Americans...

imported_vr6

Platinum Member
Jul 6, 2001
2,740
0
0
I had a discussion in class to day about why people from the USA are refered to as americans. However, If you consider that that the Americas include, North, south and central america, the term americans should be applied to all those whol inhabits those areas correct?

Using the term Americans to refer to the citizens of the USA might be a little incorrect?

What do you think?

I am trying to think of this term.. a term used to described people who thinks their country is superior to other countries, but cannot narrow it down right his minute.

 

minendo

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2001
35,560
22
81
In reality there are only two classifications. Americans and terrorists.
 

PCTweaker5

Banned
Jun 5, 2003
2,810
0
0
I use the term Americans to describe everyone in the Americas and yes I believe it should be that way. People here are just selfish bastards and want to have everything, blah!
 

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
42,936
1
0
I think it depends on the audience. If you are talking primarily to citizens of the USA, then Americans is a fine term for those citizens.
 

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
My old youth pastor took a trip to Brazil years ago. Someone asked him where he was from and got really pissed off that he said "America" and gave him this big speech about how "Americans" are so prideful and ignorant and went on yelling at him.
 

Oger

Senior member
Sep 30, 2004
438
0
0
I use the term Americans to describe everyone in the Americas and yes I believe it should be that way. People here are just selfish bastards and want to have everything, blah!

Jealousy abounds.

I am a Mexican Amercian, lalalala

(Cheech & Chong)
 

PCTweaker5

Banned
Jun 5, 2003
2,810
0
0
Originally posted by: Nik
My old youth pastor took a trip to Brazil years ago. Someone asked him where he was from and got really pissed off that he said "America" and gave him this big speech about how "Americans" are so prideful and ignorant and went on yelling at him.

Thats quite true! He most likely felt superior to them when he said that. He should have said the US or something.
 

axelfox

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
6,719
1
0
I would think the most common understanding of the word "American" refers to people in the United States. When was the last time you heard a Canadian said he was American?

The word that you are looking for is "ethocentric", i think.
 

maddogchen

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2004
8,903
2
76
Originally posted by: PCTweaker5
Originally posted by: Nik
My old youth pastor took a trip to Brazil years ago. Someone asked him where he was from and got really pissed off that he said "America" and gave him this big speech about how "Americans" are so prideful and ignorant and went on yelling at him.

Thats quite true! He most likely felt superior to them when he said that. He should have said the US or something.

why? he was correct in saying he's from America. It sounds like the guy that yelled at him is the one thats stuck up.
 

Wahsapa

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2001
3,004
0
0
United States of America

^one of the main reasons why US citizens call themselves Americans. if our country had a name we'd be calling ourselves that(like canada or mexico) but because we don't we call ourselves americans, which upsets all the PC Thugs :disgust:
 

maddogchen

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2004
8,903
2
76
Originally posted by: vr6
I had a discussion in class to day about why people from the USA are refered to as americans. However, If you consider that that the Americas include, North, south and central america, the term americans should be applied to all those whol inhabits those areas correct?

Using the term Americans to refer to the citizens of the USA might be a little incorrect?

What do you think?

I am trying to think of this term.. a term used to described people who thinks their country is superior to other countries, but cannot narrow it down right his minute.

I think the United States of America is incorrect and should be corrected and changed to United States of North America. USNA. ;)

There is no state in South America.
Take that biatches!! :laugh:
 

Jfrag Teh Foul

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
3,146
0
0
Originally posted by: PCTweaker5
I use the term Americans to describe everyone in the Americas and yes I believe it should be that way. People here are just selfish bastards and want to have everything, blah!

And?
 

imported_vr6

Platinum Member
Jul 6, 2001
2,740
0
0
this was in my spanish class by the way. My instructor is from colombia. He didn't really give us his viewpoint yet. He wanted to know what we think about it.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
The United States of America is the only nation on those two continents with "America" in it's name.
 

Kenazo

Lifer
Sep 15, 2000
10,429
1
81
You should all be United Statseans? what the heck do the PC ppl expect you to call yourself?
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,652
6,529
126
well the thing i would have to say about this is that North America is only 2 countries ... USA and Canada. And since we have America in our country title, we are allowed to use it and they are not :p

as far as the central/south americans go, those continents have alot of different countries in them. so if you say "yes i'm south american" that could mean anything. my gf is from Nicaragua, so she's Latin American. But she likes the term Nicaraguan better because it specifies certain areas better. and to normal Americans, as in north americans who were born here, all "latin american" people may look the same and be categorized as Spanish or whatever, but to them, they can tell the different countries they are all from because of their accents, dialect, and the way they look.
 

EmperorIQ

Platinum Member
Sep 30, 2003
2,003
0
0
Originally posted by: notfred
The United States of America is the only nation on those two continents with "America" in it's name.


exactly! its the AMERICA part. Do you want people to be more specific like:

"Hi are you a United States of American?"
 

Gurck

Banned
Mar 16, 2004
12,963
1
0
I'd never claim to be "American", just from the US - the OP is right, it's not correct terminology. That said, most people in most of the world make the connection and, obviously, the term "Americans" applies to US citizens due to overwhelming majority vote.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,652
6,529
126
Originally posted by: vr6
Originally posted by: purbeast0
well the thing i would have to say about this is that North America is only 2 countries ... USA and Canada.

what happened to mexico?

yes its part of north america, but it is also part of Central America. although not 'technically' a country, it seems like Mexico likes to be located in Central American with the rest of the latin countries.

(atleast i thought mexico was considered central america) :Q
 

DaFinn

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
4,725
0
0
Originally posted by: vr6
Originally posted by: purbeast0
well the thing i would have to say about this is that North America is only 2 countries ... USA and Canada.

what happened to mexico?

I don't think mexico qualifies as a country...


;)
 

brigden

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2002
8,702
2
81
I'm a Canadian citizen and I would never refer to myself as an American. North American, but never just American.
 

DaFinn

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
4,725
0
0
Originally posted by: minendo
In reality there are only two classifications. Americans and terrorists.

Uhh, So I am a terrorist then... rright!!! :(

*goes to sign minendo up for a LOT of spam*



edit: forgot the smiley ;)



:)
 

minendo

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2001
35,560
22
81
Originally posted by: DaFinn
Originally posted by: minendo
In reality there are only two classifications. Americans and terrorists.

Uhh, So I am a terrorist then... rright!!! :(

*goes to sign minendo up for a LOT of spam*
Before doing so did you want my email address?