When you think of an "American" do you think of a citizen of the United States?
This is a new thing for me. I've never had anyone think me narrow minded for calling myself an American, for being an American, maybe : ) but not for calling myself one. Any feedback is good. I just like to hear what people think.
Answer:
I think that citizens of USA love to shorten things, look at our nick names. I myself love nicknames. And so as we grew in population it because easier to say we are Americans. I might say to you, that when I travel in Euro, or Mexico, I do not say I am an American, I say I am from the USA. In Euro, most people will say...ah...an American! and then the conversation goes on from there.
You are correct, the Americas, of us, are Americans in that respect. But I really don't think it is meant to be an in your face things. Its just something that has evolved.
Ever noticed that when you are in your state and you hear say my accent, you will ask what state I am from. As a whole, the Americans in the USA have certainly used the term to put us on the map...so to speak and unlike Mexico, Argentina, Peru, or Canada, we have in our name United States of AMERICA, there's the difference and there in lies the reasoning. We are Americans from the United States.
You are correct,,,,anyone who lives in North or South America, or the west indies, is an 'American"
What you are hearing is a bunch if ignorant people trying to justify their cause.
It's another lame argument from people who come here illegally from North and South America.
Though people live on the Continent of the America's, doesn't make them a citizen of America. You can't be citizens of a Continent and not a country!
They are blowing smoke. The only AMERICANS are from the country, America!
If they want to say they live in the America's that is appropriate, they do not however live in America!.
I,m an American. plain and simple. Make no mistake about it
American Flag. Other people try all muddy the water but it is just that .
If people use the word outside the USA, I think of the original acception: a person born in the American continent, or who has obtained citizenship in one of the countries in the American continent.
If I hear the word used in the USA, then I think of the USA only.
If I hear the word used by Native Americans or Amerindians in general, I take it to mean people of pure or mostly Amerindian stock.
It depends on context. None of them is "incorrect."
No, you are wrong. You are either a NORTH American, a SOUTH American or a CENTRAL American.
In the same sense of the word that people from Mexico call themselves Mexicans, and people from Canada Canadians etc. We from the States call ourselves Americans. If we wanted to be technical we could call ourselves United States of Americans but seriously how many people would call us that. Most intelligent people know that when someone says American they are referring to someone from the United States of America. Just because someone is from the continents of North or South America does not make them "American".
I am an American and a citizen of the United States of America.
"American", in my opinion, can be used by anyone from either north, south or central America.
Because I wish to be specific when it comes to my country, I then use U.S. or U.S.A.
if you are born in America you are an American, or if you become an American citizen.
if you move here from another country and are not a citizen, this does not make you an American
it's like the black people saying they are African Americans, they were not born in Africa, so they are not African, they are Americans
white people don't go around saying they are German or Scottish Americans because their people came from there
whoopie says it best for blacks, if you are born here, then you are an american, not african american.
A person who is a citizen of the United States is a American, period. End of story
I got straighntened out by a former Equadorian girlfriend and
she was sooo correct. My apologies to all I offended by doing
that. I'm a US citizen and proud of it. And I'm proud of all of
us Americans according to your definition as well (with some
communist , pro-illegal drug exeptions of course).
American Flag , American Citizen, English Language, their is no doubt in any ones mind. Except those who think they can attach themselves by using twisted logic.
i am a North American...a Citizen of the United States...and proud of it ..Long Live the United States of America
Yes because that is how it is. I don't see how ppl. can call themselves americans if they aren't.
I like your question and you have a point. I too grew up calling myself an American but many people in Latin America have asked me why do people from the US call themselves Americans when we are all Americans...so come to think about it and studying history and the Continent, they are right...only in the Mexican border will people still call people from the USA, Americans... any other place in Mexico and Countries in Latin America they call Americans "Estado Unidenses"... I think they make sense, so I too pay more attention to my vocabulary now and say that people from the USA are from the USA but it makes more sense in Spanish than in does in English...since all the Countries in Latin America do speak Spanish with the exception of Brazil.. "Estado Unidenses" does make sense in Spanish. Someone told me once too that anybody in any European Country is called European because they were born in that Continent so the same should be true in North, Central and South America. Americans also get called North Americans by Latin America.
The world wide description of a citizen of the United States of America is an "American". During the cold war do you think when Russian refered to the enemy as Americans they meant citizens of the United States or citizens of Columbia? Citizens of Brazil? During World War II when the Japanese refered to the enemy as Americans do you think they meant citizens of the United States of America or citizens of Mexico? Citizens of Paraguay? Citizens of Chilie? You get the picture.
Yes, I automatically think as Americans as from the USA.
The reason why there is this talk being pushed forward is because they are trying to create the North American Union where the USA is nothing more than a STATE as a whole.
There is a basic data issue here, amongst the word play to try to leverage from 'native of a set of continents' to 'rights to go to schools in this country'.
Most Latin American countries are apparently taught that there is ONE continent of "America". We learn that there are two, North America and South America. So to us, people not from our country are from 'the Americas' not America. To them, they are from their country, within 'America'. We are America as the United States of Brazil is Brazil and the United States of Mexico is Mexico.
However, if one group is taught growing up that oranges are apples and another that bananas are apples, they may never agree on the name of the fruit.
Nope just of a dam white person.
i think of them as american but really we are all american and they are yankee
You are correct, anybody from the American Continent is an American. I know that people from the U.S.A. call them selves "Americans".
The question is what came first. Did the people from the U.S. Called themselves "Americans" or other countries called them "Americans"?
If you are a U.S. Citizen and you travel to Europe. People there are going to call you "American". If you are a Mexican citizen or Panamanian Citizen, the people over there are not going to call you "American". They are going to call you Mexican or Panamanian.
I understand that U.S. Citizens have embrace the word "American" as a synonym of U.S. Citizen, but it is just a work, because legally, that is in U.S. Court, an "American" is anybody from the American Continent.
Yes, I do. I've always thought of myself as American, too. I apply Latin or South to the other regions of this continent. I've never been told that I'm not an American for living in the United States of America, it just fits, doesn't it? No, I doubt that Canadians are calling themselves Americans either. If everyone else is an American too, maybe I'll go back to being called by my state name. Just kidding, I'm proud to be called an American from the USA.
"Anything goes" these days . . .
Just say whatever if it will advance your argument and, God knows we don't have enough argument.
We all know what it means and so do they.
You are not narrow-minded, you are just normal. The others are just unhappy. They need something to argue about.
people that are not from the United States but say they are disgust me.
Legal US Citizen/Resident is an American.
Anyone else claiming to be an American is doing so for the North American Union spew and/or US entitlements.
Hi, your question is very interesting. America is actually the term used to call the entire American continent, that is, from Canada to Argentina. It was called America after Americo Vespuccio at the time it was discovered. In Argentina and all the other South American countries, we refer to people from the United States as "Northamericans", not as "Americans". We are all Americans, and not just technically like you say, but in all senses; it is a matter of identity. People in Europe are more keen on this difference, because they are better informed and have a more general approach on general culture than most people in the United States. They understand America is the entire continent and not just the United States, which actually has nothing to do with what most of America is really like. You can only learn about this by traveling through Center or South America... I hope I've answered your question, bye!
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