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What would you think of a hypothetical campaign to rename the term "American" when referring to the US? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 4 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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"American" is the official English word when referring to people or things from the United States, but it heavily implies that it means either all of North America or all of North and South Americas. Most other languages have different words for American (country) and American (continents). If there were a campaign to replace the word "America" with something else when referring to the US, what would you think of it?

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 years ago (3 children)

I know your post was more about the word to use, but anyway wrote the following: As a (south) American I hate reading headlines with America but actually about USA, I don't like how they appropriated the continental term, not my fault they don't have an original nationality name. But I don't know how, or if it is possible to change this situation. Also according to Wikipedia the term was originally used to the whole continent, so it fits as appropriation to me.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 years ago

As a Canadian, I also feel this way, but it's everywhere over here.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 years ago

To add, daniel imraham points out that US leaders began referring to it as america (whereas before america referred to the americas) instead of the United States of america, after the US started capturing a lot of territories outside its borders.

The term america doesn't lock you down to a specific place but could with the US's imperial ambitions. Here's a great video on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df4R-xdKvpM

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 years ago (1 children)

An argument I read in the Pleroma side of the Fediverse was that USA is the only country in America that matters.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 years ago

That's not an argument, it's just xenophobia and exaggerated patriotism