That’s why there’s always the argument that the country should not be called “America”. English speaking countries split North and South America as separate continents, so America the country does not get confused with America the continent. In Spanish (might be regional), it’s all one continent, so someone saying that they are from “America” doesnt narrow it down to a country.
I think it’s fine to just have different conventions in different languages. If you want country names to be 100% unambiguous in all languages, you basically have to change the name of half of the countries out there. E.g., “Deutschland” could refer to all germanic-speaking countries, but everyone recognizes that it just means Germany.
I’ve encountered the argument for Estadounidense from Mexicans, but it falls apart when you counter that the name of their country is Estados Unidos Mexicanos.
If you’re really feeling like putting the screws to them, point out that while all of the USA is America, Mexico Valley is a very small part of the territory of their country, and is itself named after the Mexica people that inhabit it. So rather than translate Estados Unidos Mexicanos as the United Mexican States, it would more accurately be the United States of the Mexica Empire.
Then you can ask them if they’re Mexica, or from one of the conquered territories.
It’s fine enough even all in one language. There’s the US state of Georgia and the county of Georgia. And outside the occasional funny misunderstanding, it’s usually clear from context.
That’s why there’s always the argument that the country should not be called “America”.
I think, though am not sure, that this comes from the 13 colonies having once been “British America”, which was by default what people meant when they talked about “America” in English, which stuck after independence.
E.g., “Deutschland” could refer to all germanic-speaking countries, but everyone recognizes that it just means Germany.
nowadays anyway; before the German Empire was founded, “Deutschland” was usually understood as the entire German-speaking region (what we call “deutschsprachiger Raum” today), and between 1949 and 1990 “Deutschland” could mean the Federal Republic of Germany (usually including West Berlin), or the Federal Republic of Germany plus German Democratic Republic plus Berlin, or Germany in the borders of 1937, or even just East Germany whose constitution initially started “Deutschland ist eine unteilbare demokratische Republik”.
That’s why there’s always the argument that the country should not be called “America”. English speaking countries split North and South America as separate continents, so America the country does not get confused with America the continent. In Spanish (might be regional), it’s all one continent, so someone saying that they are from “America” doesnt narrow it down to a country.
I think it’s fine to just have different conventions in different languages. If you want country names to be 100% unambiguous in all languages, you basically have to change the name of half of the countries out there. E.g., “Deutschland” could refer to all germanic-speaking countries, but everyone recognizes that it just means Germany.
I’ve encountered the argument for Estadounidense from Mexicans, but it falls apart when you counter that the name of their country is Estados Unidos Mexicanos.
If you’re really feeling like putting the screws to them, point out that while all of the USA is America, Mexico Valley is a very small part of the territory of their country, and is itself named after the Mexica people that inhabit it. So rather than translate Estados Unidos Mexicanos as the United Mexican States, it would more accurately be the United States of the Mexica Empire.
Then you can ask them if they’re Mexica, or from one of the conquered territories.
It’s fine enough even all in one language. There’s the US state of Georgia and the county of Georgia. And outside the occasional funny misunderstanding, it’s usually clear from context.
I think, though am not sure, that this comes from the 13 colonies having once been “British America”, which was by default what people meant when they talked about “America” in English, which stuck after independence.
nowadays anyway; before the German Empire was founded, “Deutschland” was usually understood as the entire German-speaking region (what we call “deutschsprachiger Raum” today), and between 1949 and 1990 “Deutschland” could mean the Federal Republic of Germany (usually including West Berlin), or the Federal Republic of Germany plus German Democratic Republic plus Berlin, or Germany in the borders of 1937, or even just East Germany whose constitution initially started “Deutschland ist eine unteilbare demokratische Republik”.
Isn’t it because Benjamin Franklin (I think) started naming his fellow country men “Americans”, in order to create cohesion?
Latin Americans really get upset over it, and I think it’s just irrational. They should let it go.