# Why do people think America is a country? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 20, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782 "2004-08-20T21:16:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/41 "2004-08-21T19:45:57Z")
I’ve had an idea. You should all start calling Britain “Scotland”. Yeah. That one, I’ll allow. I may be alone. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/42 "2004-08-21T19:59:43Z")
OK, everybody stop dissing **fc1114** right now. It’s a valid question, though what it’s doing in MPSIMS I’ll never know. As for Brazil and whatever, the difference is that the word Brazil isn’t used for anything else, while the word America is. The answer is, as some people have stated, tradition and its momentum. Also, in many languages (including English and my own mother tongue of Swedish), there is no good word for “people living in the US” or “as of or pertaining to the US” that doesn’t involve the word America. “USers” and “USian”, whatever **Aldebaran** might think, just doesn’t cut it. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/43 "2004-08-21T19:59:54Z")
> [@Ross](#): > > I’ve had an idea. You should all start calling Britain “Scotland”. > > Yeah. That one, I’ll allow. > > I may be alone. Actually I’m a quarter Scottish myself 🆒 (Rugby sevens!!! Edinburgh festival!! Links golf! Haggis…errr). Why not explain to these good people the difference between Scotch, Scots and Scottish?! ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/44 "2004-08-21T20:04:00Z")
> [@Ross](#): > > I’ve had an idea. You should all start calling Britain “Scotland”. > > Yeah. That one, I’ll allow. > > I may be alone. Maybe all of Britain except Wales could be called Scotland, but I wouldn’t want to piss off the Welsh. Even a Scotsman should think twice about angering the Welsh. ---
**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/45 "2004-08-21T23:14:32Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Nope. It’s the [Federative Republic of Brazil](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/br.html#Govt) (_Republica Federativa do Brasil_). However, it [was known as the United States of Brazil from 1889 to 1967](http://www.wordiq.com/definition/History_of_Brazil#The_Old_Republic_.281889-1930.29). Then there were the United States of New Granada (1861-1863)/United States of Colombia (1863-1885), since then the [Republic of Colombia](http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107419.html). There was also a short-lived [United States of Indonesia](http://www.bartleby.com/67/4119.html). Hm… so we can’t use “United States” either - one may have a hard time figuring out which set of \*united states \* we’re talking about. 😃 God forbid someone refer to us just as “the states” - as in, “When I was in \*The States \* I ate a very large hot dog.” (sigh) What on earth do we DO about this?! ---
**Author:** ![fc1114](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@fc1114](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fc1114)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/46 "2004-08-22T03:19:24Z")
> [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > **fc1114** , why do you hate America? I don’t hate America. I **prefer** United States of America. When you look at a dollar bill, does it say ‘America’ or ‘The United States of America’? Does a **passport** have ‘America’? **No**. The passport is printed with ‘United States of America’ ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/47 "2004-08-22T03:50:24Z")
Soooo…is America a country or not? Coulda sworn I was living in a country. Nothing is stopping **you** , I guess, from using “The United States of America” in your everyday speech and writings. You’ll get odd looks and stares and all, but hey, it’s a free–whatever this is. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/48 "2004-08-22T05:03:42Z")
> [@fc1114](#): > > > [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > > > fc1114, why do you hate America? > > I don’t hate America. _Whoooooosh!_ ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/49 "2004-08-22T05:15:56Z")
> [@fc1114](#): > > I don’t hate America. I **prefer** United States of America. > > When you look at a dollar bill, does it say ‘America’ or ‘The United States of America’? > > Does a **passport** have ‘America’? **No**. The passport is printed with ‘United States of America’ So What?? ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/50 "2004-08-22T09:53:38Z")
I believe British passports say “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”. So are British people wrong to say they live in “Britain”? Any Dopers from Brittany in France want to have a hissyfit about this? ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/51 "2004-08-22T10:39:47Z")
I believe some atlases refer to the British isles. So are Irish people wrong to say they live in Britain? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/52 "2004-08-22T10:42:55Z")
[America the Beautiful](http://www.fuzzylu.com/falmouth/bates/america.html) ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/53 "2004-08-22T10:46:22Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > I believe some atlases refer to the British isles. So are Irish people wrong to say they live in Britain? Actually it’s the atlases that are wrong 😉 ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/54 "2004-08-22T10:51:07Z")
To be sure, to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/55 "2004-08-22T11:03:28Z")
> [@Kallessa](#): > > Maybe all of Britain except Wales could be called Scotland, but I wouldn’t want to piss off the Welsh. Even a Scotsman should think twice about angering the Welsh. Yeah right. The only reason we’d be wary of angering the Welsh is because we know that they’d just become Englands archers again. 1314. Welsh smelsh. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2004, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/56 "2004-08-22T12:12:54Z")
> [@Arch Trout](#): > > Yeah right. > The only reason we’d be wary of angering the Welsh is because we know that they’d just become Englands archers again. > 1314. > Welsh smelsh. Oh dear, that made me laugh indecorously loudly. I do sometimes regret that coming from Australia I only have 200 odd years of grudges to call upon. ---
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/57 "2004-08-23T03:50:57Z")
And… and why do people **DRIVE** on a **PARK** way but **PARK** on a **DRIVE** way?? Huh? Think about it! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![coop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/87869e/32.png) [@coop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coop)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/58 "2004-08-23T04:06:51Z")
Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi !!! :d :d :d But we are United in beating every other country in sport 😉😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/59 "2004-08-23T04:14:41Z")
Oy indeed :rolleyes: That word has a rather different meaning in–whatever place I’m in right now, especially among those who know a bit of Yiddish. Separated by a common language, etc. etc. etc… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782/60 "2004-08-23T20:29:17Z")
Oh by the way “America” isn’t a place either (unless you are refering to the USA)… North America, South America and Central America are places. Together they are the “Americas”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-america-is-a-country/260782.md?page=4)