What's wrong with saying I'm American?

[Irona]

Unlike a lot of Americans who most likely would actually feel patriotic if they were referred to by their states' name like Californians, Texans or New Yorkers.

More exactly like Americans who would be offended if you called them all Texans even if they were from New York.
The is exactly why I don't use the term English anymore, because of rants about all Brits not being English.

This is basically it, England is just a part of Britain so obviously welsh and Scottish people don't like being called English because their not. It'd be like if people just referred to all Americans as Texans because that's what they think of when they think america.

[The Two Jerseys]

I don't think there's anything wrong with it really. You can't say United Statesian just like you can't say United Kindomian if you're British. It only really annoys me when Americans say which state they're from as well. I mean, why would I care what state you're from? It's not as if the 51 states are their own little countries. Some Americans behave as if they are.

In Britain, it's simpler. Our nation's name does not contain reference to a continent. Therefore, Englishmen/women, Scots, Welshmen/women and, to an extent, Ulstermen/women, can all call themselves 'Britons' and 'British' with no controversy. But because (for some reason) Latin Americans regard the Americas as a single continent, they seem to get themselves into a hissy fit over Americans calling themselves 'Americans'. The simplest solution is to respect the language you are using: e.g. 'American' in English (even British English, which is superior, but that's not important ) and the Spanish or Portuguese equivalent of 'United States-ian' in Spanish or Portuguese.

Technically, the Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands are part of the British Isles and could say that they're "British" as well and have a hissy fit over people from the UK calling themselves British (in other words, exactly what Latin Americans do). But they don't, because they're smart enough to know that nobody gives a damn what archipelago you live on, only what country you're from.

If anything, Spanish is the inconsistent language here: if they insist on calling Americans "Unitedstatesians" when the country's name is "America", then they should also be calling people from the United Mexican States "Unitedstatesians" in stead of "Mexicans", and people from the UK "Unitedkingdomians" instead of "British".

[Big Jim P]

More exactly like Americans who would be offended if you called them all Texans even if they were from New York.
The is exactly why I don't use the term English anymore, because of rants about all Brits not being English.

This is basically it, England is just a part of Britain so obviously welsh and Scottish people don't like being called English because their not. It'd be like if people just referred to all Americans as Texans because that's what they think of when they think america.

The rest of America wishes they were.

[Free Market Paradise]

If the conversation goes beyond nationality I would say something like, "my family comes from..." I don't use the terms x-American.

I don't like the terms Asian-American or African-American when it refers to race. There are many aces on both continents.

[Aelex]

Besides, the French already call you "USians".

No?!?
I've heard a lot of differents way to call an american : " 'ricain", "Amerloque", "Américain" or even "Yankee" (pronounced "Yanqui") but I never heard such a term.


P.S : A little checking on the dictionnary told me it's not accepted by the Académie Française neither.

[Sun Wukong]

Besides, the French already call you "USians".

No?!?
I've heard a lot of differents way to call an american : " 'ricain", "Amerloque", "Américain" or even "Yankee" (pronounced "Yanqui") but I never heard such a term.


P.S : A little checking on the dictionnary told me it's not accepted by the Académie Française neither.

This is what I love about the French.

Everyone else, if somebody made a claim about what they say, the best you could hope to do is find a local who disagrees. But with France you can just go, "nope. It's not on the list."

[Farnhamia]

No?!?
I've heard a lot of differents way to call an american : " 'ricain", "Amerloque", "Américain" or even "Yankee" (pronounced "Yanqui") but I never heard such a term.


P.S : A little checking on the dictionnary told me it's not accepted by the Académie Française neither.

This is what I love about the French.

Everyone else, if somebody made a claim about what they say, the best you could hope to do is find a local who disagrees. But with France you can just go, "nope. It's not on the list."

I'm reminded of something Professor Higgins once said, "The French don't care what they do actually, as long as they pronounce it properly."

[Deuxtete]

No?!?
I've heard a lot of differents way to call an american : " 'ricain", "Amerloque", "Américain" or even "Yankee" (pronounced "Yanqui") but I never heard such a term.


P.S : A little checking on the dictionnary told me it's not accepted by the Académie Française neither.

This is what I love about the French.

Everyone else, if somebody made a claim about what they say, the best you could hope to do is find a local who disagrees. But with France you can just go, "nope. It's not on the list."

So they have regulated slang?

[Farnhamia]

This is what I love about the French.

Everyone else, if somebody made a claim about what they say, the best you could hope to do is find a local who disagrees. But with France you can just go, "nope. It's not on the list."

So they have regulated slang?

The Academie Française regulates the language. No one really pays attention to them.

[Deuxtete]

Ahhh.

[Sun Wukong]

This is what I love about the French.

Everyone else, if somebody made a claim about what they say, the best you could hope to do is find a local who disagrees. But with France you can just go, "nope. It's not on the list."

So they have regulated slang?

Indeed. Slang is not to exceed one part in ten. To be measured in Système International d'Unités, of course.

[Rio Cana]

Deleted double posted.

[Aelex]

So they have regulated slang?

The Academie Française regulates the language. No one really pays attention to them.

In fact people do. Not really much but they still manage to avoid French being overflooded by english term. We use a little number of english slangs (like fuck, shit, rekt and that's mostly it) but they actually managed to make us keep our own "argot".

I'm reminded of something Professor Higgins once said, "The French don't care what they do actually, as long as they pronounce it properly."

