I need help to answer this question made by a professor.?

Question

He told me that The United States was not a name.
It only meant that it was states that were united.
I felt so ignorant that I told him I would get back with him.
Please help me.

He wants to know why the United States of America does not have a name.
Sorry for not including that the first time around.

Answer 1

Hmmm, your professor raise a point to a certain degree, but this all depends on "Point of View." Let's break this down:

1) Is the "name" United States of America actually a name by definition? Well what is the definition of the word name:
NAME: (def): a word or set of words assigned to noun ( person, place or thing )

2) History of the United States. The original 13 colonies were seperated entities who cam together in a common bond against England. These Colonies ( or states ) became United for a cause. ANd, since the continent was known as the Americas ( named after Amerigo Vespucci ) hence the term: UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

So...If a name ( by definition ) is a word or set of words assigned to a person, place, or thing. Who is to say, United States is NOT a name.

Other example: Gwyneth Paltrow named her daughter " Apple." Now, by definition, apple is a fruit, but she "assigned this word to her daughter. So, is Apple a name, or is her daughter a fruit?

Answer 2

If it's not a name, then why do we capitalize it? The word "united" does not need to be capitalized. The word "states" does not need to be capitalized.

If that's not our name, then why aren't we the united states of America?

But we are in North America, and the 50 states that are united together under one government are officially called, the United States of America.

That way we are not mixed up with any other country in North America. We could have been the Fifty States of America, but since there weren't 50 to begin with, and since the founding fathers probably wanted to leave it open to add more, they decided that a more appropriate adjective would be "united."

Tell your instructor that I am an English teacher and that I think that if he reviews his basic grammar, he will figure out why United States of America is, indeed, the name of our country.

Answer 3

Just because he is a "professor" doesn't mean he is intelligent. The "United States of America" is the name of our country. What about the Peoples Republic of China? Or, Great Britain.

Answer 4

Then, I am as ignorant of the comment as you are! If it means that the states are united..then..it IS The United States! Adding "of America" sets it up geographically on the map.

Sometimes these so called professors need to go on hiatus and just get "real" and let their intellect rest!!!!

Answer 5

He might want you to research the name, who or how or why the decision was made to to call this country the United States of America.

Answer 6

If 'The United States of America' is not a name, here of some more 'unnamed' countries:
United Soviet Socialist Republics (no longer united)
People Republic of China (inaccurate description)
Saudi Arabia (Arab county ruled by the House of Saud)
any country with 'of' in the 'name'

Answer 7

The Unisted States of America is the name of the country between Canada and Mexico.

Answer 8

The name of our country is "The United States of America."
Where is this professor from? What University is he employed by? I guess that he probably has no allegiance, because we have no name? Ha, Ha, Ha, That guy is a joker!!!!

Answer 9

He's making a silly play on words. For example, what about El Salvador? If you want to get as petty and irrelevant as your professor is, that refers to one person (The Saviour) and not a country. What about Athens? That's plural even in Greek, so does it mean there are two cities there?

Answer 10

He must be one of those people with a photographic memory but no real intellect.

He's educated beyond his intelligence.

King Solomon said " The study of many books makes the mind weary"!