America: One continent or two continents?

I know everyone from the U.S. is gonna go all crazy over this because you call yourselves "americans". Thats fine, its part of the country's name. However, I know most people from Latin America and other parts of the world agree with me when I say that it seems a little unfair since we consider ourselves part of a continent called America. Much like germans or italians can call themselves european or chinese and japanese people can consider themselves asian.

You see, there are many different continental models. In the United States, the model that is used and taught in schools is the 7 continent model, which divides North and South America into two different continents. In many other parts of the world and most of Latin America, the continental model is of only 6 continents and America is one single continent. North, South and Central America are simply the names of the regions within the contintents.

BTW, if you dont' believe me, read about it in Wikipedia.

My question is: Shouldn't mexicans, venezuelans, costa ricans, and all latin americans have a right to call themselves "americans" as well? Not as a nationality, but in the same way someone from Europe can call his/herself european.

your looking into this way to much

Europe and Asia are together, yet 2 continents :?

so North and South America are different

Europe and Asia are together, yet 2 continents :?

so North and South America are different

munchlax99

Technically, yes, but its a waste of time and effort to make a point of it. It's used to mean US citizens, I mean, what else can I say if I want to refer to people from the US?Overlord93

If you ask anyone in the world what an American is, the first thing they are going to say is that they are from the U.S.A. It's not just in the continent the U.S. is in or the fact that the country name itself has America in it, in which no other country can say that, but U.S. people are known throughout the world as American. And as for saying that Germans and Italians referring to themselves as Europeans, I'm sure the first thing they consider themselves is German and Italian before Europeans, just like Americans don't refer to themselves as North Americans really. I'm sure Canadiens and Mexicans feel the same way.

Technically, yes, but its a waste of time and effort to make a point of it. It's used to mean US citizens, I mean, what else can I say if I want to refer to people from the US?Overlord93

Its only used to refer to US citizens because US citizrens decided that that was the way they would refer to themselves, and a large amount of the world latched onto that. I occasionally refer to Canadians as Americans (although they seem to get a bit antsy at that before i describe the geographical correlation)

As for an alternative... Central North Americans? I dont know, I also am guilty of the above and dont know what would be an easy term to use :P

[QUOTE="Overlord93"]Technically, yes, but its a waste of time and effort to make a point of it. It's used to mean US citizens, I mean, what else can I say if I want to refer to people from the US?1nf4m0us

Its only used to refer to US citizens because US citizrens decided that that was the way they would refer to themselves, and a large amount of the world latched onto that. I occasionally refer to Canadians as Americans (although they seem to get a bit antsy at that before i describe the geographical correlation)

As for an alternative... Central North Americans? I dont know, I also am guilty of the above and dont know what would be an easy term to use :P

If I call someone a term that indicates that they are from one of the continents of America, I use the terms "North American" and "South American" to be clear on the subject. When I use the term "American" by itself, I exclusively mean someone from the United States of America.

op why are you excluding canadians ? haha

If I call someone a term that indicates that they are from one of the continents of America, I use the terms "North American" and "South American" to be clear on the subject. When I use the term "American" by itself, I exclusively mean someone from the United States of America.

m0zart

Also, the U.S. is America because if you break down our country name: The "United States" means that we are a collection of unified, hence united states OF America. So in essence, we are America. A "United States" of "America." Calling Brazilians Americans would be referring to them on the continental level and really are South Americans, while the U.S. being referred to as their country name means what they are, Americans. Also, like above, what else would we be called. Every other country in the world has a name for their people. England > English, Japan > Japanese, Canada > Canadien, Brazil > Brazilian. U.S. > U.S.anese? So we are indeed "Americans." Enough said.

[QUOTE="munchlax99"]

Europe and Asia are together, yet 2 continents :?

so North and South America are different

Samurai_Xavier

My question is: Shouldn't mexicans, venezuelans, costa ricans, and all latin americans have a right to call themselves "americans" as well? Not as a nationality, but in the same way someone from Europe can call his/herself european.

Samurai_Xavier

[QUOTE="Samurai_Xavier"][QUOTE="munchlax99"]

Europe and Asia are together, yet 2 continents :?

so North and South America are different

BMD004

If you want to get literal on people in the USA can be called Americans. Everyone else is either a North American or a South American.

I usually consider them 2 continents, central America being a region of north America. That isthmus in panama is just to thin.

Like how I usually consider Europe and Africa to be different continents than Asia. Though Europe in particular could be easily considered a sub-continent of Asia, like India is since it doesn't have a clearly defined "border" with Asia.

I'm European by the way. Around here, I've also seen a model than makes central america its own continent.

Citizens of the USA = American Citizens. u can just say Americans for short. Thats it. You're not an American if you are a citizen of a country in central, or South america. You are Not an american if you are Canadian or Mexican. Europeans are part of the EU now, but still they refer to whatever country they are part of. If you refer to anyone in Canada, Mexico, Panama, Brazil, etc as an American you are incorrect. Its black and white.

What I find funny is that people criticize americans for calling themselves "americans" yet these same critics call them americans as well.

I've been through quite a few countries around the world and they always refer to someone living in the United States as "American" Not because it's the continent I'm on, but because I'm from the United States. So if you refer to yourself as American in another country and you're NOT from the United States, all you're doing is confusing someone and completely defeating the purpose of trying to communicate.

Two continents. And there is a difference between classifying people by continent than by country. So if you want to identify by continent be my guest. Just make sure and add the North or South. Otherwise you're talking country.;)

No, those other countries don't have a legitimate claim to the term American.The United States declared its independence before all of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies. At the time that the name was chosen we were the only United States of America. South American schools can teach kids to call people from the US ridiculous names like United Statians or US Americans all they want. We have claim to the term Americans and they need to learn to deal with it.

People from the US are Americans. End of story.

When you go abroad and use the word "American", people will automatically think of the United States. Even if you go to Latin America, the word "American" means someone from the United States.

Different people of the world use American for different reasons.lancelot200

What people? Because the countries I've been to, when they say American, they mean United States. And most of the time they don't even know what the rest of the countries in North/South America are.

I've been to Germany, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Guam, Saipan, S.Korea, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Russia, Afghanistan, iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and various Caribbean countries to confirm this.