1984

[Chris0nllyn]

I'm curious, will the left want to remove Lincoln from US currency? Considering he was around for the civil war and all.

Or is it only against southern aspects of the war?

Can the left cheer his Emmancipation Proclamation, yet forego his Gettysburg Address?

 

[Bird Dog]

So you are one of those who believes that Canadians and Mexicans are Americans, too?

Everyone from North or South America is a American. Just like all from Asia are Asians and all from Europe are Europeans....just sayin'

 

[vraiblonde]

Everyone from North or South America is a American. Just like all from Asia are Asians and all from Europe are Europeans....just sayin'

That's fine, technically speaking, but when someone refers to an "American", they are typically talking about a person who is from the United States of America. We don't say Mexicans or Canadians are "Americans" - we say they are Mexicans and Canadians because they live in or are from Mexico and Canada. We don't say Brazilians or Peruvians are Americans.

If we - the USA - went to war with Columbia, for example, we wouldn't call that "Americans vs. Americans".

 

[Bird Dog]

That's fine, technically speaking, but when someone refers to an "American", they are typically talking about a person who is from the United States of America. We don't say Mexicans or Canadians are "Americans" - we say they are Mexicans and Canadians because they live in or are from Mexico and Canada. We don't say Brazilians or Peruvians are Americans.

If we - the USA - went to war with Columbia, for example, we wouldn't call that "Americans vs. Americans".

...and neither would a war between the UK and France be called Europeans vs Europeans, but in Central and South America people routinely state they are either Central or South Americans. In Central America all countries have Centro America on their car tags.

i get your point, but we do not own the term America.

 

[vraiblonde]

i get your point, but we do not own the term America.

I didn't say we did. I specifically said "American". Not "America".

But you can call Mexicans and Canadians "Americans" if you want to.

 

[TWL]

So you are one of those who believes that Canadians and Mexicans are Americans, too?

I mean, that's fine and can certainly be legitimately debated. But FACT: the CSA states had seceded from the United States and residents were no longer considered US citizens, nor did they consider themselves US citizens. They even had their own currency.

The CSA was never recognized as a separate entity from the USA by any other country, including the USA. So, I would agree the American Civil War was fought between Americans.

Bird Dog, I have to disagree that people from countries or regions other than the USA are Americans. Only peoples of the USA are American. The term America is one of several short form names of The Unites States of America. Others are, US, USA, Unites States, etc. They all refer to the same. The USA is America.
People of Estados Unidos Mexicanos (Unites States of Mexico) are Mexican. People of the Dominion of Canada are Canadian. Neither are American.

 

[philibusters]

On the term "Americans", if I hear somebody say they are American, I assume it means the are a citizen or legal resident of the U.S.A.

However I will admit if somebody says the are Central American, or South American, or North American I'll understand what they mean. I obviously understand a North American isn't from Maine and a South American from Texas or Florida. So context plays a role in understanding what somebody is saying.

However that is true for more of the English language than most people suspect. If you take one sentence out of context it could be construed a number of ways, but when you throw in the sentences that immediately preceded and followed that sentence the meaning is pretty clear.