| User | Comment |
|---|
Zang  | | posted 21-Apr-2003 3:40pm |
I call them Americans, but I don't call their nation "America". "America" is TWO continents. I suspect that using the word "America" to refer to the "United States of America" is something that is done primarily by Americans, and people who live in other parts of the world. I'm trying to imagine a Canadian saying something like "We went to America last week." or something like that, and I just can't. I seriously doubt if Mexicans or Brazilians or such would say it either. |
| msgman | | posted 21-Apr-2003 3:41pm |
Yes, but it's a trivial error and in most cases the people who use the word in that way are well aware that it's only an approximation. So it doesn't really matter much. |
| Dino | | posted 21-Apr-2003 3:45pm |
It is geographically incorrect but I always say America and South America. I rarely use USA. Sometimes I have been known to say 'The US'. |
| Enheduanna | | posted 21-Apr-2003 3:49pm |
Technically, yes. It's much clearer to just say US(A). But most people can figure out from context whether you mean the country or the continent. |
| harekrishnadasa | | posted 21-Apr-2003 4:04pm |
Yes, it is geographically incorrect, but I do it anyway. |
| DeeDee17 | | posted 21-Apr-2003 4:11pm |
It's incorrect, but I always say it anyway. |
Iseult  | | posted 21-Apr-2003 4:16pm |
Yes... I mean, there is no such thing as a America. There are the Americas, South and North, and there is the United States of America. I usually just call it the States. |
| Biggles | | posted 21-Apr-2003 4:48pm |
No, because it's a commonly accepted way of talking about the country. If I was talking about the continent, I would say North America. If talking about South America, I would say South America. If I was talking about the whole caboodling land mass, I would say "The Americas" - never just "America". To me, and to most people I know here, "America" refers only to the USA. |
Galomorro   | | posted 21-Apr-2003 8:29pm |
Yes, incorrect geographically because there are Central and South America below us. I just say the "U.S." |
| mandy | | posted 21-Apr-2003 10:31pm |
I've always called it America. It is how I heard everyone refer to it when I lived in England and I still refer to it as America and it does not mean that I or any of the other people here who say America have no understanding of geography.
If it isn't America, then why are Americans called Americans?
|
| ROCKMAN | | posted 22-Apr-2003 9:18am |
Yes, its incorrect, the U.S. is just part of North America. Then you got South America too. |
TeddyMiller  | | posted 22-Apr-2003 10:15am |
The continents are referred to as North America and South America, and the country as America. From a strict logic point of view that may sound odd, but so do other place names; as long as the meanings are distinct and clear, so I see no point in trying to declare it incorrect. |
| juliw | | posted 22-Apr-2003 2:34pm |
It probably is incorrect, but I say Americans. |
Frostbrand  | | posted 22-Apr-2003 2:57pm |
Yes it is, but it's an easy trap to fall into. |
| Jemmy | | posted 22-Apr-2003 4:00pm |
Probably, but so what? It's not a big deal. |
| Kackleyaakcho | | posted 22-Apr-2003 9:24pm |
Well geographically speaking it is incorrect since the americas would allso include mexico and canada. but americans are lazy we all know it so does it really matter if we call the usa america? if you said america in a sentence then at the ended it with the poverty rateing being really high the listener would be counfused sinse usa poverty is low compared to its size. and they would never know about the true country that you were talking about being mexico or some outher country. (mexico is the only one that popped into my mind sorry mexicans) and then thinking that usa was in a depresionary decline they sell all there stock in american companys and then tell all there friends and soon the hole country is backwards. (that would be the worst possible out come) (spelling mistakes are noted so there is no need to comment on them please refrian from takeing my dwarfed grammer and spelling into context and consentrate on the meaning of my proposal. thank you) |
| autumnlight | | posted 23-Apr-2003 10:48am |
Who cares? |
| wolfchik9 | | posted 24-Apr-2003 10:29am |
Are Canadians "Americans" too?
Are Mexicans "Americans" also?
I think the phrase "America" was started by people from the USA who were tired of saying the whole name. |
| marty324 | | posted 28-Apr-2003 5:07pm |
Who would think that it was not politically correct? hello.. it sounds good to me, i live in America, is there any misconception there for where i live? anybody, anybody? |
| marty324 | | (reply to wolfchik9) posted 28-Apr-2003 5:11pm |
i agree, we are too tired of saying the entire phrase United States of America!  so let it be at that, i don't think anyone would be confused by only saying America. |
| Hyena | | posted 29-Apr-2003 12:25pm |
People kept calling the United Soviet Socialist Republic "Russia". What's wrong with using "America"? |
| Hyena | | (reply to Zang) posted 29-Apr-2003 12:28pm |
Canadians say we went to "the States", no? Mexicans and Brazilians say "estados unidos". When I say "american" to them they don't, generally, understand. |
| Zang | | (reply to Hyena) posted 29-Apr-2003 12:35pm |
Yeah, "The States" is common parlance in Canada. I have no idea what Mexicans and Brazilians say, but I doubt if they say the same thing. Mexicans speak Spanish, Brazilians speak Portuguese. |
| gazarg | | posted 10-May-2003 4:53pm |
It is not your land anyway it belongs to the indian, you bunch of fat anus squatters. Anyway i prefer to call america the united fat city of the north. |
| skylark | | posted 11-May-2003 2:38am |
In the geographical sense, it is incorrect. But people most often mean just "citizens of USA" when speaking about "Americans" and "USA" when speaking about America (and thus forget all the rest of the continent).
So my conclusion is that in official use it should always be "USA" but in unofficial use people can also use "America/-ns". |
| iMorpheus | | posted 18-May-2003 7:52pm |
There are 'states'. They are 'united', or in a agreement. These states, which are united, are located in America; therefore, they are the United States of America.
I always say America, which is shorthand for the United States of America. |
| iMorpheus | | (reply to gazarg) posted 18-May-2003 8:07pm |
Pot...kettle...black.
The central pillar or thrust of federal government Indian policy has been the goal of assimilation. Unquestionably the goal was to prepare Aboriginal Peoples for absorption into Canadian society. It was desired and expected that eventually all Indians would give up there native customs, culture, and beliefs and become like the dominant society.
And:
The desire by the government to obtain land held by Aboriginal peoples for the settlement of non-aboriginal people was a primary goal for much of the policy directed towards native peoples. Reservation were seen as a way to move Indians into agriculturally-based communities, both to assimilate them and also to free-up vast tracks of land for non-aboriginal settlement.
http://www.socialpolicy.ca/cush/m8/m8-t6.stm |
