When you refer to the United States, Do you make the often made mistake and refer to it as America ? (I used to untill I heard the border guards at Canada get upset when you refer to US as America since they are part of America too) so I try not to now
by 
Norman_Outside the lines
ANSWERS: 8
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Everything from Canada to Chile is America...but the United States of America is known as "America" because it's part of our name...America is just short for United States of America. BUT when referring to people as AMERICANS, people are making a mistake since everyone in every country from Canada to the southern tip of Chile is American. I just say "Citizens of the United States." I really don't know what else we could call ourselves...United Stateseans? HA!
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Well, you can check through my answers if you want, but I'm quite particular about referring to The United States Of America as either that, the USA or the US. Once or twice, when I was being a bit sarcastic, I have referred to it as 'the good ole USA'. The problem that arises is what to call the occupants of the USA, and everything other than 'American' is just too long winded. One of the books I used when I was learning Spanish had this conversation: US tourist, "Soy americano." (I'm American). Venezuelan, "Sí, yo también," (Yes, so am I).
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Very interesting question indeed. There really isn't a correct answer to it, seeing that both sides have valid points. The continents are North America and South America, so everyone that lives from Canada to the tip of Chile / Argentina can call themselves "Americans", just as the people that live in Europe can call themselves Europeans. However, after living in 4 of the major continents, I realize that the rest of the world call us Americans while calling people from other contries by thier proper name, ie. Colombians, Canadians, and Brazilians. The problem lays in the name of our country. We live on the continent of North America, but the word America is also in the name of our country. We are also one of the few contries in the world that have more than one word in the name of our country, so to make us more like the rest of the world, we shorten it to the single word "American". When I'm asked where I'm from, I say the United States, but if I'm asked what nacionality I am, I say American.
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WOW!!! . A canadian got mad just because you were referring the the United States of AMERICA as "America"??? . I have no problem calling the US by the name "america" and i don't think there is anything wrong with it ....Just because the continent the US is on also has the word "America" in it doesn't matter...Calling the USA "america" is just shortening the name during conversation. . There is nothing wrong with it, and anyone who gets upset just because we use "America" in conversation when refferring to our country....wow, that's sad....that is political correctness gone WAY too far.
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Everyone Canadian I have ever known calles the U.S. "America". I have also never met a Canadian who calls themselves "America" or "Americans". This is completely a non-issue.
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I use US or USA since I travelled abroad about 12 years ago. If you say America, people don't know if you mean Canada, Mexico, South America or the US.
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I refer to it both ways, and I don't consider it a "mistake" to say "America" when referring to the USA. I would also imagine that Canadians would be more upset at being referred to as American than at not being called that.
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Yes I do, but only when I'm around Canadian border guards. LOL!
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