Well, everybody born in the american continent is technically “american” too, including Central and South America. Is there a specific term in english for these people?

Edit: Thanks for all your answers, especially the wholesome ones and those patient enough to explain it thoroughly. Since we (South Americans) and you (North Americans) use different models/conventions of continent boundaries, it makes sense for you to go by “Americans”, while it doesn’t for us.

  • donuts@kbin.social
    1310·
    1 year ago

    Learn about the states and call them by their state name like we do in the US: (washingtonians, oregonians, californians, and so on.)

    Internationally people love making fun of Americans for knowing little about geography, but it’s always a bit surprising to find out how little people in other countries know about US geography considering many of our states are bigger (size-wise) than many entire countries.

    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
      81·
      1 year ago

      Ok but there’s 50 and most are basically interchangeable to anyone not from there. The difference between Indiana and Illinois to basically anyone not in or bordering them is one has Chicago and the other doesn’t. And those are two of the most politically different states due to the aforementioned Chicago. Cleveland may as well be in Michigan for all some random German has any reason to care. It matters to them as much as it matters to me which kingdom Bonn was in. And which Dakota is which, as an Ohioan not only do I not know, I also don’t care. Oklahoma is basically texas and Wyoming is a national park with a state of disgrace stapled on. And that’s not even getting into the mess of New England.

      I don’t expect French people to know which one Ohio is and I’m not gonna be mad if they don’t know of it, in the same way I know of Bordeaux but have no idea where it is beyond somewhere in France. I know a handful of Mexican states so I suppose they probably know of the big ones and the bordering ones

    • AlexTheTurtle@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      81·
      1 year ago

      Why would ppl from other countries know the internal division of the US. Thats like asking ppl to know brazillian regions. Or russian ones, or Chinese ones. Those are equally big countries but ppl are not expected to know those internal borders and names.

      People make fun of Americans not only because they were ignorant of global geography, but also because they didnt generally show much interest in it. It is a response to american exceptiolism i think. Making fun of those that think that the USA is the best country and all that really matters.

      Still i dont find making fun of Americans for that very funny. Specially because its not that true anymore.

    • atomWood@lemm.ee
      71·
      1 year ago

      That’s actually incredibly unrealistic.

      Just about every county in the world is divided into provinces/states/territories.