How would anyone have thought it was a good idea to name a country and a continent the same thing? You would think they would have separated the two early on.
... They didn't name them the same thing. They didn't name the country "America". It was a bunch of American states (as in, the continent) so they called themselves the "United States of America" because they were states, the were united, and they were in America. The "America" part in "United States of America" isn't the country, it's the continent. I don't know, maybe they thought they'd have to differentiate themselves from another "United States" that would be in Europe, Asia or Africa someday, so they specified it was the United States that was in America. Not that was America, that was in America.
It's a little depressing to know that people think we're "forgetting" about the other countries in North and South America by referring to ourselves as Americans, rather than simply recognizing that there are different terms for it between the two languages. We call ourselves by our country's name. There is no feeling of superiority involved. The continents and their people have different terms (North America/North Americans South America/South Americans) Why can't we all just get along!?
That's exactly the historical data I was looking for. That explains it very well. Thanks for posting it.
I thought a bit more and I think I'm starting to understand the confusion. I think it's because of "of". Like, when you say "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island", you're saying that the UK is made of GB+NI. So what's after the "of" is part of what's before. On the other hand, when you say "United States of America" or "Phantom of the Opera" or something, what's before "of" is part of what's after it.
It seems to me, Jenny, that you consider "US of A" to be an example of the first one, since you say the country has the same name as the continent, while I see it as the second, and therefore calling the US "America" seems as silly as calling the Phantom "the Opera".
Also, a French slang term for people from the US is "Ricain", which comes from "Américain", but I'm not quite sure if the point is making fun of them for calling themselves "American" or not. The proper term remains "étasunien", but as often due to the prevalence of English-language stuff in France, the US term is being used too. (Stuff like "réaliser" being used to mean "to realise" when it actually means "to accomplish", etc).
... They didn't name them the same thing. They didn't name the country "America". It was a bunch of American states (as in, the continent) so they called themselves the "United States of America" because they were states, the were united, and they were in America. The "America" part in "United States of America" isn't the country, it's the continent.
I guess that is the case now, but originally, because all the decisions were made when there were only 13 or so States on the Eastern coast, they considered themselves Americans, not realizing that when other countries decided to adopt the term America (for the entire continent) that there would be a problem.
It seems like it all comes down to language/linguistics more than any intentional slight or anything. I like that the wiki article gave some of the alternative new terms. I like the Usonian and Uessian ones the best.
It's a little depressing to know that people think we're "forgetting" about the other countries in North and South America by referring to ourselves as Americans, rather than simply recognizing that there are different terms for it between the two languages. We call ourselves by our country's name. There is no feeling of superiority involved. The continents and their people have different terms (North America/North Americans South America/South Americans) Why can't we all just get along!?
There's a bit of another historical connotations about USA to be fair. I'm not an expert about it, so, I prefer do not talk about it. Really do not talk about it. It's just the air or something (Culture...).
It seems to me, Jenny, that you consider "US of A" to be an example of the first one, since you say the country has the same name as the continent, while I see it as the second, and therefore calling the US "America" seems as silly as calling the Phantom "the Opera".
Yes, that is exactly it. It's one of those weird things about english, where it can and does mean both things, so in the english language it causes confusion. But in other languages that probably isn't the case.
I guess that is the case now, but originally, because all the decisions were made when there were only 13 or so States on the Eastern coast, they considered themselves Americans, not realizing that when other countries decided to adopt the term America (for the entire continent) that there would be a problem.
I'm fairly certain that's not how it worked out. =/
I'm fairly certain that's not how it worked out. =/
But how would it have happened then? I have tried looking up the origin of the word America and there are several different theories. Some say that it is a term that was created off the coast of Brazil, but then others say that it was from a Norwegian word. There's no solid facts about the origin. I guess a linguist would probably know what the most current theories are.
It's my opinion that when King Trident hears of your underwater utopia he won't be best pleased. He'll probably relocate those ugly ass deep sea fish with the lights attached to them and other undesireable underwater miscreants to Rapture and its surrounding areas in an attempt to bring down real estate prices and damage Raptures equity. I suggest penning a glorious musical number to offset any potential market damages.
