here's life

It always has seemed a little odd that people from the United States
call themselves "Americans". Come on, the United States has only 39%
of the land mass of North America! Then there's all of South
America that's being slighted as well. It appears that use of
"America" or "Americans" in to refer to United States and it's
citizens is limited to self-reference---the rest of the world knows better.
So, what is the reason for this pseudonomenclature? Is it because of
some vestiges of the Monroe Doctrine? Is it just our inflated ego
makes us think that we are the only people to exist on this chunk of
dirt that comprises 28% of the earth's dry land? Why do we insist that
"Americans" are "Citizens of the United States of America"?

I think it is pretty simple, and probably not intentionally malicious.
It's an identity crisis issue. Most of the rest of the countries in
the world have a name: Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Principality
of Andorra. And the people in these counties have names: Congolese,
Pakistanis, Andorrans. The United States of America doesn't really
have a name, just a descriptive title. So, rather than calling
ourselves "United States of Americans", or "US of A-ites", or
"USians", we just go with "Americans". Not very clever, and rather
ambiguous, seen as slighting by the rest of the great people who share
these continents with US.

What is the solution? Should we come up with some name to set us
apart, so we can have a unique identity?

# posted by abu : 10:11 PM