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What would you like to change about Lemmy culture?
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this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2024
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Asklemmy
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Americans assuming 'America' means 'U.S.'
Canadian here. "American" means from the US. People from the rest of the continent don't care. They're the ones with the dumb country name that doesn't have a more obvious demonym. But we've all collectively agreed that that's what it's called.
If you want to refer to someone from South America you say South American. If you want to refer to someone from North America you say North American.
Most americans (IE the americas, which include central and south america, and the carribbean), really dislike the usonians usurpation of the term "america" to refer solely to the United States, which really only started in the early 1900s as the US got really forward about its imperialist interests. You're only hearing "americans mean only US citizens" from the nation that excludes most americans.
Counterpoint: there is no continent named "America." "North American," "South American," and even "Central American," or "Latin American," for added specificity, are completely sufficient demonyms for the denizens of the continents (and subreigon) writ large.
Very true, all the more reason why we shouldn't allow one country in the americas to lay claim to the term.
The US doesn't even have most of the most populous cities in the americas
Non-American here: In English it typically does. The collected landmass of North and South America (or just the continent, if you consider them to be a single one) is usually called "the Americas"
This isn't a hard-and-fast rule of course, and with all the different dialects of English out there I'm sure there are some that work differently. I assume you prefer "US" or "USA" as a short name for the country?
I, as an American, write "The US" the refer to the country specifically to avoid confusion. But there's not really another good demonym that's not an slur. "Estadosunidenses" is too much of a mouthful and "Statesman" has another meaning.
It always feels odd to me that the Spanish demonym specifically is that when Mexico is also "Estados Unidos Mexicanos", or the United Mexican States
Usonian?
TIL that this architectural style came from Frank Lloyd Wright's use of this neologism, which seems to have originated with Scottish writer James Duff Law in 1865. And, that people have been trying to make this change happen for over 150 years. (Seems to me a review of the tale of King Canute and the tide is in order.)
How would that be pronounced?
Like "Usonian", not like "USonian", I'd guess? Flat U, non-"yoo"-ed; stress on the O; the "nian" more or less like "nyan" but 'murrically less cute.
I mean, 'cracker' isn't really a slur given your average White Amerikan still tacitly and vociferously supports slavery via support for "tough-on-crime" politicians that funnel subjects-of-empire through the for-profit prison system/carceral slavery complex.
I just call 'em what they are at this point.
If you use it differently you are in conflict with the entire anglosphere. You can make that complaint if you're not speaking English, but in English, the primary meaning of "America" is the United States.
Also Italian.
... Not that there's much of an Italosphere but "Americano" vuol dire "Person from the United States"
Hey, I love calling my Canadian friends "my fellow Americans" or saying "hey, we are all Americans here!"
And I think they really like it too! 🤣
I'll say it again, if you don't like the demonym of "American," feel free to refer to us by our state and territorial demonyms instead.