Ummm, no such thing. We have North America and South America. Those are the continents. And if you want to refer to them as a group why not use “Westerners” since they are the only ones that exist in the Western Hemisphere (except for some small island groups)?
You’re even more right. The English were calling us Americans even back in the 17th century. So that’s more the 300 maybe even more then 350 years.
Possession is 9/10 ths of the law.
The term “American” to describe people from what is now the United States actually predates the United States. People from the 13 colonies were being called “Americans” before John Adams was born - and it was a common term used in ENGLAND, not just the New World.
And actually, guys, the Spanish term “estadounidense” isn’t more correct. After all, you could be referring to citizens of Mexico - or as it is properly called, the United Mexican States.
So when my ancestors left Ireland, they were actually already in America? And all those Hispanic and Portugese Americans, their ancestors just stayed on the same continent? Or how about the folks from the Ivory Coast of Africa… They’re just imagining that ocean?
How about “God bless America”?
Chronos, I’m not sure I see how your response follows that quote.
Not at all. the EU is not a country. It’s a cooperation between 15 sovreign states and there simply is no need for a word for “a citizen of one of the countries forming the European Union”. European can never mean anything else than “someone from the European continent”.
Speaking for Chronos, Ireland is west of the Prime Meridian, ergo, in the Western Hemisphere. Not having a world map nearby, I’m assuming that parts of Portugal and the Ivory Coast also fall west of the Prime Meridian.
Ahh. Well I wasn’t going by such a strict definition as that. But rather how they do it on most maps. They tend to cut right down through the Atlantic or the Pacific. One of those rabble’s working definitions if you will.
But if that doesn’t appease to you we can use New Worldians.
I’ll agree with you there, but I’m not so sure about this:
As the EU gains prominence, doesn’t it seem reasonable that some kind of terminology will have to come about for describing citizens of member countries vs. those of non-member European countries? Perhaps it hasn’t yet, and being from Sweden I’d imagine that you’re more in a position to evaluate that than I am.
Here in the US, I often read about the rapidly growing influence of the EU as an economic power, and as a cooperation of 15 sovereign states that’s acting more and more like a single entity in its dealings with the rest of the world. I’d have to dig (perhaps unsuccessfully) for cites, but it’s my impression that in the US it’s not that uncommon for the term “European” to be used to describe the EU specifically, rather than the continent generally.
It’s possible that I’m mistaken. It’s also possible that the term is being (in the eyes of those in Europe) hopelessly mangled by Yankee misunderstanding of the whole damn thing. 
Good point. Mexicans are americanos, norteamericanos, and estadounidenses as well. Brazilians also belong to a “United States.”
I know a white guy who’s parents came to the US from South Africa. He once wrote a paper for school called I am an African American. 
freido: Well, who cares about the Dutch?
Coldfire closes in on Havre airspace with Pot Rockets…
Nooo! Guided Ganja! Teahouse Tonnage! Argh!
[sub]Attack of the Clogboys. Lucas, go boink Jar-Jar.[/sub]
US Citizens.
But not all U.S. citizens were born in the U.S.: what about the naturalized ones, and the ones who have never set foot in the U.S. but were born abroad to U.S. citizen parents?
Aren’t we back where we started? We need a brand-spanking-new word. Nominations, anyone?
I have attended many conferences that included experts on EU law that used the word “European” to mean “of the European Union” and not “of the continent of Europe.” They’re not going to stop doing it just because you say “European can never mean anything else than ‘someone from the European continent’.”
You know, maybe ‘American’ has stuck because because nobody can think anything better that doesn’t run into symantic problems? I mean, just look at this thread…nobody’s yet come up with something more appropriate.
As a matter of fact, my brother is married to a South African of English/Norwegian ancestry. My nephews are in fact white African-Americans.
I can only speak for myself, but I don’t think there are many people that identify themselves as “Europeans” rather than “Swedish”, “Danish”, “German” or what have you.
There certainly is a need for a word for a citizen of a member state of the EU, if only because this group shares important characteristics, such as possessing the right of free movement and free establishment throughout the Union, the right to make use of one another’s diplomatic and consular services when in third countries, and so forth.
Few people would identify themselves as “European” rather than “German” (or whatever), but I suspect many would identify themselves as both European (in the sense of being an EU citizen) and German.
As it happens, the word “European” is fine. Just as “American” can mean “pertaining to the USA” or “pertaining to the Americas” depending on the context, so “European” can mean “pertaining to the EU” or “pertaining to the continent of Europe” as the context indicates. What’s the problem?
In English, general usage, I call them: “Americans”. It is the default usage in that language.
In English, if the situation calls for more technical precision than that, “people from the United States” .
If the situation is really casual, Leftpondians, Yanks, Gringos (always with a smile), The Party Crew, White-Sneakered-Khaki-Shorts-Wearing-Tourists, and the ever popular Hey Youse 
In Spanish, in everyday or casual use, if by context it’s obvious whom I am talking about: “americanos”
In Spanish, if more formality is required, e.g. a newscast, or if it’s not clear whom I am talking about: “estadounidenses”. In my experience I’ve heard and read this word every day for decades. Just as in English “American” became the default word, in Spanish did “estadounidenses”.
(and no, nobody was out to shaft the Mexicans of the rest of the Americas, it just happened. The two languages developed each in its own way. Just as English speakers don’t confuse Americans with Colombians(*), we Spanish speakers don’t confuse estadounidenses with mejicanos)
In Spanish I try not to use gringos or yanquis, as in this environment they have become ideologically charged (specially “yanquis”).
jrd
(*) paraphrasing Yeechang Lee, “when Saddam says ‘Death to America!’ we know he doesn’t mean Brazil.”