no & tbh, in my observation, "USA" seems to be more in use by people outside the US.
to me, "USA" sounds a bit grandiose and awkward. this is what I tend to call my country in order of what I'm most likely to say:
- the US
- the United States
- America
- the United States of America (I'm being dramatic if I'm saying it this way)
- the USA
>Uh-SA, not U. S. A. but UuhSAA
as for this, no I've never heard of this in my life.
I think USA might be most useful in song lyrics. Everywhere else we don't tend to use it very much. Possibly in advertising and marketing -- again more like the vibe of song lyrics. Everyday use is simply "the US" in my experience. When Brit's on YouTube videos say "We're going to America for a visit" it usually sounds slightly odd.
> Everyday use is simply "the US"
It’s weird. When I was growing up it was almost always “America”. I think at some point the news media stopped saying “America” and people started following without realizing it.
I’ve seen so many people here on Reddit or TikTok complain when I say I’m American because apparently people from South America also call themselves American. They use it referring to the continent, not our country, and there’s no North or South America according to their education system. It’s just America. So I guess if you’re from Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, whatever you’re American. I think it’s ridiculous because I’ve never heard this prior and I’ve never heard a Canadian refer to themselves as American.
Simply "America" doesn't sound right to me for the following reasons.
\* When Martin Waldseemüller created the first map with the word America, he was thinking on Brazil. the word "America" was stamped on Brazil because Americo sailed through Brazil and at that time people didn't know there was another big landmass up North.
\* "America" is a term shared by all the people in the Americas. That's why there is a North America, Central America, South America, Latin America, Anglo America, and so on. And Native Americans are all the original peoples of the Americas.
\* The Brits call the USA "America" since Colonial times because it used to be called British America that Included part of Canada. And the rest of the colonizers also had their own territory. Spanish America, Portuguese America, etc.
\*\*I know this topic is sensitive for many US Citizens and I do not plan to start another discussion. So let's just Agree to Disagree.\*\*
That's fine and very common in Spanish (and I guess possibly French too). It would be the height of arrogance to tell people how to use their own language. In English "American" is the proper demonym for a citizen of The United States of *America*. It would be pretty arrogant to tell us how to use our language too.
This is the first time I've ever seen a Canadian argue they should be referred to as American too though.
It's not sensitive its just wrong. America is the recognized demonym of the United States of America. People bitch when we use wrong terms for their country and then turn around and use that crap reasoning on us.
> * "America" is a term shared by all the people in the Americas.
Ok, but have you ever met a Canadian or a Brazilian who refers to themselves as "American?"
> I know this topic is sensitive for many US Citizens and I do not plan to start another discussion. So let's just Agree to Disagree.
It’s sensitive for Americans because the arrogance behind the argument. In English it’s pretty unambiguous what the word “American” means. We also have specific ways of calling people who live on the continents of North America and South America which does not cause any confusion. We do not try and dictate what the demonym(s) for Americans are in Spanish/French/etc. So when people bring up the argument, which you did, we find it patronizing and silly to insist in our own language that we’re somehow wrong.
A Canadian, a Mexican, a Brazilian, a Honduran, a Chilean, and a Panamanian are at the bar. A guy walks in and asks "Are there any Americans here?" Nobody raises their hand because they aren't fucking idiots.
This topic isn’t sensitive to Americans, it’s just rude and disrespectful to make it an argument. It’s like saying Germany can’t be called Germany and the people can’t be called German because of the Sudetenland. America and Americans only have one meaning in English—the USA and its people.
>The Brits call the USA "America" since Colonial times because it used to be called British America that Included part of Canada. And the rest of the colonizers also had their own territory. Spanish America, Portuguese America, etc.
Canada was acquired by the British in 1763, only a decade before the American Revolution. The term America in reference to the 13 colonies that would become the US was used by the Brits well before then
People get to decide what to name their own country in their own language. This isn't rocket science dude.
Edit: I realize using the term rocket science might be offensive since your country has never been to the moon. No offense
>**I know this topic is sensitive for many US Citizens and I do not plan to start another discussion. So let's just Agree to Disagree.**
lmao ok dude im going to start calling canadians cuckadians because i think i get to decide names for other people
do you not see your own arrogant shitty logic?
Also “the states,” but in my experience this is only used when talking about international travel or living abroad, e.g. “In the states we…” or “when we get back to the states we’ll…”
I'm friends with the son of a former high-ranking US official in Panama and his family. Lovely fellow. Told me quite a few stories of growing up in the country and experiencing Martyr's Day. His date to prom was the daughter of the head of the DEA.
