Reminder: America is a continent, not a country

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Reminder: America is a continent, not a country

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Sociologist
1d66

I don't think there's any other country in the world that has tried to appropriate the name of an entire continent. I just can't see Cambodians trying to appropriate the name of "Asia" and exclude all other inhabitants of Asia from it. Or people from Madagascar referring to themselves as authentic "Africans" and calling all other Africans by their national origin (i.e. Egyptians, Somalians, etc).

Why do people in the U.S. insist in taking ownership of the name of an entire continent, America, which extends from the Patagonia to the Canadian tundra? And why do U.S. sociologists, a highly educated bunch, seem to uncritically follow this strange convention?

The great irony of course is that one of the countries with the least amount of actual American blood (meaning native) is doing this. Countries like Guatemala, where the overwhelming majority of the population actually descends from Native Americans, do not go around calling themselves "real Americans" even though they would be much more justified to do so that the descendants of Germans and Irish settlers living in North America.

3 years ago # QUOTE 56 GOOD 52 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
3598

Reminder: America is not a continent. North America and South America are continents.

3 years ago # QUOTE 77 GOOD 34 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
3598

Reminder: "American blood" is, when stretched back far enough, "Asian blood" (which is likely African and whatever the fiek you consider Homo Erectus, but even then there isn't much consensus on that AFAIK).

3 years ago # QUOTE 4 GOOD 15 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
3598

Reminder: OP no good

3 years ago # QUOTE 22 GOOD 17 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
3ed6

Don't Australians do this? Boom. OP sucks. Go America!

3 years ago # QUOTE 25 GOOD 10 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
1d66

Don't Australians do this? Boom. OP sucks. Go America!

It would be equivalent if Australians had drawn an imaginary line somewhere to create two "continents." One named "West Oceania" and other called "East Oceania." Collectively, they would refer to them as "the Oceanias" but they would reserve the name "Oceania" for their own country. I hope this example shows how ridiculous this is when U.S. people do it.

It is also curious that people on the board are getting patriotic and defensive over this. Try to step outside of your national context and feelings of patriotism and appreciate how bizarre this practice is. Try to think like... a social scientist.

3 years ago # QUOTE 27 GOOD 18 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
9c7b

Reminder: America is not a continent. North America and South America are continents.

Not in Latin America, which is where the majority of people in the Western hemisphere live. America is one continent. The the division of it in two and the appropriation of the terms America/American by the U.S. are Anglo-Saxon and Western European practices. Latin Americans don't call U.S. citizens "americanos/as" they call them "estadounidenses," "norteamericanos," "gringos" and/or "yanquis." It's an illogical practice to appropriate the term; it's like calling Native Americans Indians. But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...

3 years ago # QUOTE 30 GOOD 22 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
dbd7

Reminder: America is not a continent. North America and South America are continents.
Not in Latin America, which is where the majority of people in the Western hemisphere live. America is one continent. The the division of it in two and the appropriation of the terms America/American by the U.S. are Anglo-Saxon and Western European practices. Latin Americans don't call U.S. citizens "americanos/as" they call them "estadounidenses," "norteamericanos," "gringos" and/or "yanquis." It's an illogical practice to appropriate the term; it's like calling Native Americans Indians. But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...

But in this forum we're all speaking American, not Latin American, so it sort of makes sense that we use the American terminology.

As for these being "Anglo-Saxon" and "Western European" practices, check yourself before you wreck yourself, homeslice. You're criticizing us for using the English terminology, but you want people to recognize uniquely Spanish terminology. I know enough English, French, Haitian Creole, German, Turkish, Hebrew to tell you that in all of them, "American", "américain/e", "Ameriken", "AmerikanerIn", "Amerikalı", אמריקאית/אמריקאי by default means "American", not "someone from one of the countries on one of the American continents". That's some uniquely Spanish nonsense as far as I can tell. I asked my friends on gchat and "American" also means "American" in Dutch, Russian, Filipino, Japanese, and Arabic so there's also that.

Give up the ghost, you gotta admit that the Spanish is out of whack with global norms. And maybe Portuguese, too, but in your blind Spanish-supremcy you seems to have left Portuguese out of your list of "Latin American" terms. Spanish isn't the only language of Latin America. Google translate tells me the Portuguese translation of the Spanish term "estadounidenses" is "americano" so, there's that... You can really use whatever term you want in Spanish (and maybe Portuguese), but you should really stop being a dick in English (as well as Arabic, Creole, Dutch, Filipino, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, and Russian). It's not like a German comes around and tells me "You call those gloves? f**king idiot, call them hand-shoes! Shoes aren't just for your feet, you pompous American."

