labeling issues

[archersangel]

i was reading the comments on the comics at scandinavia and the world & a lot of people from other countries have problems with people from the U.S.A calling themselves americans. their argument is that america could also refer to any of north, central or south america.

well, the fault is not the common people's. in the media you hear references to "the average american." in political speeches you get the phrase "the american people." on world news tonight on the ABC network they have an occasional segment about stuff manufactured here called "made in america" not "made in the U.S.A."

and i'm not sure what the alternative should be. U.S.A-ian? U.S.A-er? U.S.A-ite? saying "i'm a citizen of the united states of america" sounds too grandiose. i suspose just a simple "i'm from the U.S/united states of america/U.S.A" is the best answer.

Comments

[sid]

We really don't have a very good alternative, do we? Blame the Founding Fathers! You can tell people you're from the States, or the U.S., but if the question is "What's your nationality?", the answer is going to be "American." Whereas other residents of the American continents have different answers to that question: Canadian, Peruvian, Mexican and so on.

[delphia2000]

Sid has it right...we're the only ones who can really say 'American.' The other countries have other names. And if they wanted to use the American but still be specific, they'd have to say central, north or south. It's really a stupid argument, jmho.