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by HasntBeen on October 9th, 2009
Yes, actually -- that's ambiguous too, because the official name of Mexico is "Los Estados Unidos de Mexico" (the United States of Mexico).
There's just no getting around saying "USA" if you want to be politically correct.
by Don Quixote el Manchego on October 11th, 2009
Benjamin Franklin is responsible for the equating of the United States with America and coined the term "American" to mean 'one from the United States'. Many at the time still thought of themselves as English (which is not all that unreasonable: identities don't change overnight).
The technical adjective for the United States is "United States". We hear it all of the time, but rarely take notice of it: United States Government, United States flag, economy, etc. "United States" is used as an adjective in these cases it's not in the genitive. It's just when it comes to people that it begins to sound bizarre, but it is still applicable.
by Left hand of SATAN Right hand of God on October 9th, 2009
I do believe we are the only place so called "the states" but the america part has always bothered me as well I prefer States
by Uluru on November 18th, 2009
A state is what people in the U.S. call a country, so that wouldn't really work either.
by AnnieB on November 18th, 2009
"Call it what you want. It' doesn't change a thing for me."~Tesla
by JulesB on November 18th, 2009
Because the "americas" were discovered by Ameriggo Vespucci
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You're reading When did people start calling the USA... "America"? Obviously it's not even the whole North America, not even mentioning Central and South America. In my language the short name for USA is "States". Isn't it more unambiguous? Or are there other States?
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Comments
But everyone calls it Mexico.
At least I've never heard anyone
calling Mexico, "States/Estados".
.
So the term is vacant.
.
It's not about political correctness.
It's about being unambiguous.
And I think "States" is more so,
than "America".
.
Just my opinion.
Thanks for Yours.
by Anonymous T on October 9th, 2009
If you hang out in Latin America, there are many people who are annoyed that the "statesians" call themselves Americans, as if the rest of America didn't exist. And indeed, the Mexicans don't call their country "los estados".
by HasntBeen on October 9th, 2009
And how do people from Latin
America call Americans?
by Anonymous T on October 12th, 2009
"de EEUU" would mean "from the US". That's correct, but clumsy. "Estadounidense" means something like "United Statesian", which is correct and unambiguous. And some of them say "Norteamericanos" (North Americans), but that's wrong too, because it excludes Canada and even most of Mexico :)
by HasntBeen on October 12th, 2009
Funny.
by Anonymous T on October 12th, 2009