As for the continental question, Spanish-speakers are sightly less out of touch, but still clearly in the global minority with the American seven-continent systems being the undeniable global majority (thank you China and South Asia, <3):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent#Number_of_continents

The seven-continent model is usually taught in China, India, the Philippines, parts of Western Europe and most English-speaking countries, including Australia and England.

The six-continent combined-Eurasia model is mostly used in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Japan.

The six-continent combined-America model is used in Spanish-speaking countries and in some parts of Europe, including Greece.

7 continents 4 lyfe.

But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...

At the very least, you've taught us those qualities are not unique to the U.S.

3 years ago # QUOTE 19 GOOD 11 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
c2ed

Reminder: America is not a continent. North America and South America are continents.
Not in Latin America, which is where the majority of people in the Western hemisphere live. America is one continent. The the division of it in two and the appropriation of the terms America/American by the U.S. are Anglo-Saxon and Western European practices. Latin Americans don't call U.S. citizens "americanos/as" they call them "estadounidenses," "norteamericanos," "gringos" and/or "yanquis." It's an illogical practice to appropriate the term; it's like calling Native Americans Indians. But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...

Latin Americans split the Americas into North and South as well, only they split them into subcontinents on a larger continent rather than splitting them into continents on a larger supercontinent. Both practices are Western European, the approach currently favoured by the Latin Americans being Spanish and Portuguese and the other being largely British (the French swinging both ways, other cultures being either or).

That's the entire distinction, that's all you're having your fit over. The question of whether the Americas are a continent or a supercontinent. It just doesn't follow that calling the land that comprises North and South America a continent is more logical than calling it a supercontinent.

3 years ago # QUOTE 4 GOOD 1 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
dbd7

Also, if Latin America is so good at things, how come they haven't won any World Serieses or Superbowls?

3 years ago # QUOTE 9 GOOD 4 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
1069

America is still the only VHRM.

3 years ago # QUOTE 18 GOOD 6 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
c2ed

Also, I've totally heard Latin Americans refer to U.S. citizens as "americanos". What you're saying there's just not true, that's fairly common practice.

3 years ago # QUOTE 9 GOOD 3 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
a3ef

Why do people in the U.S. insist in taking ownership of the name of an entire continent, America, which extends from the Patagonia to the Canadian tundra?

Conventionally speaking, North America and South America are considered separate continents. As 9c7b notes, this is partly a cultural practice (hence why the number of continents differ from place to place). However, it is also a reflection of the fact that North America and South America are on separate tectonic plates. Either way, the manner in which you treat the issue seems just as simplistic and arbitrary as what you're criticizing.

Also, the United States of America is one of the few countries that contains the name of a continent in its own name (South Africa being the other main example). In the English language, it is easier to change "America" than "United States" in order to refer to U.S. inhabitants.

3 years ago # QUOTE 9 GOOD 4 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
b1fc

You're such a moron. America is still not a country, even by your own logic. It is either a supercontinent or a landmass divided in two. It describes land. Not the United States. South Africa does not appropriate the term African for itself. Simply because you demonstrate that a linguistic practice is hegemonic globally does not prove the soundness of the logic by which it was conceived.

Reminder: America is not a continent. North America and South America are continents.
Not in Latin America, which is where the majority of people in the Western hemisphere live. America is one continent. The the division of it in two and the appropriation of the terms America/American by the U.S. are Anglo-Saxon and Western European practices. Latin Americans don't call U.S. citizens "americanos/as" they call them "estadounidenses," "norteamericanos," "gringos" and/or "yanquis." It's an illogical practice to appropriate the term; it's like calling Native Americans Indians. But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...
But in this forum we're all speaking American, not Latin American, so it sort of makes sense that we use the American terminology.
As for these being "Anglo-Saxon" and "Western European" practices, check yourself before you wreck yourself, homeslice. You're criticizing us for using the English terminology, but you want people to recognize uniquely Spanish terminology. I know enough English, French, Haitian Creole, German, Turkish, Hebrew to tell you that in all of them, "American", "am�ricain/e", "Ameriken", "AmerikanerIn", "Amerikal?", ????????/??????? by default means "American", not "someone from one of the countries on one of the American continents". That's some uniquely Spanish nonsense as far as I can tell. I asked my friends on gchat and "American" also means "American" in Dutch, Russian, Filipino, Japanese, and Arabic so there's also that.
Give up the ghost, you gotta admit that the Spanish is out of whack with global norms. And maybe Portuguese, too, but in your blind Spanish-supremcy you seems to have left Portuguese out of your list of "Latin American" terms. Spanish isn't the only language of Latin America. Google translate tells me the Portuguese translation of the Spanish term "estadounidenses" is "americano" so, there's that... You can really use whatever term you want in Spanish (and maybe Portuguese), but you should really stop being a dick in English (as well as Arabic, Creole, Dutch, Filipino, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, and Russian). It's not like a German comes around and tells me "You call those gloves? f**king idiot, call them hand-shoes! Shoes aren't just for your feet, you pompous American."
As for the continental question, Spanish-speakers are sightly less out of touch, but still clearly in the global minority with the American seven-continent systems being the undeniable global majority (thank you China and South Asia, <3):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent#Number_of_continents
The seven-continent model is usually taught in China, India, the Philippines, parts of Western Europe and most English-speaking countries, including Australia and England.
The six-continent combined-Eurasia model is mostly used in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Japan.
The six-continent combined-America model is used in Spanish-speaking countries and in some parts of Europe, including Greece.
7 continents 4 lyfe.
But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...
At the very least, you've taught us those qualities are not unique to the U.S.

