What's wrong with saying I'm American?

[Infected Mushroom]

There's nothing wrong.

In fact, if it is true, you should be proud of it. The USA is a great nation and it has achieved many great things. Its one of the most exceptional countries in the world. Its the world's most powerful empire.

[Salus Maior]

Nothing, that guy was being an silly.

It's interesting though, nearly every American I've met when asked this question names the state they're from, New York, Texas, Virginia, etc instead of simply 'America'.

It's not silly. When there are, what, a billion people who live in the two Americas and when anyone in the world ever says America they default to the US, that's probably pretty fucking annoying to the two thirds of a billion people who don't live in North America.

Except , no one else on the North American side (Mexico and Canada) cares. Why should the South Americans? And to such a degree?

[BK117B2]

Nothing, that guy was being an silly.

It's interesting though, nearly every American I've met when asked this question names the state they're from, New York, Texas, Virginia, etc instead of simply 'America'.

It's not silly. When there are, what, a billion people who live in the two Americas and when anyone in the world ever says America they default to the US, that's probably pretty fucking annoying to the two thirds of a billion people who don't live in North America.

How is it not silly to go off on someone for NOT doing anything wrong?

It is incredibly arrogant and hypocritical for the person to react the way they did. Americans have every justification to use their own demonym.

[The New Sea Territory]

It's just as stupid a label as any other nationality.

[Hyfling]

Nothing, that guy was being an silly.

It's interesting though, nearly every American I've met when asked this question names the state they're from, New York, Texas, Virginia, etc instead of simply 'America'.

Well, are you American yourself? If so, they're just relaying to you, a fellow American, where they're from in America. It's not denying that they're American.

I think that's the most times I've said "American" in one sentence in...Ever.

Nope, Australian.

I get a lot of tourists at my job, every other tourist just says the country they're from, while Americans just say the state. T'was just a trend I noticed.

[Salus Maior]

The two complaints are related.
"I'm American"
"Oh, you're from the US?"
"..."
This hypothetical conversation does rely on pan-American identity which does exist, though usually a person would probably open with their nationality.

Then I'd ask why the person does not simply refer to him/herself as a "Brazilian" or "Colombian". Something which would get the point across much faster than identifying oneself with a set of 2 continents with VASTLY different cultures of varied world influence across it.

[Vrolondia]

To half the world North and South America are considered one continent, and everyone from said single continent is "American", with Americans also coming from United States of America. To everyone else there is North and South America and you're either North or South American, with Americans coming from America.

[Salus Maior]

To half the world North and South America are considered one continent, and everyone from said single continent is "American", with Americans also coming from United States of America. To everyone else there is North and South America and you're either North or South American, with Americans coming from America.

Which is erroneous considering they're on two different plates.

[Forsher]

In English, the complaint is utterly unreasonable... in another language possibly not.

How often is it that American is used to refer to soething being of the Americas, in English, anyway? In general we treat the two continents as two or even three distinct areas/regions...

[Vrolondia]

To half the world North and South America are considered one continent, and everyone from said single continent is "American", with Americans also coming from United States of America. To everyone else there is North and South America and you're either North or South American, with Americans coming from America.

Which is erroneous considering they're on two different plates.

Yeah, but they are connected by a landbridge and Western European culture so a large portion of Europe (Spain, Portugal, Britain, France, Netherlands who were the most influential in the area) grouped them all into a single continent at the time because there was no difference. Most of them kept the idea, as did their colonies.

[Napkiraly]

To half the world North and South America are considered one continent, and everyone from said single continent is "American", with Americans also coming from United States of America. To everyone else there is North and South America and you're either North or South American, with Americans coming from America.

Which is erroneous considering they're on two different plates.

Only if you define continents by that criteria. Continents are defined by model and convention and are not set.

[Salus Maior]

Which is erroneous considering they're on two different plates.

Yeah, but they are connected by a landbridge and Western European culture so a large portion of Europe (Spain and Portugal, who were the most influential in the area) grouped them all into a single continent at the time because there was no difference at the time.