Utopia? My dear friend, I'm afraid you're late to the party. There have been some... changes... since your last visit, evidently. SEE: SPLICERS.
I dunno, that's less time than it takes for them to release another season, and I really only need to order things when a DVD is ready, and even then I'd rather wait for there to be a few of them. So ordering once (physical goods) a year or so seems plenty to me.
If they start making more games so that there is a new DVD much more often than every 4 months, I guess it might be a bit different, although then I wouldn't have much to order at a time and I'd probably feel bad for ordering just the DVD each time.
But how would it have happened then? I have tried looking up the origin of the word America and there are several different theories. Some say that it is a term that was created off the coast of Brazil, but then others say that it was from a Norwegian word. There's no solid facts about the origin. I guess a linguist would probably know what the most current theories are.
That wasn't about when they started to consider Americo Vespucio as the discoverer of America when he figure out here's wasn't India? That's the theory the teachers always told us at school
But how would it have happened then? I have tried looking up the origin of the word America and there are several different theories. Some say that it is a term that was created off the coast of Brazil, but then others say that it was from a Norwegian word. There's no solid facts about the origin. I guess a linguist would probably know what the most current theories are.
I haven't read the whole thing, but reading this wikipedia article and the ones it links to might give you more information? I'm pretty sure the word America(s) existed before the US was created and that it's how they got the name.
The earliest known use of the name America for this particular landmass dates from April 25, 1507. It appears first on a small globe map with twelve time zones, and then a large wall map created by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges in France. An accompanying book, Cosmographiae Introductio, states, "I do not see what right any one would have to object to calling this part, after Americus who discovered it and who is a man of intelligence, Amerige, that is, the Land of Americus, or America: since both Europa and Asia got their names from women". Americus Vespucius is the Latinized version of the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci's name, and America is the feminine form of Americus.[24][25] Amerigo is the Italian form of the Gothic name Amalaric (*Amalareiks) meaning "ruler of the Amali".
I haven't read the whole thing, but reading this wikipedia article and the ones it links to might give you more information? I'm pretty sure the word America(s) existed before the US was created and that it's how they got the name.
Incidentally, what continent is Australia in? Is it Oceana/Oceania or Australasia? I've heard both used, but i'm never sure which one is actual.
Australia, just Australia.
I thought a bit more and I think I'm starting to understand the confusion. I think it's because of "of". Like, when you say "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island", you're saying that the UK is made of GB+NI. So what's after the "of" is part of what's before. On the other hand, when you say "United States of America" or "Phantom of the Opera" or something, what's before "of" is part of what's after it.
I always thought of it as similar to "People's Republic of China". China's still the name of the country, but you can call it the People's Republic too.
I prefer saying "the US" and "USian" if possible, be it only because it's a lot less ambiguous. But yeah, although I understand that it's frustrating, I often fall back into saying "American", because in English there isn't really a word for it.
If you ever said "USian" here, people would look at you strangely, guaranteed. You might even get picked on or corrected. (ie. at some point someone would say "You mean 'American.'")
If you ever said "USian" here, people would look at you strangely, guaranteed. You might even get picked on or corrected. (ie. at some point someone would say "You mean 'American.'")
That's the point here. I'm been the ass here, because this is a North American Forum, and, if the people call themselfes Americans in their own country, I can't go correct them all the time because they are right. It's their country, they put the rules. Of course, they can't do that in my country, but that the opposite situation.
Americans or not, we are all humans and we love our respective chuncks of land. Done.
Incidentally, what continent is Australia in? Is it Oceana/Oceania or Australasia? I've heard both used, but i'm never sure which one is actual.
Was taught to me as Oceania. It feels much more authentic, as the other one feels to me like so many people considered Australia to be the continent, they tried to squeeze a word that looked like it.
Not that it stops English-speaking countries apparently. Seriously, had never heard Australia referred to as a continent before I came here. Seems pretty mean to me to the whole bunch of non-Australian countries in Oceania.
If you ever said "USian" here, people would look at you strangely, guaranteed. You might even get picked on or corrected. (ie. at some point someone would say "You mean 'American.'")
I only picked up the word after if was used so much by USian friends Before I would have said "United Stater".
