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 (42)
Well since we got:
- North American
- Central American
- South American
- Latin American
etc...
Calling someone from the United States as "US American" doesn't seem bad at all. "American" should be used to refer to just America, not the US.
There's so many alternatives we could use so I don't understand why this topic is still an issue:
- Americanian
- Americanese
- Americaner
- Americanish
- Americian
No need for "United Statesian" when we got many great alternatives. Even in Spanish someone from Estados Unidos de América could be called "Americanense", like saying Canadiense. So American and Americano only refers to America.
how about statunitian, from the italian word "statunitense"?
América is a continent and it wil be the name for ever.
cool! this seems like an old website, but I think it overlaps with the one I've recently created
https://www.americaisnotonlyusa.org/
You can post something in my website if you're interested in collaborating to spread this message more strongly
THE CONTINENTAL IN ENGLISH = ONLY "NORTH AMERICAN" OR/AND "SOUTH AMERICAN"
WRONG, THE CONTINENTAL IN ENGLISH = NOT ONLY "NORTH AMERICAN" OR/AND "SOUTH AMERICAN", BUT IS ALSO “AMERICAN” ONLY.
THE NATIONAL IN ENGLISH = UNITED STATESIAN ONLY, NOT AMERICAN! 🙂
You, me, and everyone else here knows that that's not true: both out of convention and due to plate tectonics, in English, we refer to the two different parts as North and South America. Sorry, that's just how it is. And nobody is using "Statsian", I'm sorry. Like nobody would even know what that is... it's a bad solution looking for a problem.
Just as Anonymous from United States has clearly said on the Home Page …
AMERICA (in English) = AMÉRICA (in Spanish)
THE AMERICAS (in English) = LAS AMÉRICAS (in Spanish)
AMERICA (the 2 known continents in English) = THE AMERICAS (“the 1 continent” of Latin-speaking countries “combined” - referring to every location of the New World IN ALL LANGUAGES)
AMÉRICA (the 1 known continent in Spanish) = LAS AMÉRICAS (“the 2 continents” of Anglo-speaking countries “combined” - referring to every location of the New World IN ALL LANGUAGES)
Etc.. etc.. etc..
É (as it includes a right apostrophe above) = IS the letter E with punctuation to aid in pronunciation!
So people who say the incorrect translations between multiple languages (especially on this website), such as “América = The Americas” …
THEN right away they completely lose their argument and are an ignorant for not agreeing to this true website, which truly matters for the entire world!
I have a proposal, based on the following, more than one demonym can be made with the same place name, such as "Mexico" (the country), with which, because there is more than one district named like that (there is also the State -province- of Mexico), there is "Mexican" for the nationality and "Mexiquense" for the State. There is even "Israeli" (nationality of the modern State of Israel) and "Israelite" (to refer to the historical ethnic-religious community):
Now, my proposal is that based on the word "America" two demonyms with different suffixes (endings) are created in all languages, for example in Spanish it would be like this:
-"americano" (for continental)
-"ameriquense" (for the nationality of someone from the United States of America)
And in English like this:
-"American" (for the nationality of someone from the United States) *each privileged language the suffix you want for the United States or the continent.
-"Americian" (for the continental) *I put together this one the best I could being a Spanish speaker, I don't know if it will be completely correct.
1st of all, I liked reading your 1st 2 comments posted for a proposal, based on “more than one demonym can be made with the same place name” and “the word America”!
2nd of all, I don’t like your 3rd comment that begins with “And in English like this:”. I mean “Americano” in Spanish, translates to “American” correctly in English. So if your proposal is for Spanish: "americano" (for continental) and
"ameriquense" (for the nationality of someone from United States of America), then obviously the proposal in English has to be: "American" (for the continental identity)* and "Americian" (for the nationality of someone from USA)**.
*Having each language “privileged” for the suffix you want for “United States” and “the continent” IS stupid. Of course, That would be messing up a language, by planning to change the correct translation of a word, into a new and incorrect translation.
