What's wrong with saying I'm American?

[Republic of Canador]

yes it is, our official name is the United States of America...

United State of America. Not America.

From a linguistics perspective, United States refers to the whole of the Americas, as they are the "United States" of the American continents. Technically speaking though it is rare for a denonym to refer to the political part of a nation's name (Russian Federation, United States of America, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , Peoples Republic of China.

Thus either way any denonym deriving from the term "United States of America" is incorrect, unless we include the whole name; United States of American.

But who cares? American is fine. It may not be technically correct but it is what the majority of the people in the country refer to themselves as.

[Imperial Esplanade]

Not to mention, the US has the oldest standing government on the planet. Since the 1780s I believe to present day. All other older nations have had revolutions, civil wars, coups ect and their Government institutions are typically younger. That is a accomplishment.

If there is a older standing government someone let me know.

At least our government can afford chairs.

Technically ours can to, we just choose to put it on our credit card.

[Torisakia]

It's about time we start calling ourselves "Vespuccians". Or just change every Latin American country's demonym to 'American'. Except then you wouldn't know what country they're from without them directly stating it.

So "Vespuccian" it is, then.

[Jochistan]

Someone probably already said this. But Its mostly a central/South American thing. Don't take it too personally.

Yeah let's blame the poor hillbillies.

What?

[Rhodesia]

It's a language thing. In Spanish, "America" applies to all the Americas. They have a specific demonym for those from the U.S. which is "estadounidense", literally "United-States-ian".

I shall allow Wikipedia to explain this in more detail:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_(word)#Spain_and_Latin_America

[The Sotoan Union]

Why does NSG like this topic so much.

Australia is named after an entire continent.

The Central African Republic is not the only Central African Republic.

But no only the US has a generic name. It's not an issue either since no other country refers to itself as America.

[Deuxtete]

...first, they aren't fucking Indians.
Next, no they weren't Americans, they were the First Nations, they had their own names, languages, cultures, being American was foisted upon them.

They were conquered. It happens.

Thanks captain obvious, point to where I said otherwise.
Or were you just making a factual statement so you could be easily agreed with?

[Rhodesia]

It's about time we start calling ourselves "Vespuccians". Or just change every Latin American country's demonym to 'American'. Except then you wouldn't know what country they're from without them directly stating it.

So "Vespuccian" it is, then.

Except... "America" – the word/name – probably didn't come from Amerigo Vespucci. Thing is, when places were named after people they're seldom named after their first or given name. Notable examples include monarchs, however (consider Carolina and Louisiana, the Latin forms of Charles and Louis).

It's more likely that America is named after Richard Americ (from Welsh "ap Meric", son of Meric), who financed of early English voyages to what would become the Americas. The latinised form of Americ would naturally be Americus > America.

[Rhodesia]

Why does NSG like this topic so much.

Australia is named after an entire continent.

The Central African Republic is not the only Central African Republic.

But no only the US has a generic name. It's not an issue either since no other country refers to itself as America.

[Deuxtete]

It's about time we start calling ourselves "Vespuccians". Or just change every Latin American country's demonym to 'American'. Except then you wouldn't know what country they're from without them directly stating it.

So "Vespuccian" it is, then.

Except... "America" – the word/name – probably didn't come from Amerigo Vespucci. Thing is, when places were named after people they're seldom named after their first or given name. Notable examples include monarchs, however (consider Carolina and Louisiana, the Latin forms of Charles and Louis).

It's more likely that America is named after Richard Americ (from Welsh "ap Meric", son of Meric), who financed of early English voyages to what would become the Americas. The latinised form of Americ would naturally be Americus > America.

That, is an interesting piece of trivia.

[Valloria]

This line of thinking is why they think you're arrogant for using American as your nationality...

I sincerely couldn't care less. Mostly because I am arrogant. I fully admit it. And my country gives me that right. It isn't arrogance if you can back it up, and my country's power speaks for itself. Therefore: call us what we like.

Not to mention the fact that we pay the bills of all those countries through massive aid. Therefore, every time you insult us, you're biting the hand that feeds.

Hahahaha... no. Do you have any idea how international diplomacy and trade work? You've made several allusions to the Marshall Plan, yet you don't realize that it was in our best interest - both for future trade partners (the only reason we exist as a major power) and for anti-communist defense purposes. You make it sound like we'd be totally self-sufficient without any outside influence. All the other countries in the world reciprocate our trade with them (provided that we do trade with them). America would be nothing without trade, just like any other country. The only country's bills we're "paying" are Israel's, and that's because a complex web of alliances, sociopolitical factors, and other effects that really place the impetus on us to help.

When someone insults America, they're not "biting the hand that feeds," they're exercising their right to free speech.

[The Sotoan Union]

We have a history

Yeah, sure, whatever

Ah yes. The meat and potatoes of these threads. Simplistic America bashing, even though the actual thread is just about what it should be called.

Because without it NSG might realize there's really not much to discuss.