He was fucking damn right. Segolène Royal butchering of French (as well as the infamous "bravitude") was for a lot in her defeat at the 2007 presidential.

[Deuxtete]

Wait wait wait.
Where the fuck are North and South America considered a single continent, I call total bullshit on that.

There is a reason THEY are known as the Americas(plural).

I agree anyone from either continent can be called American.

But someone please link me to an educational site that lists NA and SA as a single continent.


Because bullshit.

[Aelex]

Indeed. Slang is not to exceed one part in ten. To be measured in Système International d'Unités, of course.

You're gonna take my arpion in your derche...

[Rio Cana]

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

Yes, North and South America are on two different plates. But both the North and South American plates are separated by the Caribbean Plate which is made up of most of Central America and the Caribbean islands. Generally, the Caribbean plate goes from Central Guatemala and includes Panama. The only Caribbean island it does not include is Cuba . Cuba is part of the North American plate while the rest are part of the Caribbean plate. The Bahamas which is just outside the Caribbean is also part of the North American plate.

All this means that North America is somewhat smaller since they put Central America and the Caribbean with North America when in reality they should be separate.

Edit - It should be the Caribbean plate which I corrected above.

Here a map which shows it -
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ayk1s2qMpjw/V ... plates.png

[Stellonia]

Wait wait wait.
Where the fuck are North and South America considered a single continent, I call total bullshit on that.

There is a reason THEY are known as the Americas(plural).

What is the reason for that? Can you explain, perhaps?

[Deuxtete]

Wait wait wait.
Where the fuck are North and South America considered a single continent, I call total bullshit on that.

There is a reason THEY are known as the Americas(plural).

What is the reason for that? Can you explain, perhaps?

Above a poster said NA and SA were considered a single continent by half the world, I'm calling bullshit on that. Some one might consider it that erroneously, but I'm saying nowhere teaches that.

[Deuxtete]

Wait wait wait.
Where the fuck are North and South America considered a single continent, I call total bullshit on that.

There is a reason THEY are known as the Americas(plural).

What is the reason for that? Can you explain, perhaps?

Also I said the post why, read the whole, very short post.

[Dumb Ideologies]

You should call yourselves "USians".

...I get the feeling someone may have suggested this on NSG before and that it mightn't have gone over particularly well.

[Rio Cana]

I don't think there's anything wrong with it really. You can't say United Statesian just like you can't say United Kindomian if you're British. It only really annoys me when Americans say which state they're from as well. I mean, why would I care what state you're from? It's not as if the 51 states are their own little countries. Some Americans behave as if they are.

Its 50 States.

In the US its not just the states but the counties that can be run has if they were there own nations. So be careful when you cross any County line in the US.

There is a factual movie about a County Sheriff who was honest and did his job very well. Crime were always solved. However, the county next to his was kind of corrupt. One day someone fleeing from being chased from that corrupt county managed to cross the county line before the people chasing him eliminated him. They then dragged the guy back across the county line. The bad guys big mistake was letting that guy cross the county line. The sheriff of that county investigate that crime and would not be deterred by the so called corrupt officials of the neighboring county,.

[Deuxtete]

You should call yourselves "USians".

...I get the feeling someone may have suggested this on NSG before and that it mightn't have gone over particularly well.

It went exactly the way any stupid suggestion goes. I'm unaware of any people who use the national title in that fashion. Mexicans don't, French don't, Brazilians don't, British don't, Canadians don't.
Oddly, Americans don't, we just happen to share a possible name.

[Deuxtete]

I don't think there's anything wrong with it really. You can't say United Statesian just like you can't say United Kindomian if you're British. It only really annoys me when Americans say which state they're from as well. I mean, why would I care what state you're from? It's not as if the 51 states are their own little countries. Some Americans behave as if they are.

Its 50 States.

In the US its not just the states but the counties that can be run has if they were there own nations. So be careful when you cross any County line in the US.

There is a factual movie about a County Sheriff who was honest and did his job very well. Crime were always solved. However, the county next to his was kind of corrupt. One day someone fleeing from being chased from that corrupt county managed to cross the county line before the people chasing him eliminated him. The bad guys big mistake was letting that guy cross the county line. The sheriff of that county investigate that crime and would not be deterred by the so called corrupt officials of the neighboring county,.

County lines havnt worked that way in over 50 years, also State police can operate in any county, county sheriff's can oprate in any city in their county and city police can operate in their city, in addition to interjurisdiction regulation when a crime encompasses multiple jurisdictions.

[Immoren]

Wait wait wait.
Where the fuck are North and South America considered a single continent, I call total bullshit on that.

There is a reason THEY are known as the Americas(plural).

I agree anyone from either continent can be called American.

But someone please link me to an educational site that lists NA and SA as a single continent.


Because bullshit.

Obviously three continen model is best

[Ashkera]

You should call yourselves "USians".

...I get the feeling someone may have suggested this on NSG before and that it mightn't have gone over particularly well.

It's not going to happen. Not only is there no global consensus about this issue that Americans are set in their ways about (unlike, say, the metric system), but there's no real benefit to changing aside from not offending some latin american nationalists (unlike, say, the metric system), it's inconsistent (Mexico), and it sounds weird in English.

"American" is the correct term in English. Trying to force "USian" is basically insisting on an adoption of Spanish terminology for a predominantly English-speaking country.