30 Jan 14
Originally posted by Great Big SteesI don't know why we do that. I think most Swedes say USA and I do too mostly, but I like the word America too.
I have a question. Why is the United States of America (USA) referred, mostly by people from countries other than those in the Americas, as America?
30 Jan 14
Originally posted by huckleberryhound"... Although some people use Holland when they are referring to the country of the Netherlands, Holland is actually a region on the west coast of Netherlands. Two of Netherlands' 12 provinces are North Holland and South Holland - and together they constitute Holland..."
The same reason The Netherlands is referred to as "Holland"
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Holland_vs_Netherlands
30 Jan 14
Originally posted by Great Big SteesThey don't. I've heard it called 'The United States', 'The US', 'USA' and 'America' equally. Just a lazy abbreviation.
I have a question. Why is the United States of America (USA) referred, mostly by people from countries other than those in the Americas, as America?
A bit hard to do with Canada. 'The Can' 'Nada'? Nah, doesn't work does it? 😛
30 Jan 14
Originally posted by Great Big SteesWhen I was young, most people talked about America, not USA. That changed eventually - perhaps to be more exact about the United States and to exclude Central and South America. Maybe.
I have a question. Why is the United States of America (USA) referred, mostly by people from countries other than those in the Americas, as America?
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30 Jan 14
Originally posted by Great Big SteesI went here and was surprised to see so many similar examples.
I have a question. Why is the United States of America (USA) referred, mostly by people from countries other than those in the Americas, as America?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states
My theory: the states that make up the USA and thus the framers, wanted the nation to be known as a union of states, a federation, not as a single national state. (Local pride and a little justified paranoia over the potential for tyranny and dissolution of the states as such.)
At the time also, America was a geographical designation.
So, telling the world where we were, and what we were, and proclaiming independence from Europe was best accomplished by the name "United States (we are states, united) of America (and we are here on the map).
And as that link shows, it's not an unusual transition from "the peoples republic (or whatever) of Elbonia" to "Elbonia."
The Monroe Doctrine came along and said, "The Americas are our sphere of influence. Got it?"
"The Monroe Doctrine was a policy of the United States introduced on December 2, 1823. It stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression, requiring U.S. intervention." (wiki)