So, in light of it being July 4th, I have a question for the Americans
 

Why do you figure it is that the United States was never given it's own name... and what would you name it?

I mean... ok, put it this way, Canada is what this country is called, Jamaica is what that country is called... but the United States isn't so much a name, it's what it is... it's a description more than a name... it's 50 states united.

I figure this is why people from the US are called Americans... I mean, Canada is in North America as well, but we're Canadians. People are from Mexico are calls Mexicans... most countries have a name to call their inhabitants... but the US has "Americans."

So, what do you think would have been a good name for the US instead of the US?

Ok, let's call it Pimptopia.. happy?

Shit disturber.. :winkwink:

Heh, I like that. So that would make you a Pimptonian then, correct? :winkwink:

Canada's Big Brother

Fo' sure. Damn someone registered that domain already. :BangBang:

Actually, Canada is derived from the word "kanata" which in Huron-Iroquois language means "village" or "settlement".

http://www.canadianaconnection.com/cca/name_canada.htm

So you're just a description aswell. I'd stick with United States.

Every word comes from some other word... but Canada itself is just a name. It's not a definition.. it came from a definition.

United States is hardly a new word derived from some other language.

Americans.. Who made that name official? Did they think they were alone on the continent..? :flagface

I just want it to be said that I have nothing agains the name "The United States".. I just think it could be fun to think of some other names that the US could have ended up with.

Calling someone a "United Station" instead of an "American" would be kind of weird.

Thats why you call em texans or californians or new yorkers etc.

Yeah, but you're a British Columbian just as much as a Canadian... so... why can't a Texan be a... uhmm... United Station?

Fuzebox, I'm so gonna hurt you for that. :BangBang:

Bah, I cant see you hurting anyone...

United Station sounds like a dance music radio broadcast...

he lives 4 floors down from me now, I could drop stuff on his head :winkwink:

Actually that sounds like fun, but no.. you're right. I couldn't do it.

Some names I came up with....


New Britain

Kickassistan

Lower Nukegolia

Betterthanyoustria

Slowa (opposite of Rush-ia)

Aggressoronia

I have an idea, Why don't you answer your own question and then tell us what you think, what do you think?:disgust

I would argue that the name of the country is 'America'. The word 'America' is a word that defines a continent but it is also used to refer to a country within that continent (as well as to the divided continents of North and South America).

Names are nouns. The head noun of the phrase "United States of America" is the noun "America". The phrase 'United States of America' is an extended name, a descriptive phrase if you will -- the same way that 'The Republic of Macedonia' is the extended name of 'Macedonia'.

Evidence for this: the suffix -an means roughly 'person who lives in country X', where X stands for the country denoted by the root or base word the suffix is attached to. e.g.,

Germany + -an = German = "person who resides in Germany."
Macedonia + -an = Macedonian = "person who resides in Macedonia."
Italy + -an = Italian = "person who resides in Italy."

by analogy ...

America + -an = American = "person who resides in the country, not continent, of America."

Another piece of evidence for this can be summarized in the following way: One of the ways in which the meanings of words change is by either by 'extending' or 'reducing' their frame of reference over time. At one point in the history of English, the word 'hound' ment the same thing that the word 'dog' means today. It referred to the class of dogs in general. Now it refers only to a specific breed of dog. Thus, it's scope of reference has reduced over time. The word 'America' is in the process of doing the same thing, although it still retains both meanings currently - continent AND country.

SOUTH CANADA

We are not alone in our name style. You just have an ethnocentric way of looking at country names. Nice try though.

america

Ragheadstompia

When did I say that the United States was the only one named in such a way?

USSR = United Soviet Socialist Republic
UAE = United Arab Emirates (sp?)
UK = United Kingdom

Just to name a few.

Ok, so come up with some new names for them too if you want, I just figured it would be neat to do the US since it is the 4th of July and all.

Canada, Mexico and the US - all North America. You're all Americans!!! Happy Now?

Canada Jr

Taxes R Us

USSR --- aka Russia
UK -- refers to a group of countries under one rule... Great Britain, or Britain.
UAE -- this may be one exception.

Hahaha... somehow I don't think that one would go over very well :winkwink:

I think that one suits Canada better actually.

MUCH better name for Canada :)

not sure what you are trying to prove... we figured out american was in reference to America... the question why Americans (and America)? WHats the story/reasoning behind naming the country like the continent...?

God damn, I never thought of that :helpme

well soon there will United States of Europe as well.. Dont think they will come up with a different name then