Americans - What do you prefer your country to be called ?

hollydolly said:
I once referred to Canada on this very forum many years ago.. as North America.. or the people as North Americans. A Canadian woman lost her chit.. and was screaming that under no circumstances were Canadians known as North Americans or Canada known as North America...so I felt my Excellent Scottish Geography teacher didn't know HIS job.. ..:sneaky:

As a non American living outside of the Uk.. I'd prefer to call the USA.. the name most Americans prefer.. so if I say the USA, the US..or America.. that will be ok ?
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This is from a Canadian...... me! People who live in Canada are called Canadians. The word North America is a geographical term for the northern part of the Western Hemisphere which includes Canada, USA & Mexico. Folks living in Columbia and down to the southern tip of Argentina and Chile are South Americans. Those stuck in the middle Belize to Panama are known as Central Americans.

Confusion results from the term "Americans." People living in the USA often call them selves Americans. A Canadian would never call themselves an American even though they live in North America. Hope this helps to clear up the fog?
 
Packerjohn said:
Confusion results from the term "Americans." People living in the USA often call them selves Americans. A Canadian would never call themselves an American even though they live in North America. Hope this helps to clear up the fog?
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America is in our name. Not called 'Canada of America.'
 
Packerjohn said:
This is from a Canadian...... me! People who live in Canada are called Canadians. The word North America is a geographical term for the northern part of the Western Hemisphere which includes Canada, USA & Mexico. Folks living in Columbia and down to the southern tip of Argentina and Chile are South Americans. Those stuck in the middle Belize to Panama are known as Central Americans.

Confusion results from the term "Americans." People living in the USA often call them selves Americans. A Canadian would never call themselves an American even though they live in North America. Hope this helps to clear up the fog?
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well I understand this is from a Canadian, but as Canada is in North America, wouldn't you also call yourself North American,..

For example.. the UK is an Island on it's own.. it wasn't geographically part of Europe but politically we were, so we were British, but also Northern Europeans... we couldn't argue with that ..now we're not politically part of Europe we are no longer Europeans..
 
hollydolly said:
As Americans what do you like it to be called ?
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Mericans, LOL

This is always an interesting question with no good answer. Our founding fathers did some amazing things in establishing our country, but one thing neglected was naming. We may be the only country in the world without a proper name...

As to what I like to be called, most versions work, makes little difference to me.
 
Hopeful1 said:
The United States of America
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That is probably the most common, and as @JustBonee says what's on our passports.

However Mexico's official name is the United States of Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos), and since they are as much in America as we are they could legitimately use the United States of America name. Mexico is actually just the small area around Mexico City, the national capital. Using the same logic we should be the United States of Washington DC.

Not a settled question, and probably never will be. Good thing its not too important.

Although at present only Mexico and us Mericans use United States in our names there have been others, including:
  • United States of Belgium, a confederation that existed during the year 1790
  • Republic of the United States of Brazil (Portuguese: República dos Estados Unidos do Brasil), the official name of Brazil between 1889 and 1937
  • United States of Brazil, the official name of Brazil between 1937 and 1967
  • United States of Central America (informal name), or the United Provinces of Central America and the Federal Republic of Central America, in existence from 1823 to 1841
  • United States of Colombia, name held by Colombia between 1863 and 1886
  • United States of Indonesia, name of the country from 1949 to 1950
  • United States of the Ionian Islands, former British protectorate from 1815 to 1864
  • United State of Saurashtra, an Indian state between 1948 and 1956
  • United States of Stellaland, a short-lived political union of Goshen and Stellaland proper in southern Africa from 1883 to 1885
  • United State of Travancore and Cochin, the former Indian state of Travancore-Cochin between 1949 and 1950
  • United States of Venezuela, from 1864 to April 15, 1953
  • United Arab States, confederation of the United Arab Republic and North Yemen between 1958 and 1961
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_that_include_United_States_in_their_name
 
hollydolly said:
well I understand this is from a Canadian, but as Canada is in North America, wouldn't you also call yourself North American,..

For example.. the UK is an Island on it's own.. it wasn't geographically part of Europe but politically we were, so we were British, but also Northern Europeans... we couldn't argue with that ..now we're not politically part of Europe we are no longer Europeans..
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I have never heard anyone in this country call themselves a "North American" and I'm 77 years old. If I was traveling some place like India and I saw a backpack with a red maple leaf on it, I might ask which part of Canada are you from? No one would say "Which part of North America are you from? That is because Canadians have a red maple leaf flag, the Yanks have their stars and stripes and the Mexicans got that green/white flag with the eagle.

To us, the word, "North America" refers to the continent that includes Canada, USA and Mexico.
 

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well that has really cleared the air - thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I live in OZstrailya and I'm an antipodean!!
 
hollydolly said:
well I understand this is from a Canadian, but as Canada is in North America, wouldn't you also call yourself North American,..

For example.. the UK is an Island on it's own.. it wasn't geographically part of Europe but politically we were, so we were British, but also Northern Europeans... we couldn't argue with that ..now we're not politically part of Europe we are no longer Europeans..
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Technically speaking, YES we would be classified as North Americans , but we are safer, worldwide , classifying ourselves as Canadians. 🇨🇦
 
Packerjohn said:
Confusion results from the term "Americans." People living in the USA often call them selves Americans. A Canadian would never call themselves an American even though they live in North America. Hope this helps to clear up the fog?
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This is very true. Not long ago many Americans didn’t know where Canada even was. Lol! This is an interesting thread.
 
mind you we do have a western australia and a south australia and a New South Wales! and a Northern Territories and a Queensland and a tasmania and a victoria and some people call us collectively Oceania?? - good fun heh!!
 
PeppermintPatty said:
This is very true. Not long ago many Americans didn’t know where Canada even was. Lol! This is an interesting thread.
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I think I have always known where Canada was, somewhere up in the cold frozen part of the hemisphere... However I still probably know less than I should. It has been interesting reading the posts from the Canadians here, I feel like I know a bit more about you now.

When in College I always read the National Lampoon's Canadian Supplement and other stories on Canada. Probably not the best source of info.
 
And embarrassingly , I’ve just discovered that Egypt is in Africa. I did not know! 😱😳 My dad was in Egypt and said it was the most interesting place he’s ever been to. He lived there for quite a while since he was ‘posted.’

This surprises me because both my parents were world travellers. They went on two cruises every year for about 40 plus years. He was intrigued with the pyramids. Then again, who isn’t. They truly are spectacular.
 
davey said:
mind you we do have a western australia and a south australia and a New South Wales! and a Northern Territories and a Queensland and a tasmania and a victoria and some people call us collectively Oceania?? - good fun heh!!
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Well I personally refer to you as the kangaroo and koali people.😅 Said lovingly of course.
 

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