# "U.S. of A." - insulting or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904 "2001-06-23T20:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/1 "2001-06-23T20:12:33Z")
I have heard the country between Mexico and Canada referred to (by its own citizens) as America, the (United) States, the U.S. and the U.S.A., but never as the “U.S. of A.”. I have, however, heard Britons (especially Monty Python) using this, and since (1) Britons like to mock about their former penal colonies at the western edge of the world, (2) Americans seem to boycott this term, and (3) this pseudo-abbreviation (the “of”, the first thing to be dropped in an abbreviation, is NOT dropped!) sounds pretty ridiculous, I suppose the term might be considered insulting or something similar by Americans. Is this true? Is “U.S of A.” an insulting or pejorative term for the U.S.A., or is it an accepted yet uncommon name for that country? ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/2 "2001-06-23T20:17:00Z")
No, I wouldn’t say it’s considered insulting, exactly. Although it’s usually used somewhat ironically and is most frequently accompanied by “good ol’”, as in “The good ol’ U.S. of A.” ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/3 "2001-06-23T20:18:54Z")
Americans don’t “boycott” the term, we just don’t use it. Sort of like we say “Washington DC” rather than “Washington D of C”, maybe. The “of” strikes me simply as superfluous. I can’t imagine anyone being _offended_ by it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/4 "2001-06-23T20:24:45Z")
It’s not an insult, just a minor theatrical flourish. Sure, it could be ironic, but it doesn’t have to be. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/5 "2001-06-23T20:39:19Z")
I’ve heard plenty of U.S. citizens use the phrase. I see nothing wrong with it. I think that we like having as many different short ways to refer to our nation as we possibly can devise. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/6 "2001-06-23T20:44:43Z")
The first time I heard the phrase was in a Western. I think Clint Eastwood himself said it. Sure didn’t sound insulting to me. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/7 "2001-06-23T20:58:56Z")
To my ear it sounds slightly overdramatic. It sounds like the sort of thing some exaggeratedly patriotic American might use while berating another American he thinks is not sufficiently patriotic or lecturing some foreigner about America’s greatness. Or at least it sounds like what you might use in doing a parody of such a person. ---
**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:** [June 23, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/8 "2001-06-23T21:20:44Z")
I’ve heard plenty of Unitedstatsians refer to their country as the U.S. of A. For Brits, the usage _could_ have served to distinguish it from the U. of S.A. (Union of South Africa). ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/9 "2001-06-23T23:18:58Z")
That’s mighty strange, even the Websters dictionary calls is the united states OF america 🙂 Main Entry:America Pronunciation:_-mer--k_ Usage:geographical name 1 either continent (N. America or S. America) of the western hemisphere 2 or the Amer£i£cas -k\*z\ the lands of the western hemisphere including N., Central, & S. America & the W. Indies 3UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ---
**Author:** ![Studoggie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@Studoggie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Studoggie)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2001, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/10 "2001-06-23T23:31:19Z")
Have heard it in the states all my life. Never thought it was odd or insulting. I really never have heard any of my English friends say it but I wouldn’t consider it an insult if they did. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/11 "2001-06-24T00:18:05Z")
I’ve always been more curious about something Colibri brought up. That is, the term “United Statians.” Why isn’t this term used to refer to people of the USA? The term American of course refers to all Americans-- not just United Statians. What gives?? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/12 "2001-06-24T02:17:05Z")
I think it’s because people in the USA first starting calling themselves “Americans” and they got title to the adjective. Spanish does have an adjective “estadounidense”, but it isn’t used much to describe people in the USA. I’ve heard “norteamericano” more frequently, which is even stranger since Mexico is part of North America. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/13 "2001-06-24T02:19:49Z")
It definitely is not considered insulting, just theatrical, as stated earlier. ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/14 "2001-06-24T02:44:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doctor Goo Fee \* > \*\*I’ve always been more curious about something Colibri brought up. > > That is, the term “United Statians.” Why isn’t this term used to refer to people of the USA? The term American of course refers to all Americans-- not just United Statians. > > What gives?? \*\* How does that help to distinguish us from the United States of Mexico? The term Americans can refer to everyone who lives on the North and South American continents. But it can also, and usually does, refer to the citizens of America, the country. **That is the name of the country – America.** Formally it is The United States of America, but in informal usage it is simply America, just as we usually informally refer to Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/15 "2001-06-24T03:47:58Z")
You took the Words right out of my mouth (so to speak) **pluto**! I concur with everyone else who says the US of A isn’t not offensive. I think you could use it sarcastically, in which case it might be slightly offensive. Overall though, it just sounds silly. (Good thing I previewed this! I accidentally left out an ‘L’ and spelled pluto as puto. Imagine my embarrassment. I could have offended the sensitive spanish-speakers on the dope board.) ---
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/16 "2001-06-24T05:39:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sjc \* > \*\*I concur with everyone else who says the US of A isn’t not offensive. \*\* So you’re saying that it is offensive? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/17 "2001-06-24T06:11:54Z")
IIRC, Carrol O’Connor used this phrase in Kelly’s Heroes. I think it’s an older term as in the 40’s and 50’s. Used a lot more commonly by Americans abroad. Often along the lines of “ya, buddy, back in the US of A we don’t put up with ripping off tourists.” Certainly not offensive. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/18 "2001-06-24T16:40:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*Spanish does have an adjective “estadounidense”, but it isn’t used much to describe people in the USA. I’ve heard “norteamericano” more frequently, which is even stranger since Mexico is part of North America. \*\* Working in Latin America as I do, this often comes up. The more nationalistic types object to us _estadounidenses_ appropriating the term “American” to ourselves, since they say we’re all Americans in this hemisphere. But they usually want to call us _norteamericanos_ instead, which I point out isn’t any better, since it isn’t going to please the Canadians very much, and also includes the Mexicans. As BobT says, _estadounidense_ is available but not used much in practice. (In practice, probably the most common term is “those gringos.” ;)) Somehow I doubt Unitedstatesian is really going to catch on in English. Actually, if I am giving a talk in Spanish I will usually say either norteamericano or estadounidense, just to avoid any objection. However, I did have a Honduran acquaintance in the U.S. who had the irritating habit of “correcting” anybody who said “American” by invariably interjecting “ **NORTH** American!” (One of many irritating habits he had.) Because he was such a jerk, I used to enjoy debating him by raising the points **BobT** and **pluto** mentioned. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by sjc_ > **(Good thing I previewed this! I accidentally left out an ‘L’ and spelled pluto as puto. Imagine my embarrassment. I could have offended the sensitive spanish-speakers on the dope board.)** **puto, -a** : 1. adj. annoying, bothersome; bad, mean; astute, smart. 2. noun. m. bugger; hustler; homosexual. f. prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/19 "2001-06-24T16:53:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doctor Goo Fee \* > \*\*I’ve always been more curious about something Colibri brought up. > > That is, the term “United Statians.” Why isn’t this term used to refer to people of the USA? The term American of course refers to all Americans-- not just United Statians. > > What gives?? \*\* “Americans” has been the preferred term for people from that part of the world _since before the United States existed._ People from the 13 colonies were being called “Americans” in the 17th century. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-of-a-insulting-or-not/69904/20 "2001-06-24T23:20:48Z")
I may have missed a previous post but we are the **United States OF America** – look at any currency and well I don’t know how U.S. of A. would be considered insulting, especially considering we are the United States of America… Hmmm, odd really.