Do South and Central Americans call themself American?

Question

My fiance (who is American) and I talk about this all the time. She says that they are not. However, listening to our Spanish language tape the other day, it said that they do, and you should specify North, Central or South America? Any experiences like this?

Answer 1

I am both Brazilian and American. Brazilian because I was born in Brazil and American because I was born in America too. That's why exists the Organization of the American States, The Pan-American Games, etc. In Portuguese and Spanish we have a word to describe citizens of the USA ("estadunidense" (united statesian)). But "estadunidense" is a long word so many people are lazy enough to call you "americano" (american) instead of "estadunidense". But no one hear call your country "America", only "Estados Unidos" (United States). People from Latin America get very angry every time people use "America" meaning United States.

Answer 2

Technically, anyone born in the Americas (North, Central, and South America) is an American. Generally, however, only people from the United States are considered "Americans" by the rest of the world. So it is basically a futile argument as it compares the usual with the technical.

When I am asked where I'm from, I say "Earth". Any more questions?

Answer 3

The US inhabitants are not the only ones who occupy the American continent therefore virtually anyone from its South-Central-North could call themselves "american" but this word has been made exclusive to the US people I don't know why. I find it really arrogant.

I think it would be much more polite to specify: "I am north american, central american or south american" and not just take up the whole continent right ahead.

Answer 4

America is a Continent. People from central and south America get upset when America is used to designate the United States. I suspect Canadians aren't too pleased about it either.

There is a (as yet incomplete) highway which is supposed to run from Canada to the southern tip of south America. It's called the Pan-American Highway. Pan being the Greek word for all.

Answer 5

Yes, they do. I have been corrected many times, having been told to refer to myself as North American, as everyone from North, Central, and South Americas are "Americans."

Answer 6

They call themselves Americans because THE MAJORITY of the Western Hemisphere is America!!!! Why the hell do you think that North America, Central America, AND South America are called as such?!?! Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian in the 16th century, discovered THE MAJORITY of the Western Hemisphere, thus ALL three landmasses were named after him. Our country's actual name is the United States of North America, believe it OR NOT!!!!

Answer 7

"Latino Lovers" ;-)

All the same I think people aren't very specific when they say where they are from. Especially as so many people take so much pride and some nutters can be so racist about it.
The UK thing is a prime example. English, Northern Irish, Scottish & Welsh are all British but when the nationality of BIRTH is mentioned, many others think those mentioning are racist, elitist, nationaslist etc.
People can be so strange.

Answer 8

Everybody who borns in the american continent has the right to call themself as "american"

Despite of that, everybody have the wrong idea that only the people who comes from the USA are americans.

And use "latin american" for the rest of the countries ( that dont envolve to canada or groenland)

However everybody of the large continent is american..... but i prefere call to the people form usa .. yank.. lol everybody knows it :D

Answer 9

Yes they do call themselves American. I used to work in Ecuador as a teacher, and my students always used to correct me when I talked about people from the US as 'Americans'. They have a specific word for people from the USA (that translates as UnitedStatesish).
Most of them find it insulting that we only think of Americans coming from one country in the Americas.

Answer 10

Yes, Gustavo is right!
By the way, next Pan-American Games 2007 is in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro.