Have others used the “US’ers” term (hard to type this… keeping getting it mixed) as a negative reference ?
In English, at least, the continent(s) together are the Americas. Americans know this, and we’re not confused and I’ve never heard anybody claim that the rest of the people on the landmass we share are not in the Americas.
The people are Central, South, or North Americans if you’re discussing general areas. If you’re going by countries, however, Americans refers to inhabitants of the USA only because:
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It’s the only country with the word ‘America’ right in its actual name.
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Every other country, including the United States of Mexico, already has a nice euphonious adjective it can use and does: Brazilian. Chilean. Jamaican. Canadian. ‘American’ just follows this pattern. I know that in some Spanish-speaking parts of the Americas the word for us is ‘los estadosunideses’ but in English that sounds weird and inefficient.
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A Paraguayan lives in the Americas, but their nationality is Paraguayan. Although if the terrorists hijack another plane and start yelling for all the Americans to identify themselves, I’m sure Rashak would step up proclaiming that he deserves to be called an American too, hmmm?
Again, this is the way it works in English. Spanish and Portugese may vary and they’re welcome to. US’er does NOT work in English, sounds and looks weird, and lends itself to a rather disparaging pun. </hijack>
Actually, is there a Debate here anymore? Alde says that the hunts for Saddam and OBL have fallen off the front pages. Americans and others say yep, but that’s because “House Raided, Saddam Not There Again” is not exciting enough even for NPR, and assure him that we’re still looking for the bastards. Alde I believe disagrees, although it’s hard for me to tell. Stalemate, I guess. I think this thread has run its course.
My point was just to point out that some people don’t like the term “americans” only for USA people… thou I agree its not a issue to the other 95%… but again many might think “US’ers” being automatically disparaging if they don’t know there are reasons possible for using that term.
OK, Rashak, that’s a valid point. Just trying to explain why we Ame–uhm–inhabitants of the United States of America use the term. For what it’s worth, I’ve never heard ego involved in the term as used around here. We don’t call Guatemalans ‘Americans’ because, well, they live in Guatemala and have a perfectly proper name in English already. But we sure know they’re part of the Americas with us.
Still not understanding where the GD is any more, though.
True. But, there are places (like some European countries), where medical insurance, pension and other social need expenses are subtracted from “profit”. Some other places (like US) they are not subtracted from “profit”.
Anyway, as I said before, this is a subject for another thread. Sorry for the hijack. Where were we? Oh yes. OBL and Iraqis. Funny how they don’t have any nukes (profit motives?) like UK, USA and Israel do.
Sometimes one wonders who is using who?
I think we’ll call it a draw and go with Mehitabel on this, the thread has run it’s course as he says.