3 years ago # QUOTE 8 GOOD 13 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
fb46

Why do people in the U.S. insist in taking ownership of the name of an entire continent, America, which extends from the Patagonia to the Canadian tundra?
Conventionally speaking, North America and South America are considered separate continents. As 9c7b notes, this is partly a cultural practice (hence why the number of continents differ from place to place). However, it is also a reflection of the fact that North America and South America are on separate tectonic plates. Either way, the manner in which you treat the issue seems just as simplistic and arbitrary as what you're criticizing.
Also, the United States of America is one of the few countries that contains the name of a continent in its own name (South Africa being the other main example). In the English language, it is easier to change "America" than "United States" in order to refer to U.S. inhabitants.

Yeah, we wouldn't want to inconvenience you into selecting a better name for yourselves instead of appropriating the one given to the entire hemisphere you occupy and share with millions of other people and dozens of other countries...

3 years ago # QUOTE 5 GOOD 13 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
c2ed

You're such a moron. America is still not a country, even by your own logic. It is either a supercontinent or a landmass divided in two. It describes land. Not the United States. South Africa does not appropriate the term African for itself. Simply because you demonstrate that a linguistic practice is hegemonic globally does not prove the soundness of the logic by which it was conceived.
Reminder: America is not a continent. North America and South America are continents.
Not in Latin America, which is where the majority of people in the Western hemisphere live. America is one continent. The the division of it in two and the appropriation of the terms America/American by the U.S. are Anglo-Saxon and Western European practices. Latin Americans don't call U.S. citizens "americanos/as" they call them "estadounidenses," "norteamericanos," "gringos" and/or "yanquis." It's an illogical practice to appropriate the term; it's like calling Native Americans Indians. But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...
But in this forum we're all speaking American, not Latin American, so it sort of makes sense that we use the American terminology.
As for these being "Anglo-Saxon" and "Western European" practices, check yourself before you wreck yourself, homeslice. You're criticizing us for using the English terminology, but you want people to recognize uniquely Spanish terminology. I know enough English, French, Haitian Creole, German, Turkish, Hebrew to tell you that in all of them, "American", "am?ricain/e", "Ameriken", "AmerikanerIn", "Amerikal?", ????????/??????? by default means "American", not "someone from one of the countries on one of the American continents". That's some uniquely Spanish nonsense as far as I can tell. I asked my friends on gchat and "American" also means "American" in Dutch, Russian, Filipino, Japanese, and Arabic so there's also that.
Give up the ghost, you gotta admit that the Spanish is out of whack with global norms. And maybe Portuguese, too, but in your blind Spanish-supremcy you seems to have left Portuguese out of your list of "Latin American" terms. Spanish isn't the only language of Latin America. Google translate tells me the Portuguese translation of the Spanish term "estadounidenses" is "americano" so, there's that... You can really use whatever term you want in Spanish (and maybe Portuguese), but you should really stop being a dick in English (as well as Arabic, Creole, Dutch, Filipino, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, and Russian). It's not like a German comes around and tells me "You call those gloves? f**king idiot, call them hand-shoes! Shoes aren't just for your feet, you pompous American."
As for the continental question, Spanish-speakers are sightly less out of touch, but still clearly in the global minority with the American seven-continent systems being the undeniable global majority (thank you China and South Asia, <3):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent#Number_of_continents
The seven-continent model is usually taught in China, India, the Philippines, parts of Western Europe and most English-speaking countries, including Australia and England.
The six-continent combined-Eurasia model is mostly used in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Japan.
The six-continent combined-America model is used in Spanish-speaking countries and in some parts of Europe, including Greece.
7 continents 4 lyfe.
But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...
At the very least, you've taught us those qualities are not unique to the U.S.

