I have a bit of a pet peeve, when people like to toss around the word America, and American, particularly in derogatory conversations about people from other countries. From what I learned in school, America is a continent, and it has several divisions, North, Central, South. So when someone makes a comment like "Let's kick those illegals out of America and send them back to (whichever country south of the Rio Grande)," seems a bit ridiculous. America is from the highest parts of Canada and Alaska, all the way down to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. The only time I have noticed when people are wary of using the ambiguous term American is during the Olympics, when everybody chants USA USA USA. I've even heard Canadians, and South Americans consider themselves American. I am pretty sure this is just an uphill battle that will never be resolved, but does anyone else have any feelings on the terms America and American?
Actually the continents are North America and South America. Central America is part of the part of the North American continent. There have long been complaints about calling US citizens "Americans," but what single word would be more appropriate? Use Yankee or Yanqui and many people in the South would put up a fight. 😉
"America" is part of the United States of America's formal name. As far as I know it is the only country in which "America" is part of its formal name. If the name "America" or being called "American" is so important to other countries in the Western Hemisphere, why are they not proud enough of the word to put it in their country's formal name? Until this happens, I have no problem with "America(n)" corresponding uniquely to the USA or its residents.
Emmett
Torpeau-
I guess it depends on which model you use to count your continents. I've always learned America, Antarctica, Africa, Eurasia, and Australia. And I know, there really isn't a single word that sums it up, I use US citizen. American seems ambiguous and Yankee has other connotations depending on where in the states you live. I guess we just have a messy long title for our country name.
Sorry, but there is no one continent called simply "America." I like Emmett's justification for calling us USians "American."
BTW, there are other countries that include "united" and "states" in their official names. Mexico for one, and there could be others.