Often in tv quiz shows there is a question beginning 'In which country...'. America is accepted as a answer. Do you think that can be a correct answer if what I think it should be, United States? So I guess my question really is, can America be considered a country?
If I was judge I would accept United States (of America), US and US of A.
People respond about many countries with mistakes, out-of-date names or political preferences. I still call the Czech Republic "Czechoslovakia", even though the change happened some 30 years ago. This is just a habit.
ReplyDeleteHels, I don't understand the new countries very well but I do use the word Czech now...well I say that but I haven't actually had to write or say it. I have now.
DeleteWas changing United to Untied in your final sentence deliberate? United they are not. Again.
ReplyDeleteEC, it was a typo which I have now repaired, but perhaps I should have left it there.
DeleteI was always told to use united states instead of the term "America"
ReplyDeleteOk Roentare. That is interesting that you were told to do so. I wasn't told but it seems obvious to me and there is a rather large and important country to the north of the United States.
DeleteIn general conversation in my neck of the woods we say America but then we are country hicks here. I have been known to even write America in my blog and then think I should have said United States but, what the hell, left it as America.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I suppose America is an uncomplicated short cut term but if I was Canadian, I would not like it all. I think I have always written US rather than America.
DeleteFor the commun European America is a country and they don't even know that there are different States with different laws. Anyway they don't care, Americans are Americans. If we met an American in Brussels he is American we would ask from which city he comes and probably don't know the State !
ReplyDeleteGattina, it not quite like saying that you come from Europe though. Europe is a continent, equivalent to North America. Canada and the US are a bit chalk and cheese...well very different.
DeleteI would agree with you, here in North America we have great neighbors to the north and south. The United States is the filling between the two. Some consider all everything from Canada to Argentina to be in the Americas.
ReplyDeleteTP, yes Americas is the all inclusive word, including both continents.
DeleteOh, very interesting question. When asked where I am from I tell people I am an American. However, United States of America would also be correct. All of Jack's family are Canadian. My father's family was also Canadian. And the Canadians are proudly so. Although technically they are part of the Americas, they do not use that title. Canadian all the way.
ReplyDeleteMaribeth, I guess for casual use most people will understand that America generally means the US. If from Canada, they certainly wouldn't say America.
DeleteI call myself American, but I would never call the country America. It's the United States or USA. "America" is really the entire expanse from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.
ReplyDeleteI suppose we really need a better name for Americans from USA. Statesians?
Actually, I say "never," but I see now that I have written America several times on my blog in reference to the USA. So I guess I do it too. It's really not accurate, though!
DeleteSteve, you've reminded me of a word I can remember hearing but I am not sure what Stateside really meant.
DeleteIn the Army, troops stationed outside the country always looked forward to returning 'stateside' from the other side of the world.
DeleteThanks Debby. I thought it was kind of like a name for the US. I just could not work out the context.
DeleteMerry Chriustmas, Andrew!
ReplyDeleteThanks. To you and your family too.
DeleteIt's a country just like any other and these days are the states really as united as they once were? I would just say America.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I don't think the states are united as they used to be. America to me just seems so imprecise if talking about the US.
DeleteI usually say "The U.S.", not sure why, habit I guess. America is a lazy word to use, since there's N. America, which includes Canada and Mexico, then Central and South America too. Not very specific to say America, but among friends, who know what a person means, why not.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Strayer. America is a lazy word that applies to nothing aside from two continents.
DeleteI didn't think Canada was part of North America, because there's a border, isn't it a different country? same with Mexico, I didn't think it was part of America, why else would those trying to get into America be considered aliens? To me, America is the middle bit with all those states and Alaska.
DeleteRiver, isn't North America a continent? It includes the country Canada and Central American countries, along with the large country of the the United States of America. The immigration is coming from Central American Countries into the US. Gee, I thought Great Britain was hard enough.
Delete"America" is basically a nickname for the somewhat cumbersome-sounding United States of America. As for its citizens being called "Americans", well, think how much cumbersome it would be if we were referred to as United Statesians!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you want to know if it's a country. Well, it's a nation-state. Been one since 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, then reaffirmed in 1789 with the ratification of the Constitution and reaffirmed once again in 1865 when Grant and Lee met at the Appomattox Court House. Who knows? The way things are going, another reaffirmation may be overdue.
Kirk, how about I'm from the US, or she is from the US. That doesn't help if you want to say I am..., though.
DeletePerhaps a line could be drawn across the US but ah, wasn't there once one in the 1700s. A line nowadays would be much more complicated.
As a Canadian (or Mexican) America annoys the hell out of me!
ReplyDeleteI am sure it does Jackie. It would me.
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