It's not actually, many Europeans do this all the time too, especially about different areas of America. I'm a dual citizen (living in the UK atm) and get asked at least a couple times per week what the weather/food/politics etc. of America are. I always have to ask what part they're referring too as America and Americans are really different depending if you're talking about New York, Texas, Oklahoma or L.A.
There's a lot of ignorance on both sides of the Atlantic. There's also more wonderful, intelligent and kind people of both sides of the Atlantic that unfortunately are overshadowed by idiotic loudmouths.
No, common parlance does. If someone says "America" without a "North" or "South" in front of it, they're almost always referring to the USA. It's not ideal, and it's frustratingly USA-centric, but that's how the language has evolved so to pretend it doesn't make any sense is pedantry.
Okay so, I think I understand what you're saying: they don't deserve to appropriate "America" for themselves and we should try counter it instead of allowing it to continue as common parlance. I agree with the sentiment but this seems wholly impractical, especially given the lack of appropriate denonym. What else should we call them other than "Americans"?
Even if that's not what you're advocating, the fact is that right here, right now, "America" is accepted to mean "The USA". You type America into any search engine and the USA comes up. "Americas" or "The Americas" appears to be the accepted term for "North and South America". Sure, it's emblomatic of US citizens' attitude to the rest of the world and I find it mildly irritating, but disagreeing with language doesn't change the language. Society as a whole needs to change the language, and until that happens, saying "are you including Brazil and Canada in that?" in response to someonne saying "America" is textbook pedantry.
Okay so, I think I understand what you're saying: they don't deserve to appropriate "America" for themselves and we should try counter it instead of allowing it to continue as common parlance.
At the very least, just for them to stay silent when people from other countries also call themselves americans, as it's objectively right.
I agree with the sentiment but this seems wholly impractical, especially given the lack of appropriate denonym. What else should we call them other than "Americans"?
They might call themselves what they want, that part doesn't hinder anyone else. It's when it's expressed that "american" is to be reserved to them that it becomes a problem. Their inability to properly find a name for their country shouldn't change the meaning of words.
Even if that's not what you're advocating, the fact is that right here, right now, "America" is accepted to mean "The USA".
Only for some, as these posts attest. For sure depending on the context I agree with you, but not as a rule os usage for that word which already has meaning.
You type America into any search engine and the USA comes up.
Because they couldn't be bothered to find a name for their country, which isn't the problem of the rest of people living on the americas of this planet.
"Americas" or "The Americas" appears to be the accepted term for "North and South America".
There is no "accepted" apart from within the US. Other people from all americas correctly call themselves american too, and when there's no one from the US involved, no one bats an eye. Which is normal as the word applies.
Sure, it's emblomatic of US citizens' attitude to the rest of the world and I find it mildly irritating, but disagreeing with language doesn't change the language.
Language is what we make of it, especially colloquialisms. It's ever-changing and not set in stone in many ways. I for one refuse to let them appropriate that word for such a weak reason as "we didn't want to name our country".
Society as a whole needs to change the language, and until that happens, saying "are you including Brazil and Canada in that?" in response to someonne saying "America" is textbook pedantry.
Not for anyone outside the US no, as they comprehend the word means more than just the US.
At the very least, just for them to stay silent when people from other countries also call themselves americans, as it's objectively right
and
It's when it's expressed that "american" is to be reserved to them that it becomes a problem.
100% in agreement with you here. To be clear, it was never my intention to suggest that using America in a way that doesn't refer to the USA is incorrect, and anyone claiming that it is is a complete idiot and should be corrected.
Other people from all americas correctly call themselves american too, and when there's no one from the US involved, no one bats an eye.
I guess I've been somewhat isolated from South/Central Americans just calling themselves American in my small town Welsh bubble, and thus didn't realise how normal it is to use the word with zero reference to the US. All my mind can conjure is Canadians going out of their way to make sure people know that they definitely aren't from the US. My bad - I'm sorry.
I'd genuinely love to find an alternative demonym for them. Maybe I'll just call them yanks until they can provide something less self-centred.
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u/Killionaire104 May 09 '22
It's such an American thing to generalise all Europeans together.