ubzrvnT t1_jbf41o7 wrote on March 8, 2023 at 4:29 PM

Reply to comment by ocasas in Humans Started Riding Horses 5,000 Years Ago, New Evidence Suggests by Magister_Xehanort

Yeah I understand that. The dude said "American history." When someone says "American history" in any context, do you immediately include and think of all North American history? No.

ocasas t1_jbfdwec wrote on March 8, 2023 at 5:32 PM

Yeah, I do. That's how I was taught: Historia de América Do you think America just spontaneously happened when discovered?

This is what happens when the people from USA co-opt the name of the whole continent just for their country. What comes to your mind when I say European history?

ubzrvnT t1_jbfhkxc wrote on March 8, 2023 at 5:55 PM

All of Europe comes to mind because Europe is a specific continent. I was taught there are seven continents. Are you only taught there are six? When you say "America, or American history" you're including South America in all that context?

ocasas t1_jbfx83d wrote on March 8, 2023 at 7:34 PM

Yeah, that's how it is taught in most romance language speaking countries: Six continents one of those being America.

And yes, when we say "American history", we include North, Central and South America there. Hence why when you say 'americans had llamas?' I don't think of the US founding fathers, but of the Incas.

Don't you think it is weird to have your country co-opt the name of it's continent? America inside North America? Imagine calling someone from Louisiana 'south american', you have to get by using 'southern'.

The only other country I can't think of of this happening is South Africa, but they always use 'South' so there is no mistaking it for anything else.

ubzrvnT t1_jbgbzsf wrote on March 8, 2023 at 9:06 PM

Pretty simple. You and I were taught two different continental systems. What do you call someone from the United States?

ubzrvnT t1_jbggjmp wrote on March 8, 2023 at 9:35 PM

Also, I wouldn't call someone from Louisiana "South American" because I was taught South America was a different continent. I would be more inclined to think you might call a Canadian or a Brazilian an "American" since all Americas are one giant continent in romance language education.

ocasas t1_jbgprnd wrote on March 8, 2023 at 10:34 PM

Canadians, Brazilians, Argentinians, Mexicans, etc. are all Americans, since they all are from 'America'.

The bit about Louisiana, what I'm trying to say is since the USA co-opted the name 'America' for the country, you can't call the south of your country 'south America' or the north 'north America'. It's confusing!! So you just go by 'The South' because 'America's South' or 'American South' is confusing as well!

ocasas t1_jbgns5k wrote on March 8, 2023 at 10:21 PM

In spanish: Estadounidense. [Royal Spanish Academy on the subject] (https://www.rae.es/dpd/Estados%20Unidos) <- see number 4: "It souldn't be forgotten that America is the name of the whole continent and every inhabitant is american." The Royal Spanish Academy has final say on everything concerning the spanish language.
In english, it's a bit tricky: 'American' is the accepted demonym, but Merriam-Webster, Cambridge, Oxford Learner's and dictionary.com list 'American' as an inhabitant of the continent, but also an inhabitant of the USA. So 'american', as a demonym for someone from the USA, is not very useful. Hence our problem with 'American history': USA history? or the continent history? Although Merriam-Webster does list United Statesian as a native from the USA.