Even when we stated on our home page that this site is not about demonyms, because of popular demand, we are forced to clarify on this issue.
What is Demonyms?
A demonym is a name given to natives or residents of a certain or specific place. The term gentilic was used previously but is now uncommon.
A demonym is usually, but not always, derived from the name of a place.
So what about the people from the United States?
It's wide known that many people use the term American to refer to the people from the United States of America, hence overlapping the demonyms of the inhabitants of the continent of America (remember that America is one whole continent with three sub continents) with the inhabitants of the country.
So many scholars have proposed the use of many terms to solve this misuse: US American and Unitedstatesian and USian among others.
We strongly believe that US American is a fair demonym for the people of the United States of America; fair for them and fair for the continent inhabitants.
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Comments (15)
Someone from the US is American. End of story. Don't disrespect the English Language like that.
America is a continent.
The United States Of America is a country
American are the people of The United States Of America
North-American are the people from Mexico, Canada and United States Of America.
Center-American and South-American are the people from such regeions.
The United States Of America!
I 100% AGREE with the final paragraph as spoken: "We strongly believe that U.S. American is a fair demonym for the people of the United States of America; fair for them and fair for the continent inhabitants."
U.S. American is the MOST APPROPRIATE way to describe the USA's Demonym versus any other way (In My Opinion)!!! It helps let me know what everyone is referring to between the country and The Continent!!!
Way To Go and Congratulations to the Author(s) of this website!!!
USA = Gringoland or Gringland, The United Gring(o) States, the United States of Gring(o)land
USA Demonym = Gringo/a, Gring, estadounidense
Mexico = Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Estados Unidos de México
Mexico Demonym = Mexicano/a, Mexican, estadounidense (Mexico is the other united states)
Gringoland is not a good option cause Gringo is used to refer to the People of The US exclusively just by the mexicans (and maybe other centralamerican countries, and is not a friendly term). In other countries of America the term gringo has other meanings and is not offensive at all.
It is not logical that you would take words from grammars to name a country.
United States is a referral to a location and not a proper name.
The word United "Statian" is bending the grammar to make it a proper name.
United States fits more into a sub-name to refer to certain locations.
United States of what? Mexico or Brasil?, perhaps Canada?.
Or United States of China?
or United States of Asia?
It is a country with a unfinished terminology.
You just could not name it United States because other countries already have United States follow by their proper name (example: United States of Mexico).
And grammar is not mathematics where because someone already have United States as a name the other would have to be "United States 2" (or proper name instead of the "2").
The people that invaded America did whatever they wanted to do with the vast lands.
A more literal translation would be United Mexican States. As for the demonym for USA, how about Usonian?
I like to refer to myself as a Statesman, personally. Californian, specifically. IJS....
I got it, that is because California was supposed to be a country.
Californian people.
United States means that some States are in agreement together.
People are saying that the country name itself, so if my country decide to name itself as Europe and not the original, Can I say that I'm European?
And even more, can we be part of the EU, because you know, we are Europeans now...
It is not logical that you would take words from grammars to name a country.
United States is a referral to a location and not a proper name.
The word United "Statian" is bending the grammar to make it a proper name.
United States fits more into a sub-name to refer to certain locations.
United States of what? Mexico or Brasil?, perhaps Canada?.
Or United States of China?
or United States of Asia?
It is a country with a unfinished terminology.
You just could not name it United States because other countries already have United States follow by their proper name (example: United States of Mexico).
And grammar is not mathematics where because someone already have United States as a name the other would have to be "United States 2" (or proper name instead of the "2").
The people that invaded America did whatever they wanted to do with the vast lands.
Why do you have to re-post your whole message twice on this Demonyms page?
Repeating your same message (more than once) can be considered as a Spammer or an Annoying Visitor of this website!
I would appreciate it if you can be careful on how many times you repeat your same comments over and over, Thanks!
"América" means "the lands of Américo".
Américo Vespucio only navigated the Caribbean and South Atlantic, down to Argentine Patagonia.
Sorry US guys, but Américo has nothing to do with you.
Pay homage to Washington or someone else, because Américo couldn't have cared less for your country.
Whasingtonia XD
Well, I'll just refer to my nationality as Usonian.
These so called "scholars" are idiots. Every country gets to decide what to call itself. And we've got enough history and generations behind us that we're sticking with America and Americans. Unitedstatesian is a travesty of a made-up word. USian? PUH-LEASE. But thanks anyway. By the way, we don't deny that there are other continents that share our name. But aren't they proud of the names they've chosen for themselves? Incidentally, Mexico is officially "Estados Unidos Mexicanos," which translates to the United Mexican States. Don't you think it would be confusing if they called their country Estados Unidos? I imagine that's why they've chosen Mexicanos. Thankfully they got to choose and don't have you on their case.
Correction ... they chose the demonym of Mexico and the people are Mexicanos.
America is a continent.
Mexico is a country
The United States Of America is a country
Canada is a country
South Africa is a country located in south Africa