# Is Mexico part of the North American continent? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2005, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707 "2005-10-31T13:01:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/21 "2005-10-31T21:25:51Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > In Spanish, _yo y Pablo estamos Norteamericanos, soy Angloamericano, y Pablo y Diego son Latinoamericanos. Y todos nosotros son americanos._ I think it’s: Yo y Pablo _somos_ … Y todos nosotros _somos_… ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/22 "2005-10-31T21:29:03Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I think it’s: Yo y Pablo _somos_ … Y todos nosotros _somos_… You may be right; I find some of the more idiomatic uses of _ser_ and _estar_ highly confusing. (To say nothing of the theological implications of _Soy vivo_, but _Estoy muerto_. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/23 "2005-10-31T21:44:26Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > […] the United States of Mexico […]. That would be: [the United Mexican States](http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/M/Mexico.asp). See also the [Constitucion Politica de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos](http://info4.juridicas.unam.mx/ijure/fed/9/). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/24 "2005-10-31T21:45:39Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > That would be fine, except that we don’t get to arrogate to ourselves what the usage of the English language is. Yeah, native speakers of English get to arrogate to ourselves collectively what English usage is. Native speakers of Spanish don’t. > [@](#): > > With reference to the New World, I am an American, Pablo is a Mexican, and Diego is a Peruvian. But as against Niles from Manchester and Hipolito from Madrid, the three of us are Americans. > > In Spanish, _yo y Pablo estamos Norteamericanos, soy Angloamericano, y Pablo y Diego son Latinoamericanos. Y todos nosotros son americanos._ It doesn’t matter a whit what it is in Spanish. And when you’re talking from Niles from Manchester, he’s also going to assume that someone who refers to himself as an “American” is from the United States, and not from Mexico or Peru. What Hipolito from Madrid assumes when someone is speaking to him in Spanish is different from what he assumes when someone is speaking to him in English. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/25 "2005-10-31T21:56:43Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > That would be fine, except that we don’t get to arrogate to ourselves what the usage of the English language is. As English speakers, yes we do. And the most common meaning of “American” in English (at least in reference to people), whether in the US, UK, or Australia, is a citizen or resident of the United States of America. > [@](#): > > With reference to the New World, I am an American, Pablo is a Mexican, and Diego is a Peruvian. But as against Niles from Manchester and Hipolito from Madrid, the three of us are Americans. That’s incorrect; as far as Niles is concerned, since he speaks English, “American” generally means a citizen of the US. And since Hipolito speaks Spanish, he doesn’t get a vote on English usage. > [@](#): > > In Spanish, _yo y Pablo estamos Norteamericanos, soy Angloamericano, y Pablo y Diego son Latinoamericanos. Y todos nosotros son americanos._ Except that a Spanish speaker would almost never refer to Pablo as a _norteamericano_; that term is almost universally reserved for use for _estadounidenses._ In my own personal experience, Latin Americans only bring up this issue in order to needle the gringos. They aren’t actually interested in referring to themselves as _americanos_, or in being precise about language, since they commonly misuse _norteamericano_ themselves to include Americans but exclude Canadians and Mexicans. It’s fine if they want to call Americans _norteamericanos_, or _estadounidenses_, or for that matter _gringos_ in Spanish, but they don’t have any call to dispute the use of the word in English. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/26 "2005-10-31T21:57:47Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > You may be right; I find some of the more idiomatic uses of _ser_ and _estar_ highly confusing. (To say nothing of the theological implications of _Soy vivo_, but _Estoy muerto_. ;)) As I understand it, _ser_ is an essential copula, and _estar_ is an existential qualifier. I am (ser) American. But I am (estar) in America. At any rate, it was more the conjugation that I was thinking about. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/27 "2005-10-31T22:33:26Z")
The translation “United States of Mexico” might not be common, but it is certainly in use. [This is one cite of many found on Google.](http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/Maps/CentralAmericamap.html) [Even the US government agrees that it can be translated that way](http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c101:S.1929.IS:): > [@](#): > > the United States and the United States of Mexico Air Quality Improvement Act. (Introduced in Senate) As for my major point, others have made it much better than I can. The word ‘America’ in the English language has only one meaning, and it does not include Canada or Tierra del Fuego. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/28 "2005-11-01T00:26:27Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **North America as a _continent_ is usually considered to include the US, Canada, Mexico, and Central America as far as the border of Panama and Colombia.** North America as a _geographic region_ includes Canada, the US, and Mexico. Central America as a region in distinction to North America includes everything from Guatemala and Belize down to Panama. Anglo geograhers consider North America and South America to be seperate continents. From Mexico south, they are considered one continent, América. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/29 "2005-11-01T00:34:59Z")