**“Ameriquense” in Spanish should translate to “Americian” in English.
As you say in your words “"Americian" (for the continental) - I put together this one the best as I could, as a Spanish speaker. I don't know if it will be completely correct.” … the answer coming from me is: Your proposal between the 2 languages of Spanish and English, is not completely correct. But I’m glad that you have tried your best!
Lastly, “American” will forever remain as my continental identity throughout my whole life, even if a group of people (such as a country) unexpectedly changes the demonym American (in the English language) to any new demonym (for double-continent) in the future. 🙂
Honestly, while I still stand by that this whole conversation is just various poor solutions that are seaking a "problem" to solve (because let's be honest, no one is confused when some guy from Texas says he's American), I think your sentiment to try to make two demonyms out of "America" isn't a bad one. Like maybe "Amériquenso" (to use your Mexico example... the suffix is already in use on a Spanish speaking country, so could more easily catch in other Latin language speaking countries) for people from the Americas region, and "American" from the US? Honestly, most of the people I've ever met refer to themselves as the country they're from anyway, and not the continent.
Lol at all of the fragile Spanish and Portuguese speakers who think the entire world should conform to their continent model and way of speaking. This has to be the stupidest concept for a website I’ve ever seen, and it’s been running for years. Yet they think Americans (yes, people from the US are referred to as Americans in 90% of the world) are arrogant. They are referred to as “Americans” in the English language because they were the first independent nation in the Americas (also yes, there are TWO American continents). I’m fact the English were the ones who started calling people from the 13 colonies “Americans”. So yeah, like it or not, when speaking English people will only refer to US citizens as Americans. Don’t speak English if you don’t like it. Anyways, it’s as clear as day that you just have a weird complex about the US and act like it’s the root of everything evil in the world. We Israelis can sympathize because you treat us the same way. Grow up and get a life.
I laugh at you also Israeli. I Canadian speak English too and only the English language but I will never ever refer to U.S. citizens as Americans in my life (whenever I refer to USA’s nationality only).
Your message is the stupidest reminder for this true website I have ever read (yes, I understand that all countries “are taught in their own schools” and “follow” different continent models). Of course, United Statesians along with 90% of the world are factually arrogant, ignorant, etc. (also yes, there are BOTH ONE American continent AND TWO American continents located in the Western Hemisphere). USA is not the only American country in the planet being as The Americas combined are America and never can exist without being America’s divisions (especially yes, all North Americans and South Americans combined are Americans)!
Finally, It is you Israelis and people of foreign countries who do have to get a life whether you like it or not.
What is done in most of the world is to use the word "American, americain, americano, etc" ambiguously, both for the continental and for the "nationality" of a person from the United States. Years ago in Spanish the word "estadounidense" (United Statian) was invented, and more recently in Italian and French they also created "statunitense" and "etats unien" respectively, and it will surely be the trend in the rest of the world soon.
And regarding the continental models, for the majority of the world "America" is a continent, in fact the Germans describe it as "the double continent"; Only in some countries that consider America to be a continent, the word began to be used to ALSO refer to the United States, a bad idea I think.
Option 1: Usamericans
Option 2: American (from the United States) and Amerian (from the Americas), this in the English language; and americano (from the Americas) and ameriquense (from the United States), this in the Spanish language
According to what you said, Option 1 is better than Option 2 for the demonym of USA.
There is someone here who wanted to invent Iberocentrism by referring to the use of the word America to designate what English speakers call "the Americas", but old British-made maps totally deny that argument.
https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/580119995729334326/<br>
<br>
https://www.loc.gov/item/74693198/<br>
<br>
http://www.printsoldandrare.com/southamerica/224nam.jpg
in the headings that title the maps, it is clearly written "America" for the entire region of South America and North America together, iberian centric?
The map says America. That's right, a continent.
I never thought something you said would ever make sense. aren't you the one who used "America" to refer to the United States on the homepage?
I will follow the recommendation put forth by Dr. Thomas Holloway and I'll use the term "United Statian" when referring to the people of the States.
https://quixoticreflexions.blogspot.com/2008/06/problem-with-americans-part-2.html