As I understand America is a continent and Americans are all the people living in the American continent. What do you think about it? I do not know where the confusion comes from.
2006-09-10 18:33:18 · 18 answers · asked by clij24 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
To xmoregonex: I am completely sure that I am not from the ignorant planet you come from. North America is part of the American Continent. The American continent is divided in two parts: North America and South America. America is not a country.
2006-09-10 18:42:19 · update #1
As a Canadian, this question makes perfect sense to me. Where I think the confusion comes from is the fact that the people of the US are so self-absorbed that they forget that their country shares the same Continent with other countries and therefore believe that they are "Americans". If taking the word literally, all the people from Canada and Mexico could be considered American also (If we include the South Americas, people from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela could also consider themselves "American").
So, being born in America doesn't actually make you "American", because although I would technically have the right to call myself such, I would NEVER want to be mistaken for someone from the U.S.A. Unless you've experienced it, you have no idea how much more nicely people treat you when you're traveling in a different country and you've just corrected them by saying: "No, I'm not an "American", I'm Canadian"!
p.s. It's most likely those self-absorbed "Americans" I was talking about that gave me and "Jasmine T" from Mexico the two thumbs down each - point proven!
2006-09-10 19:45:37 · answer #1 · answered by polydactylmoggie 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think it is pretty simple really, it is the United States of America, so Americans makes sense. Just like every other country it is based on the name of the country, Mexicans, Italians, Germans, Australians, etc. Just because part of the name is also a continent doesn't mean it doesn't make sense.
2006-09-11 02:44:33 · answer #2 · answered by curls 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
North America is the continent. America is the country. You do the math. What planet are you from anyway?
2006-09-11 01:37:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because it is the only country that has "America" in its name: The United States of America.
2006-09-11 01:35:56 · answer #4 · answered by CnM 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not sure I understand this question really... I am sure it could also refer to why citizens of Mexico are called Mexicans, Russia citizens are called Russians, Columbia citizens are called Columbians, China citizens are called Chinese, Afghanistan citizens are called Afghans... it is all over, so what is wrong with United States of America, being called Americans?
2006-09-11 01:40:13 · answer #5 · answered by Fallen 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
American is the proper adjective for a citizen of the United States.
2006-09-11 01:39:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I notice a lot of people from North America refer to The UK as "England"
2006-09-11 01:40:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason people call the people from the united states of Mexico..Mexicans..
2006-09-11 02:17:44 · answer #8 · answered by Ckarri` 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because that's what it is CALLED, usually you call something whatever it is called.
HELLO we live in the United States of AMERICA..so that would make us Americans..it's not that freakin confusing!
2006-09-11 01:46:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's an abbreviation or nickname, like calling those from the United Kingdom "Brits".
2006-09-11 01:34:31 · answer #10 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