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)
Incidentally, two of your examples above are meant to demean. We're not all a bunch of fat slobs who suck down Mickey-D's every day. Many of us are highly educated people who work hard and take care of our families and others. We don't take kindly to outsiders telling us what to do. (And if you're a "Unitedstatesian," why do you hate yourself?) Also, did it occur to you to maybe choose one of many wars we won or the freedom we've helped so many achieve in your examples? Nope; go straight for Vietnam. Who are you? I can find no reference to who owns this site. Are you Toby Lester? Whoever you are, you may be surprised to learn that I'm a huge, huge liberal on most topics. I don't support Donald Trump. I don't subscribe to a nationalist mentality. I believe the world should be working together. But nobody tells the USA how to self-identify, and nobody cuts on us without me stepping in to say, "Back off."
Seems to me this is someone who actually knows more about our country than the average American. Your reaction is just false patriotism.
Just because you get upset about a couple of examples doesn't mean that their intent was to demean. Maybe instead you should be getting upset about people in this country not knowing its name or thinking a symbolic pledge or anthem is patriotic, despite completely ignoring or trampling on the Constitution which is the basis of what those things are SUPPOSED to represent to us.
While "North America" is the continent, in this case, "America" is also a part of our country's name: United States of America. (You're focusing on "of" but America is also part of our name.) However arrogant you regard our use of "America" and "Americans," we decide what to call ourselves. We are NOT United States-ers. We are Americans. Yes, I'm aware that Canada & Mexico are part of the continent of North America, and there are the countries of Central America and South America to consider. However, we're not talking about them. We're talking about a shortened form of our full name. You don't get to decide what we're called or eliminate part of our name.
If other countries called themselves Brazil America or Peru America (for example), you'd have an argument because then we'd need to distinguish. But the good folks of such countries are happy and PROUD to be known as Brazilians, Peruvians, etc. They don't want to be known as Americans. And furthermore, however you feel about us, we in the United States of America are proud to be known as Americans. Also, why did you drop "America" from "United States" in the pulldown menu of countries? We are the United States of America -- regardless of how you feel about it. Don't eliminate part of our LEGAL name just because it doesn't suit you. Thanks for the opportunity to respond.
What would the United States be called? if in North America you had Canada of America, United States of America and Mexico of America? and what would the United states citizen be called then?
Of America is a reference is where The United States is. And if the founding fathers of the Unites States realized that America was as big as it is and that they where in North America then The name would have been called The United States of North America. And using of America as America is not a shorted name. US or USA is shorted form name of The United States of America or actually - The United States of North America.
If a Latin American said "I am American," said Latin American wouldn't be wrong. I'm going to call the USA Usonia, from Esperanto Usono.
The "America" after "United states of" is only referrering to the whole continent of America, so why would you use America to refer to your country, when it originally and still only stands for the continent? Please tell me where's the highly educated thinking un that? It's simple stuff really.
That is incorrect.The name of the country is United States. Of America is not part of the name, but simply specifying where these United States are. That's why you will find no official title or agency named United States of America Department of ... USA as used by the Army stands for United States Army. It's not USAA.
It's really pathetic we have so many people in this country who call themselves patriots but know little to nothing about its name, history and Constitution.
Of America is not part of the name. United States is not a shortened version. The name is simply United States. You suggest you are highly educated. You are obviously not highly educated in U.S. history. If you were to talk to someone who is highly educated in U.S. history they would tell you that you are wrong.
I agree.
*****.
If you refer to anyone from one of the other countries in the western hemisphere as an American, they will quickly and vociferously correct you. They will tell they are not Americans, rather they are a proud citizen of the nation they are from.
They do not identify as Americans. They identify as a citizen of their nation. They are proud of their nationality.
There is only one America. The United States of America. The only people who are Americans are citizens of the United States of America.
Not if they speak Spanish.
That’s not true, technically they are American since their country is in the Americas. Like Chinese people are Asian since their country is on the continent of Asia. Whether they like it or not they still are American
Have you ever talked to someone from here? Everyone from America are american. And we're don't refuse to be called by "americans" this is something from your mind. Xoxo
Do (so-called) americans even know who was Américo Vespucio?
Yes, Nico, we do. We're educated, but thanks for checking.
We aren't as educated as you think. Not correctly anyway. After actually reading the writings of our founding fathers, I learned that we get a dumbed down and innacurate education of our own history for at least our first 12 years of school.
America goes beyond the geographic limits of what the worldwide ignorance and what the US people have been calling the United States. In top of that, the US Person, considering themselves as the only Americans.
The latter sounds arrogant, imperialist and racists.
The denomination of The Americas to call the whole American continent of its geographical subdivision in North, Central and South America, and to impose the concept of two separated continents as North and South America is the result of the United States' propaganda, cultural transfer and economics influence of the United States worldwide in other be able to hijack the name of "America" for itself as well as to monopolize the name of Americans only for the people of the United States. Unfortunately, a great majority of the the Americans that are borned in the American continent but not in the United States accept and promote this propaganda imposition. This acceptance could be the result of many years of brain wash as a result to the exposure of this propaganda and cultural/economic influence of the US on them. Also to the mental inertia of lack of thinking before opening their mouths.
Actually it started prior to the U.S. even becoming a country. The called the colonies British America or simply America and the residents Americans. By the time we formed our own country it had been used for so long it stuck. I can honestly say I feel that my country is arrogant and feels they should control world, but this is one case that's not actually an example of that.
Actually prior to our federal government getting way too big for their britches and started ignoring their own Constitution people were more commonly called by their state name. The reason being each state was supposed to be sovereign feds are supposed to have very limited power over a handful of very specific things that needed to be uniform among the states. Kind of like the EU was originally intended to be.
Wonder since when the United States has been called America? Was the name of America used to refer to the British Colonies in America.
This is ***** dumb. Most people know that when I call the United States America, I’m only referring to the U.S. What stupid thing to get butt hurt about.
The name United States of America means that the United States is part of America they help make up America. The key word is "OF" - Of is not is.
You don't see United states is America you see United States of America.
How can something be is and of at the same time?
If you go online and look at the world map you will never see the United States being called just America. But you will see America at the whole continent North,Central and south America.
Now what would The United States of America be called if "of America" was not in the name?
We're not arrogant. It's part of our name. "United States-er" sounds stupid. So we went with American. Aren't you proud to be a Canadian? We're not trying to claim the whole continent. Sorry, you don't get to mess with our identity.
I am proud to be "American-Canadian" and I am sure Mexicans are also proud to be "American-Mexicans" as much as you are proud to be a United States citizen. Right
I'm an American twice over. Once because of my continent and once because of my country ...And proud of both. I'm not a United States citizen. I'm a citizen of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Isn't everyone from the continent America, Americans.
I'm replying to Holly Ross: You're NOT American twice over. In fact, America and American can't have 2 definitions like other words can. Names of places in the world should only refer to 1 kind of place. (Even do I know Vancouver is a city in both United States and Canada)!
America is FOREVER referring to the 2 Continents ... "North America" and "South America" ... ONLY. America NEVER will refer to only 1 country by itself (in this case ... the United States)!
United States is the short name for United States OF America. "U.S. Citizens" is obviously referring to the Citizens (or Residents) of the country United States (which is "OF America"). In this case, you ARE a 'United States Citizen' being as you said in your own words "I'm a citizen of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"!!! Too Bad, So Sad!