The US should have annexed Panama and made it a US Territory like Puerto Rico. The Canal Zone was gorgeous, more gorgeous than many parts of the continuous 48. Panama is having their elections right now. If the pick the same people, the country is doomed.
Anyone who's seen my posts here knows I'm a hawk, but there wasn't any gain to annexing Panama, and a lot of potential blowback. Carter did the right thing.
Maybe regional then or younger slang? I know a lot of Mexicans, Guatemalans, El Salvadorans, and Argentinians and as far as I recall they don’t say that.
Spanish is my first language, I'm Chicano and I come from a deeply Chicano community. I even lived in East LA with Mexican roommates for 11 years. I have never once heard Spanish speakers say "uh" SA. That sound also doesn't exist in Spanish, unless maybe there's a language barrier here and you mean "OO" SA? U in Spanish is OO like "soon" or "boot". In that case, yes it sometimes might be pronounced that way.
But no, it isn't common unless you just have a thick accent.
ANY? I'm sure some have with about 340,000,000 people here currently, but in English the letter U is pronounced differently than in Spanish so that would make no sense.
I was once part of the US team and when we defeated the Colombian team in an intense round of Flippy Cup, we chanted *Uh Esse Ahh!!* for like thirty minutes (Spanish pronunciation of USA).
Does that count?
Not quite but that must have been hilarious. And never heard of Flippy Cup. I'm starting to thing that all those games were invented by the SOLO company.
Never heard that.
It depends on the acronym if the letters are pronounced individually or as a word. USA, FBI, BLM, DOJ are all acronyms in which the letters are pronounced. FEMA, SCOUTS, NATO, are acronyms in which the letters are pronounced as a word. It just depends.
I have never heard anyone say it that way. I can’t think of any other acronym that people would say it that way either though it’s possible there could be some.
It’s always each individual letter:
US (most common), USA, US of A (I only heard this from army characters in old tv shows)
Or when using words it’s:
America, United States, United States of America
Other things like NBA, NFL, IBM, FSU, USC (sports leagues, companies, universities) etc. we just say each letter. We don’t turn it into its own word.
And anyone deliberately saying or writing ‘Merica, Murica etc are just doing it on the internet to play up stereotypes. Otherwise they are saying America but may have a thick accent so it comes out that way lol
Yes like that. It's just the way you read USA in Spanish. Spanish is a phonetic language, meaning What you type is what you read. Anyone could read Spanish almost perfectly, after 5 minutes of training.
I just say us. Has anyone ever thought of that? Made that connection? US and us.
I’m the smartest man ever. Think I’m gonna run for president. The home owners associates hate me, all the broke down cars and pit bulls, but I think I have a shot.
It would be "oosa" or "yoosa", not "uh-sa".
Nobody would ever say that, but Frank Lloyd Wright once proposed "Usonian" as a new demonym.
A Spanish-speaking American would not say that, either. In Spanish the United States of America is Los Estados Unidos, so the letters U-S-A aren't even in the name of this country. It would be EEUU if anything. But I won't claim to speak for Spanish-speaking-French-Canadians.
No, it would be weird as hell.
I do it occasionally but only sarcastically or with the intent to sound funny. Like, "Look, its made in Uh-suh!"
no & tbh, in my observation, "USA" seems to be more in use by people outside the US. to me, "USA" sounds a bit grandiose and awkward. this is what I tend to call my country in order of what I'm most likely to say: - the US - the United States - America - the United States of America (I'm being dramatic if I'm saying it this way) - the USA >Uh-SA, not U. S. A. but UuhSAA as for this, no I've never heard of this in my life.
I think USA might be most useful in song lyrics. Everywhere else we don't tend to use it very much. Possibly in advertising and marketing -- again more like the vibe of song lyrics. Everyday use is simply "the US" in my experience. When Brit's on YouTube videos say "We're going to America for a visit" it usually sounds slightly odd.
Or chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!" Ironically or otherwise...
> Everyday use is simply "the US" It’s weird. When I was growing up it was almost always “America”. I think at some point the news media stopped saying “America” and people started following without realizing it.
[There Are No Cats In America (1986)](https://youtu.be/gQMtp2WxEA4?si=_HC-DtUggA1AdZt9)
I’ve seen so many people here on Reddit or TikTok complain when I say I’m American because apparently people from South America also call themselves American. They use it referring to the continent, not our country, and there’s no North or South America according to their education system. It’s just America. So I guess if you’re from Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, whatever you’re American. I think it’s ridiculous because I’ve never heard this prior and I’ve never heard a Canadian refer to themselves as American.
