America: North America - The Difference: BRITS READ UP!

by RAYZORBLADE 70 Replies latest jw friends

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  RAYZORBLADE

  Welcome to the continent of North America.

  Within this continent, which includes also the Carribbean islands, and Central America, it's not one (1) country, but a collection of different countries.

  I have noticed, quite a bit actually, with our friends from across the pond (Atlantic Ocean), especially those that reside in Great Britain/United Kingdom, yes even the Republic of Ireland, of their generalities with regards to the term: America.

  Heaven forbid, I would guess if you lumped all Brits in with Europe/Europeans. You know, they are all the same. Right?

  Wrong.

  My experience has been that, most Brits consider anything over this way.....the other side of the Atlantic as: America. Thus to other nationalities within North America: that means: The U.S.A.

  To a North American: when you say "America" it means: The United States of America. No problem, I'm cool with that. Repitition leads to rentention.

  But more often than not, if you're from another one of the many countries that make up the continent of North America, it can get a bit annoying, as it would seem our British/Irish cousins, and yes....some other continental Europeans have this notion: Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize and many other Carribbean countries too numerous to list: are America. (red means, Commonwealth nation)

  No.

  When I've travelled abroad, especially in the U.K./Great Britain/Republic of Ireland, 90-95% of the population think that all that exists within the confines of North America, is America (to us, USA). Again, no problem, that's what they use too, and that's fine, no problem. When I use the term 'America', to me, it means Americans, thus the United States of America.

  But it can be mindboggling sometimes trying to explain to my so-called Commonwealth world citizens, otherwise. 'Are ya American?' - no, Canadian... (here we go again). "oh it's the same"

  Aussies/Kiwis seem to know who we are. British etc., it's all one country or notion to them.

  This is NOT an anti-American thread, but it's more or less the colloquialisms that can get bandied about to such an extent they're embarrassing.

  Just a rant on a very early Wednesday morning from Canada, which happens to be part of North America, but is not 'America'.

  Does that make any sense?

  I know there are many British citizens, and Irish citizens who know the difference, but my overseas travels and recent correspondence with folks abroad, have me scratching my head, wondering what happened to Geography classes.

  Anyways, to my fellow Americans, who can tell a Canuck in a bug splat: hope all is well just south of the border. Stay warm, it's freakin' cold up here.

  To my buddies over in Great Britain, and Ireland and the continental of Europe: Happy New Year from your Maple Leaf eatin' Canuck: Rayzorblade.

  OK, there, I'm done.....phew!
• 

  drawcad_1

  If you talk to a mexican, who is also an American (from North America), it would be proper to say that I am from Estadas Unidos or United States. It makes me upset when I see the term American applied to just one country.
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  Maverick

  You bring up valid points my cold nosed but warm hearted friend! The US strongly dominates the continent, both financially, socially, politically. The 300 million or so citizens have a very stong influence on the whole hemisphere! If only Central and South America has such a stabilizing major world power in close proximity they too would enjoy the wealth of their natural resources!

  South America has vast material potential but their political maturity is akin to a demented teenager bend on ruin! And central America has not faired any better! The few that rule range from incompetent to corrupt!

  And Mexico has never gotten his people into the twentieth century let alone the twenty first!

  To her credit Canada is a very stable and viable nation, with an abundance of natural resources and hard working well educated citizens. But its just too cold too long and there are just too few people to have a major impact on North America!

  So BY DEFAULT, we, the US, ....ARE AMERICA!

  Work hard, and come take that title away from us...if you can! Maverick
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  LittleToe

  I'd rather be called European than English
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  Xena

  I understand how you feel Ray, I try and be careful and use the term USA when refering to..well..the USA and not the entire continent of North America. I also try to use the term "British" when speaking of our kilted friend, cause we all know how he feels about being called "English" *see post above mine if you don't know *

  To be honest though it probably wasn't until I started posting here and coming in regular contact with people from other countries that I realized what a common mistake both those were, it's been a great learning experience (in more ways than this) coming in contact with so many different people from so many different places.
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  Guest 77

  "Will the real history teacher please stand-up! "

  Guest 77
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  AlanB

  South America has vast material potential but their political maturity is akin to a demented teenager bend on ruin! And central America has not faired any better! The few that rule range from incompetent to corrupt!

  ....... The United States, located in the middle of North America, as with their Southern & Central American neighbours, being a new country also demonstrate political maturaty akin to a teenager, in addition the widespread corruption, possession of some of the most advanced weapons of mass destruction and heavy handed and self advancing approach in Foriegn affairs makes the United States the most dangerous country on earth. The US contribute more pollution to the environment per head of population than any other single country. The US have also withdrawn from many international treaties limiting deployment of various weapons considered illegal by enlightened free states. The United States is currently ruled by a puppet president George W Bush, who came to power following an election rigged by his families oil cartel. The United States are responsible for the creation, funding and training of many South American & Al Queda terrorist networks, the former ensuring the instability of their southern neighbours during the 1960's & 70's, the latter created in the 1980's to fight the soviet forced in Afghanistan, having fallen out with its previous sponsor, Al Queda delivered the devastating attacks on the US in 2001. The following years have seen the US opinion world wide fall from major empathy to pariah state due to human rights abuses in the Guatanamo Bay concentration camp, reduction in civil liberties and the unprovoked illegal attack on a sovereign state in contravention of international law and a string of state sponsored genocide accross the developing world from the massacres in Indonesia (.5M dead) in the 1960's through to their funding of the terrorist state of Israel throughout most of the second half of the 20th century. The US are the only country to have used Atomic Weapons against an enemy during the attacks on the civilian populated cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

  ..... Just to put this into context...... A
• 

  RAYZORBLADE

  Hey Xena, well....it's totally A-OK fine, the term "America", and Maverick, that post was bang on!

  The USA, is the powerhouse of this continent. To deny it, would be foolish. We have only 10% of the population of the United States, and although we have the largest land mass of the continent....there's lots more snow than there are maple leaf eatin' Canucks up this way.

  When someone says "America", I'm so totally A-OK in its most obvious reference to my neighbours to the south: that's acceptable, and well....they've earned it. No problem there.

  America, is the United States, and their citizenship: American.

  But it's when you go 'overseas' you see how 'foriegners' use the term 'America' so loosely and many times, ignorantly.

  My neighbours to the south: I think we know each other pretty good. For what it's worth, I could think of 'worse' neighbours huh? (bats eyelashes).

  This is really a thread directed at the folks who reside on the east side of the north Atlantic.

  They'll refer to everything over 'this way' as America.

  Uh-uh, ain't so.

  North America, yes . America, hey that's my neighbour yer talkin' bout.

  (waits for Simon to insert his post about "The Rant" ) - give it an hour or two.....(taps foot waiting).

  Angharad, care to drop the link?
• 

  Sirona

  Littletoe:

  I'd rather be called European than English

  Hey! That is quite insulting. OK so English is European, but you seem to think that any nationality in Europe is better than being English. You may live in Scotland but you are actually english by birth, aren't you? My fiance has similar problems with being called English - the Scots seem to think that almost any nationality is OK except English. He'd support Scotland over England in football, despite the fact that he only spent the first 4 years of his life there and now lives here. Blah.

  Sorry to digress from the theme of the thread - just had to say that.

  Sirona

  Edited to clarify what I'd said..doh
• 

  outnfree

  Ray,

  I read

  "Maple Leaf eating Canuck"

  in your first post, and thought to myself ALL of them?

  But then I read

  "maple leaf eating' Canucks"

  So which type ARE you?

  Love from your Kissin' Cousin' to the South,

  out (who most always describes herself as living in "The States" but being "American")