"America"

[occasional thoughts]

America is a term that, as I understand it, describes several continents or equivalent that stretch from far northern Canada in the north to the tip of Tierra del Fuego in the south. North America, more particularly, describes the northern portion of the Americas and usually includes countries known as Canada, the United States of America, and sometimes also Mexico.

It is the height of U.S. arrogance to call itself America. There are many countries and three worlds that together make up America. Trust agent provocateur par excellence Ron Seymour of the Daily Courier to get the offensive term into the lead of a Page 1 story in today's The Okanagan Saturday ("Scorching desert air from America will heat up Canada Day . . . .") without a shred of journalistic necessity.

[Static]

I cannot stand the U.S..

[GordonH]

Between 3... North, Central & South the USA is the only country that uses the word america in its name.


just saying

[GoStumpy]

Never really given much thought to that, actually....

United States.

OF

America.

Not 'America'

I don't like being dragged into that!

[Glacier]

In my view, it is shorthand, not arrogance. A lot of countries abbreviate their names. The United States of America is shortened to the U.S.A., the United States, the U.S., and -- heaven forbid -- America.

[Urbane]

Unlike "Canadians" working well with "Canada" the name "United States" doesn't lend itself well to describing its citizens. The "United Staters" doesn't sound right and so people have used the term "Americans" instead. Some Americans are guilty of using hyperbole about how great their country might be but it's hard to find too much fault with the term "Americans." And really, there is nothing wrong with the name chosen for their country - the United States of America.

[steven lloyd]

In my view, it is shorthand, not arrogance. A lot of countries abbreviate their names. The United States of America is shortened to the U.S.A., the United States, the U.S., and -- heaven forbid -- America.

Not a big deal. Yes, I am sure there are many examples of American arrogance (and ignorance) that lend themselves very easily to stereotype (guilty) but calling themselves "American" is pretty much a non-issue (IMHO).