New Zealand is not Australia, but it is part of the continent Australia. See the wikipedia graph that was posted just above your post. If we're nitpicking about America versus North and South America, I wonder if it's that much worse in New Zealand. Very curious. Also confusing.
Of course, New Zealand isn't actually even part of the continent Australia physically. It's only because of its nearby that it was grouped in with it.
So in short.
Country: Australia
Continent: Australia
edit: Which isn't to say that Oceania isn't a better term for it. It's just how it is.
No way, its definitely Australia. We are the supreme overlords of all the nations within our, erm... bosom... And we will continue to rule the continent!
New Zealand is not Australia, but it is part of the continent Australia. See the wikipedia graph that was posted just above your post. If we're nitpicking about America versus North and South America, I wonder if it's that much worse in New Zealand. Very curious. Also confusing.
Of course, New Zealand isn't actually even part of the continent Australia physically. It's only because of its nearby that it was grouped in with it.
So in short.
Country: Australia
Continent: Australia
edit: Which isn't to say that Oceania isn't a better term for it. It's just how it is.
Odd. It's like saying Scotland is a part of England. (do we actually have any scots on here?)
There really needs to be some uniformity in the continental model.
No it's not. England is part of Europe. Scotland is part of Europe.
What gets more confusing with those two is that they are both also part of Great Britain, Great Britain is part of the United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom is part of Europe.
The United Kingdom is a difficult state to classify: it was formed initially by the merger of two independent kingdoms, (the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland), but the Treaty of Union that set out the agreed terms has ensured the continuation of distinct features of each state, including separate legal systems and separate national churches. Three hundred years later, some regard the UK as a nation state but others regard it as a plurinational state. The current British Government itself describes the United Kingdom as "countries within a country." The term, "Home Nations" is often applied to the four different nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales) which together make up the state called the United Kingdom.
Regardless...
The country of Australia is part of the continent of Australia.
The country of New Zealand is part of the continent of Australia.
I'd just like to point out that ex-pats do tend to refer to the country as "The States". I also tend to say I'm Californian, because frankly, what the hell do I know about Michigan and Maine? Plus people are nicer to you when you say you're from San Francisco. (Seriously, one time a guy even gave my family free bread after telling us what a great time he and his wife had honeymooning in the City.)
Technically it's the same as emigrant, so I'm not sure why there are two words for it.
I think the difference is that an emigrant/immigrant deliberately intends to stay indefinitely or eventually become a citizen of the country to which they move, however an expatriate can also include refugees or people who are out-of-country temporarily.
For example, my wife's brother is currently in Japan, teaching English as a foreign language. He has a work visa, but he doesn't intend to stay there forever or to ever become a Japanese citizen.
Hum, my husband did have to deal with immigration to stay two years in France, as did I to spend a year in Canada. Now I'm trying to get permanent residency, but I already considered myself an immigrant last time.
It's entirely possible that I did it wrong, though, I guess. I've always seen both as the same because, anyway, when do you ever know how long you'll spend somewhere? I could have decided to stay longer after that one year (and almost did), an could have stayed in France forever, we might stay here for years or move somewhere else... It depends on so many things.
Comments
... They didn't name them the same thing. They didn't name the country "America". It was a bunch of American states (as in, the continent) so they called themselves the "United States of America" because they were states, the were united, and they were in America. The "America" part in "United States of America" isn't the country, it's the continent. I don't know, maybe they thought they'd have to differentiate themselves from another "United States" that would be in Europe, Asia or Africa someday, so they specified it was the United States that was in America. Not that was America, that was in America.
That's exactly the historical data I was looking for. That explains it very well. Thanks for posting it.
It seems to me, Jenny, that you consider "US of A" to be an example of the first one, since you say the country has the same name as the continent, while I see it as the second, and therefore calling the US "America" seems as silly as calling the Phantom "the Opera".
Also, a French slang term for people from the US is "Ricain", which comes from "Américain", but I'm not quite sure if the point is making fun of them for calling themselves "American" or not. The proper term remains "étasunien", but as often due to the prevalence of English-language stuff in France, the US term is being used too. (Stuff like "réaliser" being used to mean "to realise" when it actually means "to accomplish", etc).
