Is this only for Americans?!

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Replies

  • pamelalk
    pamelalk Posts: 70 Member
    I am a very very proud Canadian that lives on the continent of North America.I am a CANADIAN..wouldn't wanna be anything else .i am new to this site but one of the reasons was so i could meet people from other countries and share ideas and encourage each other. Why can't we all be proud to be Canadians, Americans, British, Mexican or whatever else with out insulting someone else's country. promote your countries don't embarrass them
  • AlanTuring
    AlanTuring Posts: 159
    People from the Americas sure are mad about technically being Americans in this thread. :(
  • AlanTuring
    AlanTuring Posts: 159
    Waiting for someone to come in crying that they're not European, they're Italian.

    Also, I've always seen this argument in the opposite direction, tbh.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Waiting for someone to come in crying that they're not European, they're Italian.

    Also, I've always seen this argument in the opposite direction, tbh.

    I got in an argument once about a guy who insisted he was English but not British.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    I prefer to be called a United Stater. Please dont lump me in with Canadians or Mexicans.

    simultaneous smh and eyeroll. :noway:
  • leelu137
    leelu137 Posts: 46
    I'm from Australia . There are amazing people from all over the world on this site. Reach out to all and you make many good friends
  • AlanTuring
    AlanTuring Posts: 159
    Waiting for someone to come in crying that they're not European, they're Italian.

    Also, I've always seen this argument in the opposite direction, tbh.

    I got in an argument once about a guy who insisted he was English but not British.
    I can't even

    wat

    My poor head.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    This thread is making me embarassed to be American... :ohwell: .

    This.


    yep. pretty much.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    My Spanish lessons can clear this up:
    From Canada? Canadian.
    From USA? North American.
    From Mexico? Mexican!

    So far it seems that they don't lump the Central American or South American countries under one term. You're Panamanian, Costa Rican, Bolivian, etc. But, you know - in Spanish.
  • AlanTuring
    AlanTuring Posts: 159
    It's not like it's a common term, and no one is unaware that the common usage says that "American" refers to someone from the United States, but all people who live in the Americas are technically Americans, and so the term is actually pretty culturally imperialistic and US-centric. Which is why it's so funny that all of the non-USians are the ones who are outraged, this go-round.
  • wildaaron
    wildaaron Posts: 163 Member
    I'm from Australia - happy to make friends with more aussies!!!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    It's not like it's a common term, and no one is unaware that the common usage says that "American" refers to someone from the United States, but all people who live in the Americas are technically Americans, and so the term is actually pretty culturally imperialistic and US-centric. Which is why it's so funny that all of the non-USians are the ones who are outraged, this go-round.

    Yeah, this.

    The proper term for a citizen of the United States is "American." There's no other proper term for it. While someone from Canada might technically be an "American," the fact that "American" is the only term for someone from the US confuses the issue a good deal.

    It is for this reason that "American" is used exclusively to refer to people from the United States of America. North American, Central American, and South American are the terms usually used to identify someone by continent.
  • Moxie42
    Moxie42 Posts: 1,400 Member
    It just might be possible that different people from different places might use different terms to describe the same thing...just like how I say "elevator" but someone in England might say "lift." They're both correct.

    I think "American" is usually in regards to people from the US because the US is the "United States of America"- other countries don't have America in their name. The term "American" is based on the name of our country, not the continent we are on. But if that's not how everyone sees it, who cares?

    Btw, OP, I don't think you're the one who offended anyone. :flowerforyou:
  • sabimausl85
    sabimausl85 Posts: 219 Member
    i am German :)
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    Waiting for someone to come in crying that they're not European, they're Italian.

    Also, I've always seen this argument in the opposite direction, tbh.

    I got in an argument once about a guy who insisted he was English but not British.

    Both of those are an identity thing really. Scots, Irishmen and Welshmen in particular often don't identify with being 'British', because they feel it's a dilution of their national identity. Yes, we're all Scottish/Welsh/Irish/English, British and European, but we don't all identify as that. Not applying that to everyone, just citing the common example I see.

    When it comes to Europe, I understand it even more. The European Union is very, very young. And the countries are so very, very diverse. I mean, seriously, can you imagine four cultures more different than the Germans, the Dutch, the Italians and the English? No matter how geographically incorrect, it's hardly surprising that people don't like being referred to in such a broad term. "European" is about as descriptive as waving a hand in the general direction of a globe and saying "from around there somewhere" :laugh:

    Again, I'm not arguing that they are right, just that I completely understand where they are coming from.

    Personally, now that I've lived in the USA, and visited much of it, I'm amazed you don't hear people saying "I'm Californian, not American". The cultural variation across the country is pretty large, and applying the same national stereotype to someone from New York City as someone from San Francisco as someone from Mobile Alabama is pretty funny.
  • rachyruu
    rachyruu Posts: 25
    I'm from England ^_^
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I'm from England ^_^

    So you're British? :wink:
  • rachyruu
    rachyruu Posts: 25
    I'm from England ^_^

    So you're British? :wink:

    I am British, but if I say I am British it would only spark the next question where are you from? lol so I cut that out and say straight up I'm English or I'm from England :)
  • Heyymandyy
    Heyymandyy Posts: 7
    I'm a Texan

    hell yeah!:smile:
  • babyskunkles
    babyskunkles Posts: 86 Member
    Some of these comments make me think of Africa - the continent. Just because someone lives in Africa, it doesn't mean they are from South Africa. They could be from Egypt.

    I am not from America, I am from the "United States of America" which the more I think of it, sounds kind of silly. The people that named this place didn't have much creativity!

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