Even more so is Europe, Asia, and Africa. And yet people have the sense to recognize them as separate continents (even though, technically speaking, Europe and Asia may be one). And at the time that might have been correct, but it's not now, and it has been that way for quite a while.

[Aelex]

Because your name ain't "America" maybe?

And officially you aren't from a place called France.

Well, technically and officially, I'm from the République Française also known as Cinquième République or most simply France.
But given that France is not the name of a continent, there are no mistake possible if I tell someone I'm french.

[Republic of Canador]

Nothing, that guy was being an silly.

It's interesting though, nearly every American I've met when asked this question names the state they're from, New York, Texas, Virginia, etc instead of simply 'America'.

It's not silly. When there are, what, a billion people who live in the two Americas and when anyone in the world ever says America they default to the US, that's probably pretty fucking annoying to the two thirds of a billion people who don't live in North America.

I'm sure it's also annoying when people confuse the nation Turkey with the fat domesticated bird. I don't see any calls to change the names of either though. Greenland is not green; that has to be a misleading name. Chile shares its name with a spicy vegetable, and even looks like one too.

I guarantee if the U.S. Changed its denonym we'd have much more confusion than we do now.

[New haven america]

I was talking with some guy from colombia who went off on me when I said I was an American. He said something like everyone in the Americas is an American. I agreed but then said he wasn't asking what continent I came from but what country. Then I asked how many countries have America in their name. He didn't answer but went on about Americans being arrogant etc.

I thought I had a good point. People don't say they are from a continent. They say they are from a country. My country is America. Is there another country called America?

How many countries have America in their name? I know one.

Well how the hell else does he expect us to call ourselves? "United statesiens"?

Estado Unidian, as we are called in Latin America.

It's more of a translation problem.

[Vrolondia]

Yeah, but they are connected by a landbridge and Western European culture so a large portion of Europe (Spain and Portugal, who were the most influential in the area) grouped them all into a single continent at the time because there was no difference at the time.

Even more so is Europe, Asia, and Africa. And yet people have the sense to recognize them as separate continents (even though, technically speaking, Europe and Asia may be one). And at the time that might have been correct, but it's not now, and it has been that way for quite a while.

I think you missed the point. Because the colonial powers controlled both parts of the American continent they didn't see a difference between them. It was America that created the 2 Americas around the 1800-1900's, and most of the world outside the Americas hasn't accepted that because it's arbitrary. Continents are grouped mostly based of ethnic and historical cultures, so Asia and Europe wouldn't fit into a single one at all.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

And officially you aren't from a place called France.

Well, technically and officially, I'm from the République Française also known as Cinquième République or most simply France.
But given that France is not the name of a continent, there are no mistake possible if I tell someone I'm french.

Well, they could mistake you for a mime if you tell them you're French.

Honestly, what person in the Americas introduces themselves as Americans besides people from the United States of America? You wouldn't tell people you're European, you would tell them you're French.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

Well how the hell else does he expect us to call ourselves? "United statesiens"?

Estado Unidian, as we are called in Latin America.

It's more of a translation problem.

States unitedian?

[New haven america]

if these other nations are so butthurt about us being called americans, why don't they change their national names to america like us?

Because your name ain't "America" maybe?

United States of America, abbreviated as the US, USA, or America.

So yes, the name technically is America.

[New haven america]

Estado Unidian, as we are called in Latin America.

It's more of a translation problem.

States unitedian?

United Statesian.

[Republic of Canador]

Estado Unidian, as we are called in Latin America.

It's more of a translation problem.

States unitedian?

Darn those Romance languages with their backwards words.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

States unitedian?

United Statesian.

Put it in the right order then.

[Geilinor]

Well how the hell else does he expect us to call ourselves? "United statesiens"?

Estado Unidian, as we are called in Latin America.

It's more of a translation problem.

We're called estadounidense.

[New haven america]

United Statesian.

Put it in the right order then.

It's a romance language, it is in the right order.

[MERIZoC]

Comes from having a bad name for your country. Statesians sounds weird, though I suppose we do call people Emirati.