[Imperial Esplanade]

It's about time we start calling ourselves "Vespuccians". Or just change every Latin American country's demonym to 'American'. Except then you wouldn't know what country they're from without them directly stating it.

So "Vespuccian" it is, then.

Except... "America" – the word/name – probably didn't come from Amerigo Vespucci. Thing is, when places were named after people they're seldom named after their first or given name. Notable examples include monarchs, however (consider Carolina and Louisiana, the Latin forms of Charles and Louis).

It's more likely that America is named after Richard Americ (from Welsh "ap Meric", son of Meric), who financed of early English voyages to what would become the Americas. The latinised form of Americ would naturally be Americus > America.

I feel like 'the United States of Americus" sounds so much more badass though.

[Aurum Reich]

It is perceived, definatley, but if you lived in an area where everyone waved (insert country flag here) and talked about how garbage your nation was, would you not perceive the same thing?

I just might, actually. But perception doesn't equate to reality. The freedoms to celebrate cultural heritage and criticise perceived flaws in our country are protected under our very constitution, and should be encouraged. Challenging the status quo in this country has been the driving force behind its evolution and innovation. You don't have to like it, obviously - that's you're freedom as well - but as an American who values the constitution, you can't deny those freedoms to other Americans.

Can't deny freedom to other Americans... But if they are disloyal are they truly Americans?

[Dooom35796821595]

Not to side with the guys being all "AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!" in this thread, but...

Not just two world wars, but also colonial / imperial behaviors, diplomacy, the cold war...

If you cut America from your history, it ends in the late 1700s. Their intervention in Latin America, Asia... friggin' Adolf Hitler no longer counts as "history" by that metric.

That seems like a very deliberately incomplete history to me.

Not to mention the American government is still in power. If we're being this way, then we might as well say a country's history resets when the government is overthrown, in which case, a lot of other countries are younger...

Not to mention, the US has the oldest standing government on the planet. Since the 1780s I believe to present day. All other older nations have had revolutions, civil wars, coups ect and their Government institutions are typically younger. That is a accomplishment.

If there is a older standing government someone let me know.

British government, Manga Catar signed in 1215.

[Herrebrugh]

The only sensible solution is to rename it "Trumpica".

[Big Jim P]

Not to mention, the US has the oldest standing government on the planet. Since the 1780s I believe to present day. All other older nations have had revolutions, civil wars, coups ect and their Government institutions are typically younger. That is a accomplishment.

If there is a older standing government someone let me know.

British government, Manga Catar signed in 1215.

I believe that Icelands dates back to the 980s.

[Republic of Canador]

British government, Manga Catar signed in 1215.

I believe that Icelands dates back to the 980s.

Indeed it was, however from the 13th century to the 20h century it was in a union with Norway (at first), and then was ruled by Denmark.

[New Ogunquit]

People don't say they are from a continent.

Someone's probably pointed this out, but... Australians.

[Valloria]

British government, Manga Catar signed in 1215.

I believe that Icelands dates back to the 980s.

The Empire of Japan has been ruled continuously by the same imperial dynasty since the 600s.

[Alyakia]

Not to side with the guys being all "AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!" in this thread, but...

Not just two world wars, but also colonial / imperial behaviors, diplomacy, the cold war...

If you cut America from your history, it ends in the late 1700s. Their intervention in Latin America, Asia... friggin' Adolf Hitler no longer counts as "history" by that metric.

That seems like a very deliberately incomplete history to me.

Not to mention the American government is still in power. If we're being this way, then we might as well say a country's history resets when the government is overthrown, in which case, a lot of other countries are younger...

Not to mention, the US has the oldest standing government on the planet. Since the 1780s I believe to present day. All other older nations have had revolutions, civil wars, coups ect and their Government institutions are typically younger. That is a accomplishment.

If there is a older standing government someone let me know.

yeah a civil war in america imagine that

[Alyakia]

Not to mention, the US has the oldest standing government on the planet. Since the 1780s I believe to present day. All other older nations have had revolutions, civil wars, coups ect and their Government institutions are typically younger. That is a accomplishment.

If there is a older standing government someone let me know.

British government, Manga Catar signed in 1215.

eh, cromwell fucked it up a bit. still older than the US though. it all depends on what definitions you're using.

[Napkiraly]

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?

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

[Grand Britannia]

Not to mention, the US has the oldest standing government on the planet. Since the 1780s I believe to present day. All other older nations have had revolutions, civil wars, coups ect and their Government institutions are typically younger. That is a accomplishment.

If there is a older standing government someone let me know.

yeah a civil war in america imagine that

Which the union won meaning the same government survived...

[Imperializt Russia]

Not to mention, the US has the oldest standing government on the planet. Since the 1780s I believe to present day. All other older nations have had revolutions, civil wars, coups ect and their Government institutions are typically younger. That is a accomplishment.

If there is a older standing government someone let me know.

British government, Manga Catar signed in 1215.

Well...
Per his points, it's changed since then.
For safety, let's go with the reinstatement of the monarchy, with King Charles II in 1660.