I guess that is the case now, but originally, because all the decisions were made when there were only 13 or so States on the Eastern coast, they considered themselves Americans, not realizing that when other countries decided to adopt the term America (for the entire continent) that there would be a problem.
It seems like it all comes down to language/linguistics more than any intentional slight or anything. I like that the wiki article gave some of the alternative new terms. I like the Usonian and Uessian ones the best.
There's a bit of another historical connotations about USA to be fair. I'm not an expert about it, so, I prefer do not talk about it. Really do not talk about it. It's just the air or something (Culture...).
Yes, that is exactly it. It's one of those weird things about english, where it can and does mean both things, so in the english language it causes confusion. But in other languages that probably isn't the case.
But how would it have happened then? I have tried looking up the origin of the word America and there are several different theories. Some say that it is a term that was created off the coast of Brazil, but then others say that it was from a Norwegian word. There's no solid facts about the origin. I guess a linguist would probably know what the most current theories are.
Utopia? My dear friend, I'm afraid you're late to the party. There have been some... changes... since your last visit, evidently. SEE: SPLICERS.
Naah, I'm just not that patient.
That wasn't about when they started to consider Americo Vespucio as the discoverer of America when he figure out here's wasn't India? That's the theory the teachers always told us at school
I haven't read the whole thing, but reading this wikipedia article and the ones it links to might give you more information? I'm pretty sure the word America(s) existed before the US was created and that it's how they got the name.
EDIT: found this quote that should be helful:
I was scanning that one and this one too.
Incidentally, what continent is Australia in? Is it Oceana/Oceania or Australasia? I've heard both used, but i'm never sure which one is actual.
Australia, just Australia.
I always thought of it as similar to "People's Republic of China". China's still the name of the country, but you can call it the People's Republic too.
If you ever said "USian" here, people would look at you strangely, guaranteed. You might even get picked on or corrected. (ie. at some point someone would say "You mean 'American.'")
That's the point here. I'm been the ass here, because this is a North American Forum, and, if the people call themselfes Americans in their own country, I can't go correct them all the time because they are right. It's their country, they put the rules. Of course, they can't do that in my country, but that the opposite situation.
Americans or not, we are all humans and we love our respective chuncks of land. Done.
And sorry again.
Was taught to me as Oceania. It feels much more authentic, as the other one feels to me like so many people considered Australia to be the continent, they tried to squeeze a word that looked like it.
Not that it stops English-speaking countries apparently. Seriously, had never heard Australia referred to as a continent before I came here. Seems pretty mean to me to the whole bunch of non-Australian countries in Oceania.
I only picked up the word after if was used so much by USian friends
New Zealand is not Australia, but it is part of the continent Australia. See the wikipedia graph that was posted just above your post. If we're nitpicking about America versus North and South America, I wonder if it's that much worse in New Zealand. Very curious. Also confusing.
Of course, New Zealand isn't actually even part of the continent Australia physically. It's only because of its nearby that it was grouped in with it.
So in short.
Country: Australia
Continent: Australia
edit: Which isn't to say that Oceania isn't a better term for it. It's just how it is.
We know the Continent as Oceanía and the country as Australia in the model we teach at school. So, we don't have that problem. At least for us.
Odd. It's like saying Scotland is a part of England. (do we actually have any scots on here?)
There really needs to be some uniformity in the continental model.
What gets more confusing with those two is that they are both also part of Great Britain, Great Britain is part of the United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom is part of Europe.
Regardless...
The country of Australia is part of the continent of Australia.
The country of New Zealand is part of the continent of Australia.
Sorry, but... what is an "Ex-pat"?
Ahhh... Thanks a lot ^^!
I think the difference is that an emigrant/immigrant deliberately intends to stay indefinitely or eventually become a citizen of the country to which they move, however an expatriate can also include refugees or people who are out-of-country temporarily.
For example, my wife's brother is currently in Japan, teaching English as a foreign language. He has a work visa, but he doesn't intend to stay there forever or to ever become a Japanese citizen.
It's entirely possible that I did it wrong, though, I guess. I've always seen both as the same because, anyway, when do you ever know how long you'll spend somewhere? I could have decided to stay longer after that one year (and almost did), an could have stayed in France forever, we might stay here for years or move somewhere else... It depends on so many things.
just like comparing squares and rectangles.