In English the supercontinent is called "the Americas", not "America".

3 years ago # QUOTE 11 GOOD 4 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
b0d9

You're such a moron. America is still not a country, even by your own logic. It is either a supercontinent or a landmass divided in two. It describes land.

Eurobro. You're welcome. And with Russia arming to the teeth: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-33151125 your constructivist fantasy is quickly coming to an end.

Signed,
America

3 years ago # QUOTE 5 GOOD 1 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
9c7b

You're such a moron. America is still not a country, even by your own logic. It is either a supercontinent or a landmass divided in two. It describes land. Not the United States. South Africa does not appropriate the term African for itself. Simply because you demonstrate that a linguistic practice is hegemonic globally does not prove the soundness of the logic by which it was conceived.
Reminder: America is not a continent. North America and South America are continents.
Not in Latin America, which is where the majority of people in the Western hemisphere live. America is one continent. The the division of it in two and the appropriation of the terms America/American by the U.S. are Anglo-Saxon and Western European practices. Latin Americans don't call U.S. citizens "americanos/as" they call them "estadounidenses," "norteamericanos," "gringos" and/or "yanquis." It's an illogical practice to appropriate the term; it's like calling Native Americans Indians. But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...
But in this forum we're all speaking American, not Latin American, so it sort of makes sense that we use the American terminology.
As for these being "Anglo-Saxon" and "Western European" practices, check yourself before you wreck yourself, homeslice. You're criticizing us for using the English terminology, but you want people to recognize uniquely Spanish terminology. I know enough English, French, Haitian Creole, German, Turkish, Hebrew to tell you that in all of them, "American", "am?ricain/e", "Ameriken", "AmerikanerIn", "Amerikal?", ????????/??????? by default means "American", not "someone from one of the countries on one of the American continents". That's some uniquely Spanish nonsense as far as I can tell. I asked my friends on gchat and "American" also means "American" in Dutch, Russian, Filipino, Japanese, and Arabic so there's also that.
Give up the ghost, you gotta admit that the Spanish is out of whack with global norms. And maybe Portuguese, too, but in your blind Spanish-supremcy you seems to have left Portuguese out of your list of "Latin American" terms. Spanish isn't the only language of Latin America. Google translate tells me the Portuguese translation of the Spanish term "estadounidenses" is "americano" so, there's that... You can really use whatever term you want in Spanish (and maybe Portuguese), but you should really stop being a dick in English (as well as Arabic, Creole, Dutch, Filipino, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, and Russian). It's not like a German comes around and tells me "You call those gloves? f**king idiot, call them hand-shoes! Shoes aren't just for your feet, you pompous American."
As for the continental question, Spanish-speakers are sightly less out of touch, but still clearly in the global minority with the American seven-continent systems being the undeniable global majority (thank you China and South Asia, <3):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent#Number_of_continents
The seven-continent model is usually taught in China, India, the Philippines, parts of Western Europe and most English-speaking countries, including Australia and England.
The six-continent combined-Eurasia model is mostly used in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Japan.
The six-continent combined-America model is used in Spanish-speaking countries and in some parts of Europe, including Greece.
7 continents 4 lyfe.
But, the U.S. is a stubborn, pompous, and ignorant country. I mean, they still are not even using the metric system...
At the very least, you've taught us those qualities are not unique to the U.S.
In English the supercontinent is called "the Americas", not "America".

The term "the Americas" followed, not preceded, the division we have just discussed, Captain Obvious.

3 years ago # QUOTE 5 GOOD 7 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
b0d9

The obvious answer here is that America is a country.

Some Americans are also Romans, right? Of course not. "Roman" denotes something beyond geography. So does "America."

Rome, Georgia, U.S.
Rome, Illinois, U.S.
Rome City, Indiana, U.S.
Rome, Iowa, U.S.
Rome, Maine, U.S.
Rome, Maryland, U.S.
Rome Township, Michigan, U.S.
Rome Township, Minnesota, U.S.
Rome, New York, U.S.
Rome, Ohio, U.S.
Rome, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Rome Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Rome Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Rome, Adams County, Wisconsin, U.S.
Rome, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, U.S.

3 years ago # QUOTE 11 GOOD 8 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
d08f

What does OP suggest? Should citizens of the U.S.A. be called United Stater's? But that would take ownership of a term that should be applicable to all groups of countries that are in some way united.

Society is not out to get you OP.

3 years ago # QUOTE 11 GOOD 3 NO GOOD !

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Reminder: America is a continent, not a country

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