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1. The name of the country is United States of America. Logically, citizens of the US can be called "Americans" when referring to their nationality. There is no other country with "America" in it's name.
2. If you're referring to what continent citizens in the continental USA are from, then you would call them North Americans. Few people identify themselves with what continent they are from except Australians and some Europeans (Despite that Australia is both a country and a continent); they usually identify themselves by their country first. Therefore, few US Citizens are going to refer to themselves as "North American".
-I'll also note that within the US, people often identify themselves according to their state more so than "American" (ie. a person from Texas is a Texan).
3. The term "American" does not have one exclusive definition. It can refer to both the people in the USA and to people from the American continents. Context will clarify which. Neither is inaccurate or a slight to the other.
4. The terms "Americans" or "American colonists" were used by the British way back when the USA was only a colony of Britain. After the USA was formed, people living in this new country continued to be referred to as Americans. So American people did not choose to call themselves that. If anyone presumed that people in the territory of what is now the USA were the only "Americans," then it was the British. The term is not exclusively used by US citizens either. Many other countries refer to US Citizens as "Americans" also.
5. What other alternative is there, that both evokes the culture of the people in the USA and rolls easily off the tongue? Yankee? Not to mention, the term "American" has a long history in being associated with US citizens and their culture, and to ignore that is arrogant. Basically, you'd be asking a whole nation to re-write its identity.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago"Yank" is short for "Yankee" which dates back to the American Revolution and even earlier to describe Americans.
British called Americans yankeedoodles for beliving we would become our own country.They thought we were crazy.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoOriginally the defining status of colonists from various countries was that they came to the Americas. When the region known as British America was subdivided by the Revolutionary War into the US and Canada, the thirteen colonies kept the name Americans rather than try to define some other name for their nationality.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoIt depends if you want to know what they are called to their faces or behind their backs. Among the derogatory names are:
- Ame-koh
- American't
- Amerikos
- Buddy Blaster
- Colonial
- Flash
- Great Satan
- Hamburger
- Imperialist
- Kano
- Pindos
- Uncle Scam
- Yank
- Yankee
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoBecause this is the United States of America.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoAmericans.
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What is the American expression for yanks?
its only people from New York area that are called yanks,its come from people who settled there from holland when New York was first know as new holland.where a lot of the population were called Jan or pronounced yan.so they were called the janks or yanks as its known today,much like we refer to the Irish as paddys or micks.
What Were US Soldiers Nickname?
Some were called Yanks or GI Joes.
Are people from Kentucky Yankees?
The term "Yankee" or "Yanks" was given to the Northern forces of the United States in the US Civil War. This excluded Kentucky which at first was neutral in that war. Later that changed, however, Kentuckians were never considered to be "Yankees". Later in history, the term "Yanks" was used to describe the Americans. This was a term used often by France & Great Britain in WW1.
What was the confederacys' plan for the civil war?
Drive out the Yanks.
Who was Billy Yanks opponent?
"Billy Yanks" -a nickname for the U.S. Military in the Northern States by the South, their opponents were the soldiers-saliors and marines of the Confederate States of America, otherwise known as "Johnny Reb".
Who invented the Yanks during World War 2?
the Yanks were what British called Americans short for Yankees
What was the slang for American?
Americans are usually called Yanks, short for Yankees.
Americans known as Tommies during World War 2?
The Americans were called Joes or Yanks. The British (particularly the English) were called Tommies
Do Yanks have footpaths?
Americans'* do have footpaths but they call them 'sidewalks'
What were American solidiers in World War 1 called?
Most probably "yanks" or even simply "the Americans". I have now found out that they were called Dough Boys!
What is a yank World War 2?
During World War II, British soldiers and civilians referred to Americans as yanks - from Yankees. The Americans called the British limeys.
What was the nickname for Americans in World War 1?
Doughboys. Yanks.
Do Yanks drink tea?
Yes, tea is a popular beverage for Americans.
What is a nickname for Americans?
the United States' nickname is America
Is Yanks capitalized?
Yes, "Yanks" should be capitalized when referring to the New York Yankees baseball team or when used as a slang term for Americans. In other contexts, it may not be capitalized.
Do yanks have foots-path?
Course they do, there called sidewalks.
What were the American soldiers called in World War 2?
They were called the Yanks or Yankees
