Canadians vs. Americans

Aren't Canadians Americans too? I guess "United Statesians" is just a little too unwieldy for anyone.

"That Guy" wrote in message news:Q%2R9.233$[email]...

How is it that Canadians are Amerikans?

"Chris Fewer" wrote in message news:av2fjm$77c$[email]...

Uh, hello? Did you learn Geography? There are two countries in North America; the United States and Canada. Just because the full name of the USA is the United States of America doesn't mean propel from the US are the only Americans. Hell, folks from Central America and South America are Americans too.

"That Guy" wrote in message news:_94R9.250$[email]...

the

No, the United States of Amerika is just that. A group of states, united to form a republic. They weren't creative enough to come up with a name of their own, so they just named it after the continent, whereas Canada, Mexico, and so on, managed to come up with real names for their countries.

It's like saying the French and the British are the same.

On Thu, 02 Jan 2003 19:59:23 -0500, Chris Fewer wrote:

No it isn't; it is like saying that the French and British are Europeans.

"Robert Bindler" wrote in message news:av2tin$aurnd$[email]...

When you go to the washroom, european, or at least probably.

"Chris Fewer" wrote in message news:av2n9b$9hs$[email]...

a

the

to

That was the most pathetic attempt at baiting a flame I have ever had the displeasure of seeing. Congrats!

"That Guy" wrote in message news:18jR9.287$[email]...

just

are

are

countries.

But they are the same, nothing but a bunch of dang foriegners :)

"That Guy" wrote in message news:_94R9.250$[email]...

What happened to Mexico?

Not to mention Guatamala, Costa Rica, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Panama! :)

Brad

On Thu, 02 Jan 2003 23:44:58 GMT, "That Guy" wrote:

Nope, because there is no continent named "America", just as there's no states named Dakota or Carolina. North and South American can be collectively referred to as the Americas, making residents the Americasans, if you must.

So what *would* be the correct name for a resident of the United States of America?

On Thu, 02 Jan 2003 23:23:33 -0700, Alan Hamilton wrote:

Fred. Or, if a girl, Stan.

The name that most of the world uses:   American!   The term was used to
describe the European residents of the 13 colonies well BEFORE the
Revolution.   That's just the way it is:   We have the name, American!   In
you live in the Western Hemisphere and you aren't a US citizen, you are a
Canadian, a Mexican, etc, but you ain't an American!

BTW: In some UK movies made in the 50s, Canada was considered a part of "America" as in: "I am going to take a job in America."

The US (of A) is often called "The States" by citizens and non-citizens alike.

Mexicans lump the US and Canader together as North Americans! (My translation of the Spanish term.)

John Gilmer ([email]) wrote:

Except that that's technically wrong. Going by the literal definition, i'm an American who happens to be also Canadian. And someone from Paraguay is also technically American, because he lives in one of the Americas.

Should I could make this even more complicated by pointing out that the continents were named for an Italian? :)

Brad

"Brad Filippone" wrote in message news:av4qm1$a4m$[email]...

In

a

Don't be silly about "technically."

You can say that if it pleases you but your listener will think you to be a PITA.

It really doesn't matter much where the word came from.   For example:  The
Welsh folks (UK) usually call themselves Welsh and the non-Welsh ALWAYS call
them Welsh.   Yet the word itself means "foreigner" in Saxon.   Only a silly
jerk would say he was Welsh because he is a foreigner in the place he is
speaking.

So? So were the District of Columbia, Columbus Ohio, the Columbia River and waterway between Brooklyn and Statten Island.

John Gilmer wrote:

Actually, people of European descent who happened to live in North America didn't call themselves Americans until about 1815. They refered to themselves as European before then.

In this case it isn't that way at all.

No, we don't have the name. We use it.

No, they're still Americans. Mexicans, Canadaians, etc. are Americans. Nothing short of renaming the continent will change that.

Nope!

The two continents are North America and South America. SO if you want to be identified with your continent you must add the North or South. (The Mexicans tend to call Americans and Canadians North Americans.) If you must lumb them together you would describe your self as a "Western Hermispherian."

Like it or not, America = US.

John Gilmer wrote:

Yes.

Nope, you're still wrong. America does not necessarily mean a person from the US. It means a person from North or South America. The Mexcian custom of calling people from the US and Canada North Americans doesn't change the fact that anyone from either continent is American.

Whine about it all you want, but it won't change facts. American does not necessarily refer to a person from the US.

That Guy wrote:

Actually, there are many more than two countries in North America. Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama are part of North America, since "Central America" is not really a continent, just a region of the continent.

Emile

"Emile Khordoc" wrote in message news:[email]...

the

the

Panama are

just

Technically you are correct, but we don't count them as countries.

That Guy wrote:

Who are "we"?

Emile

"Emile Khordoc" wrote in message news:[email]...

North

of

are

are

Mexico,

continent,

All of us.

Yeah! What he said!

Brad

Emile Khordoc wrote in message news:...

Don't forget Cuba, the Dominican Republic and all the other island nations that are considered part of this continent �

And �

According to www.m-w.com (Marriam-Webster) Main Entry: 1Amer�i�can Pronunciation: &-'mer-&-k&n, -'m&r-, -'mar-, -i-k&n Function: noun Date: 1578 1 : an American Indian of No. America or So. America 2 : a native or inhabitant of No. America or So. America 3 : a citizen of the U.S.

Both right. Now let's talk about what bi-weekly means

stefanw

StefanW wrote:

Technically Canadians can call themselves american ... but why? When in Europe I speak english and the response is "oh amerikana?" me:"Fuck No! I'm Canadian!!!!!" let there be no confusion.

Fine, my 2002 Webster's Collegiate Dictionary has your #3 as #1.

Technically true. Since everything from the Northern tip of Canada to the Southern tip of Argintina/Chile is America.

Brad

"Ima-gants!! I knew it was them. Even when it was the bears I knew it was them!" - Moe Szyslak

Sorry, that line has been floating around in my head for no reason. I just had to type it. Please disregard.

JC

John Gilmer ([email]) wrote:

I think it unlikely that our little debate will change the popular misuse of the word, but it's still technically wrong.

Brad X

John Gilmer ([email]) wrote:

Well of course Websters would. Try the Oxford; pretty much the difinitive authority on the language.

Brad

Oxford states:

Ameri•can /merkn/ noun, adj. noun 1 a person from America, especially the US—see also African American, Native American 2 (also American English) the English language as spoken in the US adj. of or connected with N or S America, especially the US: I'm American. American culture / tourists

Even though the claim has been bade that the Oxford version is more accurate than Webster’s, the Oxford definition is more ambiguous than the Webster’s, but still implies the same thing – that being an American includes people from other countries than the United States.

However, when traveling abroad and one states that they are from America it is insinuated that the person if from the United States and not Canada, Mexico, Cuba ...

"StefanW" wrote in message news:[email]...

difinitive

Thank you, it's good to hear from someone who knows what they're talking about.