Do you call yourself "American"?

Ok, i've had a wild discussion about someone claiming that saying "America" and "American" is wrong, not inclusive etc.. In this particular case referring to, basically quoting her: "all the Chileans i've spoken to don't like the monopoly US Americans have on the term American and calling their country America"

By chance America is called like the continent. But do you think it's worth adding "US American" and "United States of America" every time when referring to the US?

It's honestly not the best name if you really think about it. I'm personally very much on the side of just saying America and American since no one else really lays claim on the term anyways.

Some random thoughts:

Europe is also a continent with a similar institution the European Union in which not every state on the continent is a part of, yet we generally refer to everyone in continental Europe as Europeans, even the Russians and the Swiss.
But in the Americas (north and south) we don't seem to be referring to El Salvadorians or Canadians as Americans but we say Americans and US Americans exclusively to people from the US.

I'm interested in what this sub, has to say about this topic. I will ask the same question in r/AskAnAmerican

in asklatinamericaby grvsm

Europe

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brazilian_liliger

Brazil

In the few cases I define myself in a regional way (this is uncommon) I use "Latin American". For referring to people from USA I try to use "estadunidense" but this is a political position from me and regular people don't really do it. They calling themselves, or being called, "Americans" don't really bother me. In general people from the USA are called "americanos" here.

I actually have more trouble with people referring to their country as "America" mainly when they say America in the same sentence with other countries from the continent. The most normal way to call the country is "Estados Unidos", if someone says America people will likely think someone is talking about the continent.

Im_Just_Here_Man96

-12

United States of America

Is it not “Los Estados Unidos de America”? Why cut off half the name for convenience but not acknowledge the full name.

If anything “estadounidense” could refer to citizens of the United Mexican States as well. But you call them— Mexicanos bc that’s the proper demonym according to the norms of state nomenclature.

JGabrielIx

Guatemala

Is not for convenience, is because that's a way to not have a mistake with nationalities. There's no way that someone call Mexicans estadounidense, that's because people knows who are the mexicanos and estadounidenses. With Americano there's this confusion. Sometimes people don't know If you are referring to just the US or to the whole continent.

Im_Just_Here_Man96

-10

United States of America

Thats the thing tho— in itself “the US” is a shortcut. United states have to be of something because states and countries are synonymous. You have to define the terms of your union somehow. So Unitedstatians makes no sense because you need the implied “of what”. And in that case why diverge from the norms of state nomenclature to begin with. As with Mexico you call the citizens by the “of____” part of the name. It’s the same thing unless ur tryna nitpick

JGabrielIx

Guatemala

The thing with Mexico is that they have a proper original name to call themselves after the Estados Unidos and not something generic like just Estados Unidos de América. Here no one call mexico here "Estados Unidos Mexicanos". Governments and press (who are supposed the ones who are the ones that have to write and talk properly) often call them just "Republica de Mexico". But what are we going to do with the United States of America? How many other countries use united States as names that can be confused by exists?

Im_Just_Here_Man96

-8

United States of America

You literally just renamed Mexico and made some insecure reach to justify your claim. How many nations in the Americas could have chosen to put America in their name but didn’t? Exactly. Why? Because they didn’t think people would be petty, pedantic, and insecure enough to care

JGabrielIx

Guatemala

Im just telling you how that topic is managed here. The same thing happens with Uruguay and venezuela with the people completely ignoring the Oriental and bolivariana part. We have learn that all us are Americans and have a easy solution using "Estadounidense" instead of changing our whole Continental Teaching system to avoid confused faces asking "are you talking about the continent or the country?"

Im_Just_Here_Man96

United States of America

You haven’t answered the question yet. You’re just saying “ignore all norms because of vibes”

JGabrielIx

Guatemala

But what can be the answer? Everyone can put America in their name and even then that is not going to be important because they have an actual distinctive name to be recognized but this not happens . What I'm telling you is: Estados Unidos Mexicanos is never going to be Refered as United States -> why? -> Because that how is known the United States of America -> why? -> Because its a conversational hell for us the use of America -> why? -> because we use a continental system when all us are in 1 single continent

But yeah, its about the ✨vibes✨