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Thread: I have a question for people living in the USA

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    Sweden Avalon Member Rawhide68's Avatar
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    Default I have a question for people living in the USA

    My first Question:

    Back in the 90's I had friend in the place I worked in, he was a really funny person, and we went to Egypt together back in 1993, not to lose my track here, he mentioned to me something I had never thought about before

    and what he mentioned was this, "Why do people in the USA always say they are AMERICAN! , like in the films back then, "Don't kill me I'M AN AMERICAN!"

    My friend was born in the capital of Argentina Buenos Aries in 1962.
    He was an American.

    So why do people in the USA call themself not 1 (there is a place called Canada, right?) but 2 world continent's name instead of what they are?

    I have been pondering this question for years.

    Thanks!

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Well, I've always thought United States of America kind of says it all.

    Is there another self reference for us that you think may make more sense?

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    I dunno, I've wondered this myself and I have no decent answer. I'd like to know myself when it started, even during the Revolutionary War Americans regarded themselves largely as English.
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday. Tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Gracy, Please clarify "self-reference" to me, never mind
    I'll go to Wikipedia
    Self-reference occurs in natural or formal languages when a sentence, idea or formula refers to itself. The reference may be expressed either directly—through some intermediate sentence or formula—or by means of some encoding. In philosophy, it also refers to the ability of a subject to speak of or refer to itself, that is, to have the kind of thought expressed by the first person nominative singular pronoun "I" in English.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Sorry if that wasn't clear. In using "self reference", I'm saying that if I you happen to ask my nationality in some public space, I will refer to myself as an American.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    No problem Gracy
    I'm not trying to kill the concept of you being an American, just raise a fair question about the matter.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by Rawhide68 (here)
    No problem Gracy
    I'm not trying to kill the concept of you being an American, just raise a fair question about the matter.
    Okay well, hopefully someone else can explain this better than I'm able to.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Im not sure there is a Question or an Answer in this matter.
    Maybe the dialoge itself is the solution , at least a starting point.

    Thanks Gracy may

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Actually, this question went round-and-round a few months ago in another thread. Mashika was asking the same thing. The simple answer is, it's too long to say "United States of America" when talking about Americans.

    It's easy to say "I'm Canadian", or Mexican, or Peruvian, or whatever other country you may happen to be from that happens to be in either North American, South American or Central American continent. I suppose I could say "I'm a United States of American" when asked what my nationality is, but, .....well, .......... not really going to happen. It's just easier for everybody, if we refer to us as Americans.

    Some people get mad at us for that, thinking that we are elitist snobs by referring to ourselves in that way. ( And yes, there are plenty of American elitists snobs). But, if somebody has a real long name, he's most likely going to be given a nick-name. Well, it's the same concept.

    The total name of my country is "United States of America". (---> OF <------ America). So, I suppose I could say I'm a United Statesian. That's kind of awkward too. Ahhh, the heck with it. "American" is much easier.
    Last edited by Orph; 24th January 2021 at 01:10.
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Saying American is only identifying the continent. An American citizen could say "I am from the U.S." and I believe people would understand that is the USA.

    In different parts of the world people from different countries are respected and received differently (unfortunately). But that is the way it is.

    Years ago when I was in the U.K. people immediately knew that I was from America as soon as we spoke. They would always ask from which country.

    Not sure if many people know this - many young people travelling through Europe from the U.S.A. would wear a Canadian flag pin on their chest or collar of their coat. They would be received differently than if they wore a USA flag pin. I hope that has changed and everyone is respected for the person they are rather than having to answer for the political problems of the country.

    Perhaps there is some good with the world watching the problems with the US elections. People of the world can start to understand that the PTB have been manipulating governments and religions and that the average person should not be held accountable for those evils. Perhaps we can start to respect each other as equal human beings.

    Maybe we could have a flag that could represent the world as united, (but not the united nations or something that would be '"the new world order" because that brings a communist feel with it.)

    A flag to represent "The People of the World". Could we do this without it being a political party? Could it be a sign that the people that live here respect people - do not bring religion or politics, just one human that respects another human.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by Gracy May (here)
    Well, I've always thought United States of America kind of says it all.
    ...