It’s also worth noting that “American” is used to refer to people from the “United States of America”, primarily because the name of the country is “America”. “United States of” is simply modifying that name. It wouldn’t make any sense to refer to ourselves as Unitedians, or Statesians, just like the People’s Republic of China yields Chinese, not Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/30 "2005-11-01T00:38:39Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > Anglo geograhers consider North America and South America to be seperate continents. From Mexico south, they are considered one continent, América. Cite please? [Wikipedia disagrees](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_america#Regional_and_political_divisions) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/31 "2005-11-01T00:53:46Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > In terms of tectonic plates, yes, Greenland and the countries of the West Indies are included there as well. Actually, my multiply-ichtious fellow Doper, when it comes to tectonic plates, we in the Carib islands to the southeast of Cuba do sit on our very own plate (and will North and South America please stop shoving? 😉 ). But yes, by virtually every definition except the cultural-linguistic one, Mexico is part of the North American continent. When I was in Grade School I recall a description that the “corners” of North America were the Bering Strait, Greenland, and the isthmus of Tehuantepec (the “narrow” point of Mexico). Didn’t know how they figured that even then, but heck, it was what you were supposed to answer in the test… ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/32 "2005-11-01T00:53:49Z")
> [@Jayrot](#): > > Cite please? [Wikipedia disagrees](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_america#Regional_and_political_divisions) I suppose in any English language source you will find them to be 2 seperate continents. That is why my posts reads “anglo geographers”. But there are other people in the world other than English speakers and sometimes they hold a different perspective on things. Do you know what the five rings on the Olypmic flag represent? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/33 "2005-11-01T00:56:39Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > I suppose in any English language source you will find them to be 2 seperate continents. That is why my posts reads “anglo geographers”. But there are other people in the world other than English speakers and sometimes they hold a different perspective on things. > > Do you know what the five rings on the Olypmic flag represent? OTOH, these geographers will say that North and South America are just one continent, yet Eurasia is two. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/34 "2005-11-01T00:59:40Z")
> [@Jayrot](#): > > Cite please? [Wikipedia disagrees](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_america#Regional_and_political_divisions) [Here](http://club.telepolis.com/geografo/regional/continentes.htm) > [@](#): > > En la antigüedad clásica se establecieron tres continentes: Europa, África y Asia. Con el descubrimiento de América y la primera vuelta al mundo, y por consiguiente su conocimiento geográfico, hubo que añadir otros dos continentes, América, el descubierto por Colón y Oceanía, el continente del océano . . .Estos son los cinco continentes clásicos, y los que siempre se nombran ya que están todos habitados. > . “In classical antiquity 3 continents were established [as known]: Europe. Africa, and Asia. With the discovery of America and the first voyage around the world, and as a consequence geographical knowledge of them, it was necessary to add two more continents, America, which was discovered by Columbus, and Oceania, the continent of the ocean . . .These are the 5 classical continents, that are always named since they are all inhabited.” Note that Oceania, rather than Australia, is regarded as a continent as well, yet Europe and Asia are divided. What is a “geographical continent” is a matter of definition. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/35 "2005-11-01T01:00:14Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > As for my major point, others have made it much better than I can. The word ‘America’ in the English language has only one meaning, and it does not include Canada or Tierra del Fuego. I must disagree. What about “Columbus discovered America”? There’s unambiguously ambiguity there. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/36 "2005-11-01T01:05:24Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > and the six republics on the Central American isthmus. Ho Ho Ho! Merry isthmus!! … er, I’ll shut up now. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/37 "2005-11-01T01:08:45Z")
> [@Jayrot](#): > > Cite please? [Wikipedia disagrees](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_america#Regional_and_political_divisions) But here [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent) agrees to disagree! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/38 "2005-11-01T01:47:11Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > As for my major point, others have made it much better than I can. The word ‘America’ in the English language has only one meaning, and it does not include Canada or Tierra del Fuego. The Merriam-Webster says you’re wrong, and I’ll take their word over yours. That may be its most used meaning, but it does have more than one meaning. > **[Definition of AMERICA](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/America)** > > either continent (North America or South America) of the western hemisphere; the lands of the western hemisphere including North, Central, and South America and the West Indies; united states of america… See the full definition ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/39 "2005-11-01T03:38:19Z")
TIC Didn’t NAFTA make Mexico a part of North America? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707/40 "2005-11-01T03:41:26Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > TIC > Didn’t NAFTA make Mexico a part of North America? No. Mexico already was a part of North America, hence the name of the agreement, [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mexico-part-of-the-north-american-continent/328707.md?page=3)