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I have a question! |
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Skyfire 
since 2000-12-27
Posts 3381Riding 
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This may sound like an odd question, and I don't mean any offense in any way, but is it politically correct to call people who live in the USA "Americans"? Or is it one of those things that you prefer to call yourselves, but don't like it if people who don't live in the USA do? I have no idea where this question came from, but now that I've thought about it a bit, I'm honestly very curious. I know that a lot of Canadians don't like it very much if anyone other than another Canadian calls them a "Canuck"... granted, there are probably a lot of them out there that DO like it. Hmm... It's the NyQuil, I swear (I'm sick, so I'm drugged up) o.O and then He created the horse... |
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Kaoru
since 2003-06-07
Posts 3892where the wild flowers grow |
Well, technically we ARE Americans. North Americans.....I think I'd be SO SO SO mad if you called me an American without putting "North" before it. SO VERY MAD. Just messin', of course. I don't think anyone would be offended by it, and if they are, they're a bit too sensitive. I don't know what else I'd call myself. A United States of American? That's just too much for me to blurt out. |
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Craw Member
since 2003-09-11
Posts 73Scotland |
It's not as irritating as Americans calling all British people, including Scots, 'English'. |
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Marshalzu
since 2001-02-15
Posts 2681Lurking |
Identity is a tricky thing, Scots want to be Scottish, the Welsh want to be Welsh and the English want to be British, half of those in Northern Ireland want to be English and the other half Irish and yet the truth of the matter is that we are all Europeans. As an Englishman I see myself as British not English, if or where the distinction lies I am not aware. As for the poor Scots I am afraid that most Americans think that you live on some island by yourself and that you are not even attached to England. I'm not bothered what anyone calls me as long as i'm not mistaken for an Australian... now there is a fate worse than death. |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Call me politically incorrect if you choose - BUT - I see ALL North Americans (whatever our country) as Americans... Just MHO...  |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
If all else doesn't work, just call us Yanquis and duck.  |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
South Americans too, for that matter... and Central Americans... Just don't call us "Red-Necks," eh? |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
Well seeing you live in America, i'd imagine you would be an American. I live in Australia, so I'm an Australian or an Aussie Actually during the 70's? they called me a Wog. lolAnd if you're a touris/stranger in Italy, don't matter where ya from? you're an Americano. heh. Maree cuz fate is not just whose cooking smells good |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
Also depends on where you live in North America. Where I'm at, we's called 'Yuman Zonie Mericans'. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
In context of country it is a wrong usage indeed. United States is of America, it is not America itself. Therefore the people themselves should not be called "Americans" when spoken about in context of their country. Just as Canadians are not called just "North Americans" when spoken in context of our country--we are called Canadians. And when we are North Americans we are North Americans with the United States. Therefore when we are Americans, we ought to be Americans with all the people of America--the trinity of the Americas--not just United States. People should think in the diversites of the seperate nations, Canada, United States, Brazil, Mexico, etc, when they hear "America" not just in the lines and terms of the United States of America. |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
Countries. Continents. Two separate things that only incidentally overlap. Perhaps those who find the overlap confusing would prefer Northern Hemispherians? |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Then what do we do with the folks near the equator? Brazilians, Venezuelans, Columbians, Peruvians, Ecuadorians... Tropic of Cancerite Americans, yes???...  |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
Easy. Equations. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
In stead of the continental "Americans" There are many other names that one may use to refer to the country-people. Here are just a few suggestions. United States! (yes the people) Unitedstatesmen Unitedstatesfolk US-Americans Unitedstatizens Unitedstadians Unitedstations Unitedstaters Unitedstateship Unitedstatesware |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
Yanno, that's the odd thing. Most call themselves here Americans. Seems that only special interest groups propogating the racial discrimination they fought so hard against use (n)-American. I'm not a Scot-American, or Scot-British-Comanche-American, but an American. It's just that simple. |
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Skyfire
since 2000-12-27
Posts 3381Riding |
hehe I really started something this time ^_^ keep 'em coming, it's interesting to read what everyone thinks on this! and then He created the horse... |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
But there are divisions of America that divides our names as well, Canada--Canadians, Mexico--Mexicans. Don't you think it is better to have two seperate names one for the identity of continent "American" and one for the identity of country, such as "Canadian"? Right now there are two Americans: "American" (of Continent) and "American" (of US). But the American (of US) seems much more pressed and broadcasted than the American (of continent) so that it is fairly sure that almost any time you hear the word "American" in the news or in a magazine it refers to the USA. But I think the American (of USA) overwhelms our idea of the American (of continent)-- the identity of American (of US) comes to "take over) the American (of continent). When foreign people on other side of the world hear "American" I think there is a general assimilation in peoples mind between the two American's--Country and Continent, very much biased to the US --especially when so much "American" media is US as well. |
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Kaoru
since 2003-06-07
Posts 3892where the wild flowers grow |
You all are making my brain hurt. |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
As Ron said earlier, countries and continents. I'd go so far to reckon, simply because I can, that some of those semantical detractors do so out of jealousy. I'm sure Germans would love to be synonymous with Europe. Lord knows they tried. Seriously though, I think it boils down to linguistics. Canadians have a distinct language and dialect. Mexicans have a distinct language and dialect. The US has a distinct language and dialect. Nominally, the US, Canada, the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand all speak English, but how true is that in actuality? Spain, Mexico, all the Central American countries, and every South American country except Brazil speak Spanish, but the language varies from border to border. Take someone from the state of Chihuahua and someone from Madrid, and they would have a very hard time communicating. |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
As an afterthought, it's National Identity based on the country. True, some of the more radical elements would like for countries to be continents. European instead of Swiss or French. Call an Andorran a European and prepare to duck and hear some rather colorful language. Same with calling a Mexican an American. National Identity. |
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Kaoru
since 2003-06-07
Posts 3892where the wild flowers grow |
Ali - Speaking of language.. The reason why we speak "English", is because, that's right, who settled here? Same thing with the "Spanish", thing. Nowadays, I say the people in Mexico speak Mexican. There isn't a HUGE difference in how people from Spain and people from Mexico speak, but there are a few things here and there that are distinctly different. Same goes with the English we speak in America and the English spoken in other countries. There may not be distinct differences, but they are there... I just woke up, so if none of that makes any sense, ignore it. |
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
Heh...then you don't know how close the U.S. came to having German as their national language, as proposed by Benjamin Franklin. Ain't history fascinating? *cackle* |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
One should be American for being generally part of America, the Americas; not for specifically being part of USA, or Canada, or Mexico etc. I don't need to be of USA to be "American" I'm already in America! |
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Aenimal Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-18
Posts 7350the ass-end of space |
I've always been more fascinated by the names we give countries let alone their people. Doesn't a nation deserve to be acknowledged by the name given to it by its own people? One of the best examples is Germany. Their founders saw fit to name the nation Deutschland so where do the English, the French and the Italians get off naming it Germany, Allemande and Tedesco respectively? Maybe i'm the only one that finds that interesting. But then, I'm also still fascinated by the whole Dutch/Netherlands/Holland routine..grins n' shrugs |
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