    But by this logic, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, Chileans, etc. should all also call themselves "Americans" as each of those countries is also "of America".

    I tend to refer to the country just as "The united states". I don't ever say "the united states of America", just like I don't ever say "Mexico of America" or "Canada of America".

    Perhaps there are other "united states" the USA didn't want to be affiliated with, so they felt the need to distinguish themselves as "of America" lest someone mistake them for the "other" United states?


    I think in all that light I think we should officially change the title of the people from "Americans" to "United Statesians" or perhaps just "Statesians" ... lol.
    Last edited by DeDukshyn; 24th January 2021 at 04:02.
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by DeDukshyn (here)

    But by this logic, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, Chileans, etc. should all also call themselves "Americans" as each of those countries is also "of America".
    But that's the thing, the word "America" is officially a part of the name of my country. It's not something that can be inferred as "by that logic". To my knowledge, no other country has the word America as part of it's actual name. I'm not trying to be a snotty American, but if you refer to some people as German, or Canadian, then you have to refer to us as United States of American, or United Statesian. And as I mentioned earlier, it's the same as with nick-names. It isn't meant to infer snobbishness. It's just easier to say.
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by Orph (here)
    Quote Posted by DeDukshyn (here)

    But by this logic, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, Chileans, etc. should all also call themselves "Americans" as each of those countries is also "of America".
    But that's the thing, the word "America" is officially a part of the name of my country. It's not something that can be inferred as "by that logic". To my knowledge, no other country has the word America as part of it's actual name. I'm not trying to be a snotty American, but if you refer to some people as German, or Canadian, then you have to refer to us as United States of American, or United Statesian. And as I mentioned earlier, it's the same as with nick-names. It isn't meant to infer snobbishness. It's just easier to say.
    It's "of America" -- what does that mean to you?

    As I indicated, someone somewhere among the founding fathers, must have wanted to ensure that the "united states" in America, didn't get confused with some other "United States", as "of America" is a description of location, which means literally "from America" or "in America". Like I just said in an obvious tongue-in-cheek way, maybe the name of the people should be changed to "United Statesians" "Statesians" - maybe you didn't read the whole post ...
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by Patient (here)
    Not sure if many people know this - many young people travelling through Europe from the U.S.A. would wear a Canadian flag pin on their chest or collar of their coat. They would be received differently than if they wore a USA flag pin. I hope that has changed and everyone is respected for the person they are rather than having to answer for the political problems of the country.
    Unfortunately I can confirm this.

    I almost posted this myself as I was advised to declare myself Canadian when asked. I avoided posting it so I could avoid having a goddamn aneurysm. I didn't nor will I ever in 1000 years do this. For 1, I'm not a liar and 2 I'm not a gutless coward. This isn't directed at you, or anyone on these forums for this matter, but I am annoyed that some of my fellow countrymen are such cowardly little bitches. Stand up for yourself. I only had 1 bad experience that I suspect was due to my nationality but I'll take it. 99% of people were very friendly to me. Next time I'm overseas I'll continue to say where I'm from. As another American once said, "Stand me up to the gates of Hell no I won't back down."

    There is much that could be said on this topic but again I'm trying to avoid giving myself an aneurysm.
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by DeDukshyn (here)

    It's "of America" -- what does that mean to you?

    As I indicated, someone somewhere among the founding fathers, must have wanted to ensure that the "united states" in America, didn't get confused with some other "United States", as "of America" is a description of location, which means literally "from America" or "in America". Like I just said in an obvious tongue-in-cheek way, maybe the name of the people should be changed to "United Statesians" "Statesians" - maybe you didn't read the whole post ...
    Yes, I read your whole post. And yes, I jokingly used the term United Statesian myself in my first reply. (Post #9). But I repeat, the word "America" is officially a part of the name of my country. Regardless of the reason why, regardless that the word "of" is in the title, America is still officially a part of the name.

    Your country's name is Canada. That's it. It isn't officially named Canada of America, although it is in the continent of North America. So yes, a person could, if they wanted to, say Canada of America. But that doesn't change the fact that the name of your country is simply Canada. The term American is nothing more than a shortened nick-name used for people that are citizens of the country that has the full name "United States of America".
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    I can't speak for Canadians or Mexicans or Central or South Americans, but we in the United States tend to associate country with continent, and then project that association as if our neighbors to the north and south of us are from unique regions of the planet.

