Tim C. said...

> On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:29:51 -0500, Andy wrote in post :
> > :
>
>> We're Americans. USAians is a derogatory thing to say, imho!
>
> What convenient, short term would you use to distinguish citizens of the
> USA from others on the American continents?


Every country comprising all the "Americas" fly their own flags that
distinguishes them as unique and individual nations. For Brazil, we know
them as Brazilian. Peru, Peruvians, Argentina, Argentineans. Would a
Brazilian say he was from South America without losing a sense of their
national pride?

A similar example can be drawn with Asia and Asians. It's a general thing
when speaking collectively about the Far East countries. But we distinguish
them as unique and individual nations. Chinese for China, Japanese for
Japan, etc.

You wouldn't call a travel agent and book a flight to Tokyo, Asia or
Acapulco, Central America, or Montreal, North America would you?!

BTW, American is only four syllables, USAians is five syllables (USA-i-an).
American is THE convenient short term. Granted USAian is too commonly used
and it IS too late to bring it up for further debate but it's not in my
vocabulary.

Andy
American, not North American or USAian