Hello people, I want to know why you The United States People consider that just you are "americans" and...

Question

...why you exclude us to the other ones (Latin America: mexicans, center americans and south americans; and Canada) of that definition? In Latin America and Spain, we don't named you "americans".

And sorry if my English not is very well, I just know a little.

I don't have anything against you, but I want to know the opinion of you in this respect.

We aren't "hispanics" (That is a category to differ), we speak spanish, but we are americans too.

America is an entire continent. Why don't you have a more specific name, then?

Oh, sorry Ruth, but in Latin America, the people calls you "united statesian", "united statesese".

Answer 1

It dates from the time that this was the only independent country on the continent, and from the (now vague-sounding) name "The United States of America."

In other words, habit, and the lack of a handy alternative.

I've tried to think of an alternative, and the only thing I've ever come up with is Usans (USA-ans, that is).

Blech!

As others have pointed out, everyone else has a decent name that is unambiguous.

It's not so much excluding everyone else who lives in the Americas as not having anything else to call ourselves.

I wonder what you do call us. Do tell! That is, if it doesn't violate Yahoo's guideline against cussing.

;-)

Answer 2

It just evolved over the years in because of the dealing with foreign countries since the United States of America is the official name of the United States. And United States of American is so long it was shorted by dropping United States. Since on other country in the Americas has America it their names.

An example of that would be:

If Mexico had of adopted the name Mexico or America then their name would also have been shortened to just calling them Americans as well.

Answer 3

Latin Americans are from Latin American, People from Canada are Canadians......Mexicans are from Mexico....United Statesian...United Statesese....they all sound stupid. We didn't have a lot to work with there. Not that we intentionally excluded anyone. We just wanted a cooler name.

Answer 4

That is a really good question. American refers to someone from America. America is another name for United States. Just like someone for Canada is Canadian, from Mexico is Mexican. It just happens to be that we are in the continent of North America. I guess we are all "North Americans" like there is Africans, Asians and European. In eastern Europe though, in countries like Ukraine, Belarus, etc. people aren't usually referred to as European.

Answer 5

Did you know in the war against Iraq TASMANIA which is part of Australia did not figure on the Iraqi map of the world (on tv - world map, over the the shoulder of minister of information)

Sometimes to be excluded may well mean the difference between life and death - don't be in such a rush for the inclusion, standing alone can often save your a*se!

Answer 6

To be honest, the United States of America represents that strongest world power. Collectively, we adopted a name and started using it. Other nations and continents that have America in the name are not nearly as strong or prominent, and so there was no real challenge to its use in the past. We have used it for so long that it will never be something that can be taken away. If this country were not so great or full of promise, then we would not have such a large number of people arriving here by legal or illegal means. I'm not sure what we are called in Latin America or Spain; honestly I do not care, as it does not change my view of myself or my place in my society.

Answer 7

that's how the English Language works. I mean what do you want to call us? United Statian? Canada have their own names like Canadian. Latin America have many countries in that continent so they cannot call themselves Lain Americans. Mexico is mexican. I mean you have to understand how the English language work.

Answer 8

It's just a shortened version of United States of America. It's a very long title to have to continually say, so "American" is easier. Just like people in Asian countries don't say, "I'm Asian," they'll say, "I'm Korean/Chinese/Japanese/Taiwanese".

But no one said Americans were discluding people from Latin America or Canada. However, because their countries have specific names, they can call themselves that instead.
Canadians could say, "I'm North American", but it's a long title. Mexicans could say, "I'm Latin American" but they live in Mexico and it's just easier to say Mexican, as well as more to-the-point.

When a person says, "I'm American" everyone's first thought it that they are from the U.S.A, not Canada, Central, Latin, or South America.

Likewise, some people from the U.S. will just go by their state's name. (I'm Californian, I'm a New Yorker.)

Answer 9

We call ourselves Americans because we come from the United States of AMERICA, we refer to the other american people by their country names as well....for example people from Brazil are Brazilians, people from Mexico are Mexicans, etc. Since we do not have another country name we refer to ourselves as Americans, its not that we are leaving you out......

Answer 10

Is this a hot topic in Central and South America? It seems to come up on answers a lot.

As an answer, what do you propose we call ourselves, if you'd like the term American to be more inclusive? United Statesians sounds a little ridiculous.