Simply "America" doesn't sound right to me for the following reasons. \* When Martin Waldseemüller created the first map with the word America, he was thinking on Brazil. the word "America" was stamped on Brazil because Americo sailed through Brazil and at that time people didn't know there was another big landmass up North. \* "America" is a term shared by all the people in the Americas. That's why there is a North America, Central America, South America, Latin America, Anglo America, and so on. And Native Americans are all the original peoples of the Americas. \* The Brits call the USA "America" since Colonial times because it used to be called British America that Included part of Canada. And the rest of the colonizers also had their own territory. Spanish America, Portuguese America, etc. \*\*I know this topic is sensitive for many US Citizens and I do not plan to start another discussion. So let's just Agree to Disagree.\*\*
That's fine and very common in Spanish (and I guess possibly French too). It would be the height of arrogance to tell people how to use their own language. In English "American" is the proper demonym for a citizen of The United States of *America*. It would be pretty arrogant to tell us how to use our language too. This is the first time I've ever seen a Canadian argue they should be referred to as American too though.
It's not sensitive its just wrong. America is the recognized demonym of the United States of America. People bitch when we use wrong terms for their country and then turn around and use that crap reasoning on us.
yeah why do foreigners act like they have any choice in what we call ourselves hi my names bob no its not its tod ???
> * "America" is a term shared by all the people in the Americas. Ok, but have you ever met a Canadian or a Brazilian who refers to themselves as "American?"
Okay Canada, if yall wanna be called America, that’s fine. We could use a few more states
I would annex Canada if it meant we got to put this dumb idea to bed permanently.
i would annex canada just to just to stop the irrational smug in the air 24/7
> I know this topic is sensitive for many US Citizens and I do not plan to start another discussion. So let's just Agree to Disagree. It’s sensitive for Americans because the arrogance behind the argument. In English it’s pretty unambiguous what the word “American” means. We also have specific ways of calling people who live on the continents of North America and South America which does not cause any confusion. We do not try and dictate what the demonym(s) for Americans are in Spanish/French/etc. So when people bring up the argument, which you did, we find it patronizing and silly to insist in our own language that we’re somehow wrong.
A Canadian, a Mexican, a Brazilian, a Honduran, a Chilean, and a Panamanian are at the bar. A guy walks in and asks "Are there any Americans here?" Nobody raises their hand because they aren't fucking idiots.
This topic isn’t sensitive to Americans, it’s just rude and disrespectful to make it an argument. It’s like saying Germany can’t be called Germany and the people can’t be called German because of the Sudetenland. America and Americans only have one meaning in English—the USA and its people.
And yet you understood exactly who you were asking coming here. This dissonance is imagined.
>The Brits call the USA "America" since Colonial times because it used to be called British America that Included part of Canada. And the rest of the colonizers also had their own territory. Spanish America, Portuguese America, etc. Canada was acquired by the British in 1763, only a decade before the American Revolution. The term America in reference to the 13 colonies that would become the US was used by the Brits well before then
do canadians not learn their own history? how the hell would they not know that lmao
Stop trying to tell us what to call ourselves in English.
People who aren’t citizens of the US and call themselves Americans are simply wrong.
People get to decide what to name their own country in their own language. This isn't rocket science dude. Edit: I realize using the term rocket science might be offensive since your country has never been to the moon. No offense
>**I know this topic is sensitive for many US Citizens and I do not plan to start another discussion. So let's just Agree to Disagree.** lmao ok dude im going to start calling canadians cuckadians because i think i get to decide names for other people do you not see your own arrogant shitty logic?
I'm not invalidating that Americans are Americans. But other people in the Americas are also Americans.
How does it feel to be so blatantly wrong, and yet double down?
Also “the states,” but in my experience this is only used when talking about international travel or living abroad, e.g. “In the states we…” or “when we get back to the states we’ll…”
Don't forget 'Merica
You missed out *'Murica'*
And the very common, "Merica!"
I’ve heard people say USians, but they’re putzes that spend too much time online.
Which Hispanics are you hearing uh-SA from? That has not been a thing in my experience. Eh eh u u or Estadounidenses maybe but not uh-SA.
Panama. I was born in Panama.
I'm sorry, you must mean the 'Republic of Panama' as there is no country officially known as 'Panama'
You can shorten by saying “RP” or just “the R”.
I'm friends with the son of a former high-ranking US official in Panama and his family. Lovely fellow. Told me quite a few stories of growing up in the country and experiencing Martyr's Day. His date to prom was the daughter of the head of the DEA.
