What is it with certain U.S. citizens?

Question

Why is it when some of them say America they only, solely, refer to the U.S? Do they not realize that there is also Central and South America? I know that it's the United States of America. But there are plenty of other countries "of America".

Did you know that the name "America" originates from Amerigo Vespucci, an explorer from Italy who landed IN South America? (who nowadays would be considered an immigrant)

Answer 1

Of course they are talking about America when they say America.  If they were talking about South America or North America, then they would probably say South America or North America.  There are no other countries of America.  If they wanted to name their country ________ _____ America, then it would be fine.....but they don't, or they would have done so by now.  

And for the record, I am an American citizen.    

Answer 2

I guess whatever it is with certain US citizens is also "with" people south of the Rio Grande.  The last time I was in Panama, Brazil and Argentina I didn't hear a single person refer to themselves as an "American."

Answer 3

People from most other countries say "America" and refer solely to the U.S.  Why that is, I don't know, but yeah, that's kinda weird.  Then again, I've heard many people say Great Britain, England, and United Kingdom to mean the exact same thing.

Answer 4

It's just a colloquial expression. When people say America for the USA they do not mean to imply that South and Central America don't exist, or that they are somehow "worse" than the USA. It's just a shortened, easier to say version. And if it was commonly done to refer to either Central or South America as just America (which it is not), then people probably wouldn't call the USA America. To point out that America applies to Central and South America too in any other setting than an academic one is just being pedantic.

Answer 5

When you say beer most think of Bud.

Answer 6

"America" in any other country is the name of the american Continent which includes both South and North America but the U.S. wants to be different in every way that's why they don't use the metric system and that's why you can only enter this country with visa and can't use passport.

Answer 7

I'm an American, go to Europe or Asia or Australia and ask who are Americans? It the citizens of the US.

Answer 8

America = US

Answer 9

yeah, i never heard a mexican in mexico refer to themselves as American. quit crying. this land is our land :0)

Answer 10

People from the U.S. are referred to as Americans in pretty much any country. Yes, I know exactly where the name comes from.