (or Parias) also become part of the continent of America. Can you dispute that?
David says...
Duh. Obviously the meaning of ‘America’ was changed to include Parias. Because people change the meanings of names and words all the time. The etymology of the word clearly shows this. This is what I have been writing about for years. I do not dispute this because I cannot dispute this because it is a fact. Unlike you and your moronic ilk, I do not dispute facts.
And again. And again. And...
“Are you kidding? When did you do this?”