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 (40)
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
Yep, and do not forget …
AMERICAN is to America - a continent!
Mexican is to Mexico - a country!
UNITED STATESIAN is to United States Of America - a country!
Canadian is to Canada - a country!
South African is to South Africa - a country located in the south of Africa!
These so called "scholars" are NOT IDIOTS. Of course, Every country gets to decide what to call itself, as long as they don’t choose to call themself by a same name that has been born ahead of time, before a country decides to call itself just that. And even though USA got enough history and generations behind itself, ALL OF YOU ARE NOT STICKING WITH AMERICA & AMERICANS FOR NATIONALITY.
United Statesian is NOT a travesty of a made-up word. USian? NOPE, that would be a made up word. But thanks for your nonsense anyway. By the way, you all DO deny there are other continent models that are taught in different countries around the world and NO CONTINENTS share your name because it is not America. All countries are proud of the names they have chosen for their own country themselves and are more proud of being in America (if they exist in the New World) no matter what!
Of course, 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 own country “Estados Unidos”? The answer is: YES, because “United States” IS YOUR COUNTRY’S SHORT NAME 🇺🇸 - NOT AMERICA - ever since USA became its own independent country on July 4 in 1776! Therefore, United Statesian(s) IS YOUR COUNTRY’S DEMONYM 🇺🇸 - NOT AMERICAN!
Thankfully Mexico did not only choose their name but they have chosen an appropriate name for their United Mexican States country being as they have known full well that America/American(s) has been taken and is born as the name of the New World in 1507, before any single country had chosen the name/demonym! That explains the reason WHY they don't have you or anyone on their case - having to do with the name “Mexico”. 🙂
Truthfully, Everyone that says “United States” ARE REFERRING TO “United States of America” ONLY!
NO ONE will ever call Mexico or any other country - that includes their own group of united states - just “United States” like that anyway! 🙂
I find Bundesrepublikan a fair demonym for the so wrongly named germans. There are germans outside of it. I mean, not all germans are Bundesrepublikans. What about that jolly Austrian chap? Land of the Germans, how offensive when there are germans just across the border not a part of this ‘germany.’ Yes, Bundesrepublikan german is much more accurate. I think it is fair for them and fair for the continent inhabitants of other germans.
“Bundesrepublikan” is not a real word or demonym. What you said, is not a thing and can only be known as a prank or a joke.
Why not use Eurasiafican instead of European, Asian, African? Makes about as much sense if not more so. Talk about arbitrary lines, look no further than the eurasian border. At least there is a more clear marker in the Americas than even the Sinai-Suez.
No, it does not, you ignorant piece of *****
Eurasiafrica is not how you spell Europe, Asia and Africa in one word if you are referring to all 3 of them as a single continent.
Europe + Asia + Africa = Eurafrasia (aka Afro-Eurasia)!!!
Europeans and Asians ARE all Eurasians. If there exists “The Eurasian Olympic Games” similarly to the American Olympic Games, then the Eurasian Olympic Games is obviously the short version of referring to “The European and Asian Olympic Games”!!
… to be continued!
… continued from previous.
Europeans, Asians and Africans ARE ALL Eurafrasians (or Afro-Eurasians) being as their continents are all a part of the Old World known as Eurafrasia (or Afro-Eurasia)!!!
Now to answer your question “Why not use Eurafrasian instead of European, Asian and African?” … well, in my opinion - "Europeans, Asians and Africans" is considered to be the long version while "Eurafrasians" is just the short version! Thus, all 3 Continent Demonyms form the Old World Demonym “Eurafrasians” and it refers to all residents of the Old World whenever I’m talking about all 3 Continents at the same time!!!
It makes about as much (total) sense - if not more so! :)
"American" is a demonym for continent, same as European, African and Asian. Italians and French are European. Argentines and Brazilians are American.
Kenyans and Ethiopians are African.
Hi German (from Germany) and Jayden Hill (from United States)!
I like both of your comments but I would like to have both of them be a part of a better comment ...
"American" is a demonym for the 1 or 2 continent(s) that contain(s) the word "America" in its/their name(s) ... in the same way as European, African, Asian and Oceanian is a demonym for continent.
Italians and French are European!
Argentines and Brazilians are American!
Kenyans and Ethiopians are African!
Chinese and Japanese are Asian!
Australians and New Zealanders are Oceanian!
Just call us Usonians.
From some of the text on this website, it looks like English is not your first language. That's fine if it isn't but as such, it makes me wonder if you're trying to change the English language to fit something it didn't when you learned the language. For example, when I learned Spanish, I had to accept that "americano" didn't refer to my nationality. I was fine with that, and I adapted. How ridiculous would it be for me to go around correcting the 600 million people that spoke the language before me?
In the same way, I think that learners of English should adapt when they speak English. Don't expect the hundreds of millions of speakers that spoke before you to adapt just to fit your preference.
According to Oxfords dictionary, American is the demonym of the people of Americas
The same dictionary lists another definition that defines American as a demonym of people of the United States. That's my point: there are two definitions for the same word. That happens all the time in linguistics, and my point in my comment above is that it's ridiculous to try and change that. "American" refers to both someone that lives on one of the two continents named America, as well as someone who lives in the only country with the word "America" in its name: the United States of America.
If i can identify as a he/she she/he shemale trans tranny whatever....then why can't i identify with being rom America?
Perfect explanation, Adam. Thanks.
Two meanings for a word huh? Really isn't the case of discriminant use of a word? TO MAKE YOUR ***** COUNTRY LOOKS BIGGER PERHAPS????
F U C K I M P E R I A L I S M
We write in English so that monolingual idiots can read our posts.
From (not just some … but) ALL of the text on this website, it looks like English IS their first language. That's good news that it is … and as such, it makes me wonder if you're trying to have the English language (concerning America/American) stay out of sync with the other places of the world that contain the words … North(ern), East(ern), South(ern), West(ern), Central, Anglo, Latin and Middle … in front of other names to undo something that made common sense when you learned logic works in every language. For example, East Europe, South Europe, West Europe and North Europe are all different sections of Europe! You can call them “the Europes” if you want but all of “the Europes” together form their real name Europe (the singular). In fact … the Europes, the Asias and the Africas are 4 - 5 regions forming each of their own singular names Europe, Asia and Africa. In the same way, the Americas are 2 continents forming their singular name America!
… to be continued!
… continued from previous.
How ridiculous would it be for USA people just to (1)steal the same name America that belongs to 2 continents and (2)claim the same demonym American(s) all to themselves for their own nationality when of course it is the identity of 2 continents?
I think that learners of English should adapt to simple logic and use common sense when they speak English … letting other English speakers know that it is INCORRECT to have the same name of place for 2 different words in the world - (these words include Continent - Region - Country - Province - State - City - Area) - but can be the name for 1 set of 2 or more! For example, America cannot be the name for both 1 continent and 1 country at the same time - but it can be the name for 1 continent or 1 set of continents only.
Don't expect the hundreds of millions of speakers that know proper English (such as Latin Americans) to adapt just to fit USA’s preference.