    It seems to me there are also countries in Africa that also associate with their continent in a similar way. People from the Congo say they're African in the same way we in the US say we're Americans.

    Of course this is more a cultural peculiarity for us. There is no reasoning or logic to it. In the States we refer to ourselves and Americans knowing full well the continent is comprised with many countries, although it is also a cultural peculiarity to associate our identity as "Americans" to our political social structure of liberty and freedom. However, the United States is currently undergoing a radical sociopolitical transformation; who knows how we might refer to ourselves going forward? Being "American" may no longer fit the cultural identity of the new regime.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Quote Posted by Patient (here)
    Not sure if many people know this - many young people travelling through Europe from the U.S.A. would wear a Canadian flag pin on their chest or collar of their coat. They would be received differently than if they wore a USA flag pin. I hope that has changed and everyone is respected for the person they are rather than having to answer for the political problems of the country.
    Unfortunately I can confirm this.

    I almost posted this myself as I was advised to declare myself Canadian when asked. I avoided posting it so I could avoid having a goddamn aneurysm. I didn't nor will I ever in 1000 years do this. For 1, I'm not a liar and 2 I'm not a gutless coward. This isn't directed at you, or anyone on these forums for this matter, but I am annoyed that some of my fellow countrymen are such cowardly little bitches. Stand up for yourself. I only had 1 bad experience that I suspect was due to my nationality but I'll take it. 99% of people were very friendly to me. Next time I'm overseas I'll continue to say where I'm from. As another American once said, "Stand me up to the gates of Hell no I won't back down."

    There is much that could be said on this topic but again I'm trying to avoid giving myself an aneurysm.
    I didn't want to upset or insult anyone and if I have I apologize.

    This example helped to illustrate my point that we carry the responsibilities of our governments and it is not fair.

    It is my hope that the political display showed the world the difference between the people of a country and the messed up political stew and storm that swirls around us - the people.

    I think we have an opportunity to show the world that we are all people - and we are all ender the same umbrella trying to keep the politics at bay so we can live our lives.

    Covid and the election steal tried to break us apart, but by sending the right message to each other we can use it to show each other that we are all the same.

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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by Orph (here)
    Quote Posted by DeDukshyn (here)

    It's "of America" -- what does that mean to you?

    As I indicated, someone somewhere among the founding fathers, must have wanted to ensure that the "united states" in America, didn't get confused with some other "United States", as "of America" is a description of location, which means literally "from America" or "in America". Like I just said in an obvious tongue-in-cheek way, maybe the name of the people should be changed to "United Statesians" "Statesians" - maybe you didn't read the whole post ...
    Yes, I read your whole post. And yes, I jokingly used the term United Statesian myself in my first reply. (Post #9). But I repeat, the word "America" is officially a part of the name of my country. Regardless of the reason why, regardless that the word "of" is in the title, America is still officially a part of the name.

    Your country's name is Canada. That's it. It isn't officially named Canada of America, although it is in the continent of North America. So yes, a person could, if they wanted to, say Canada of America. But that doesn't change the fact that the name of your country is simply Canada. The term American is nothing more than a shortened nick-name used for people that are citizens of the country that has the full name "United States of America".
    I get all that. I was just poking a tiny bit of fun at the fact that that is the name, how the people were named after it, presented a whimsical scenario in how the name may have become what it is, then suggested a bit of a tongue in cheek "new" name. That's all.
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Quote Posted by T Smith (here)
    I can't speak for Canadians or Mexicans or Central or South Americans, but we in the United States tend to associate country with continent, and then project that association as if our neighbors to the north and south of us are from unique regions of the planet..

    ...
    Haha, that made me laugh. But it is kinda true ...
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    Default Re: I have a question for people living in the USA

    Where do you live ?:

    USA you are part of a corporation and so owned by the corporation, not good.

    American, as a citizen is good.

    Noting wrong in my pomey mind when I hear someone say they are American

    Reminds me of the name Yankee, from the song 'Yankee doodle dandy' that the natives used to hear all the time.
    Yanks I do not like that name though.
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