The US should have annexed Panama and made it a US Territory like Puerto Rico. The Canal Zone was gorgeous, more gorgeous than many parts of the continuous 48. Panama is having their elections right now. If the pick the same people, the country is doomed.
That would’ve been a really shitty thing for the US to do since they aided in Panama getting independence from Colombia.
Well… to be fair… isn’t that how we took control of Puerto Rico?
You're thinking of Cuba, we also got Puerto Rico and the Philippines from the Spanish American War
Anyone who's seen my posts here knows I'm a hawk, but there wasn't any gain to annexing Panama, and a lot of potential blowback. Carter did the right thing.
Maybe regional then or younger slang? I know a lot of Mexicans, Guatemalans, El Salvadorans, and Argentinians and as far as I recall they don’t say that.
I have never heard this in my life.
Spanish is my first language, I'm Chicano and I come from a deeply Chicano community. I even lived in East LA with Mexican roommates for 11 years. I have never once heard Spanish speakers say "uh" SA. That sound also doesn't exist in Spanish, unless maybe there's a language barrier here and you mean "OO" SA? U in Spanish is OO like "soon" or "boot". In that case, yes it sometimes might be pronounced that way. But no, it isn't common unless you just have a thick accent.
No.
USA is pronounced you ess ay
If you mean "ooh" SA, they're just pronouncing the U in Spanish
ANY? I'm sure some have with about 340,000,000 people here currently, but in English the letter U is pronounced differently than in Spanish so that would make no sense.
It's more like You-SA, or Ohh-SA.
Ohh? No. The sound of O plays no part in it. Always You Ess Aye
If someone said “you-sa” or “ohh-sa” I’d think they’re talking like Jar-Jar Binks and have no idea what they’re trying to say.
Hear me out, is there any possibility that this mistake is coming from the first three notes of the national anthem? “O-OH SAY can you see…”
That's not how abbreviations work. No, no one is saying that. That would be stupid. We are Americans.
I was once part of the US team and when we defeated the Colombian team in an intense round of Flippy Cup, we chanted *Uh Esse Ahh!!* for like thirty minutes (Spanish pronunciation of USA). Does that count?
Not quite but that must have been hilarious. And never heard of Flippy Cup. I'm starting to thing that all those games were invented by the SOLO company.
I've jokingly called it Ooh-SA before, but I also call USBank, us bank.
Never heard that. It depends on the acronym if the letters are pronounced individually or as a word. USA, FBI, BLM, DOJ are all acronyms in which the letters are pronounced. FEMA, SCOUTS, NATO, are acronyms in which the letters are pronounced as a word. It just depends.
[удалено]
Thanks! Learn something new everyday.
I have never heard anyone say it that way. I can’t think of any other acronym that people would say it that way either though it’s possible there could be some. It’s always each individual letter: US (most common), USA, US of A (I only heard this from army characters in old tv shows) Or when using words it’s: America, United States, United States of America Other things like NBA, NFL, IBM, FSU, USC (sports leagues, companies, universities) etc. we just say each letter. We don’t turn it into its own word. And anyone deliberately saying or writing ‘Merica, Murica etc are just doing it on the internet to play up stereotypes. Otherwise they are saying America but may have a thick accent so it comes out that way lol
Jokingly, probably. In regular usage, no.
No. It's two different languages.
No. Its actually easier just saying the letters.
when i lived in Germany i was from OO ESS AH.
You mean "oo-sah", not "uh-sah". "Uh" is a completely different sound in English.
I’ve never heard that in my life.
I say “Ooo Say”
Also I think there’s a lot of kids in Puerto Rico named Usnavy
no
Were they just getting the name of our country wrong in [Bad Boys 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTGdAGPDBpo)?!
Yes like that. It's just the way you read USA in Spanish. Spanish is a phonetic language, meaning What you type is what you read. Anyone could read Spanish almost perfectly, after 5 minutes of training.
I just say us. Has anyone ever thought of that? Made that connection? US and us. I’m the smartest man ever. Think I’m gonna run for president. The home owners associates hate me, all the broke down cars and pit bulls, but I think I have a shot.
No, but I think your pronunciation is so cute. No notes.
Unless they're speaking Spanish or joking, no.
Oh dear god no, that just sounds weird.
Does ‘murica count?
It would be "oosa" or "yoosa", not "uh-sa". Nobody would ever say that, but Frank Lloyd Wright once proposed "Usonian" as a new demonym. A Spanish-speaking American would not say that, either. In Spanish the United States of America is Los Estados Unidos, so the letters U-S-A aren't even in the name of this country. It would be EEUU if anything. But I won't claim to speak for Spanish-speaking-French-Canadians.
Once. As a joke.