Knowledge (XXG)

Demonyms for the United States

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in both its original Pan-American sense, but also in its United States sense: Federalist Paper 24 refers to the "American possessions" of Britain and Spain (i.e. land outside of the United States) while Federalist Papers 51 and 70 refer to the United States as "the American republic". People from the
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in all forms of the English language now chiefly refers to natives or citizens of the United States, though other senses are generally specified with a qualifier such as Latin American or North American.
62:. All forms of English may refer to US citizens as Americans, a term deriving from the United States of America, the country's official name. In the English context, it came to refer to inhabitants of 1280: 1438: 829:
The only officially and commonly used alternative for referring to the people of the United States in English is to refer to them as citizens of that country. Another alternative is
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International speakers of English generally refer to people from the United States as Americans while equivalent translations of American are used in many other languages, namely
975:, though it has been applied to Americans in general since the 18th century, especially by the British. The earliest recorded use in this context is in a 1784 letter by 532: 1033: 203:] States of America", making the first formal use of the country name, which was officially adopted in 1777 by the nation's first governing constitution, the 30: 1277: 1404: 194: 234:
United States increasingly referred to themselves as Americans through the end of the 18th century and the 1795 Treaty of Peace and Amity with the
1298:„Liste der Staatennamen und deren Ableitungen in den vom Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten verwendeten Formen“ 243: 1223: 1625: 1593: 687:, there are distinct words for American in the continental sense and American in the national sense. The United States of America is called 517: 1100: 1310: 1127: 167: 572: 555:
also refers to all the inhabitants of the continents of North and South America, or can be used to refer to Hispanic Americans.
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This article is about demonyms for the people of the United States at large. For demonyms of people from individual states, see
1165: 1635: 59: 1143: 1547: 963:) is a colloquial term for Americans in English; cognates can be found in other languages. Within the United States, 108:. There are various other local and colloquial names for Americans. The name America came from the Italian navigator 1389: 226: 66:, and then the United States. There is some linguistic ambiguity over this use due to the other senses of the word 38: 1082: 204: 135:
first demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies did not represent Asia's eastern outskirts as conjectured by
1087: 477: 175: 144: 1408: 1297: 972: 174:
for people of European descent dates to the 17th century, with the earliest recorded appearance being in
983: 528: 494:. The respective guidelines of the foreign ministries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland all dictate 1025: 757: 649: 152: 136: 731:). There are separate demonyms derived from each word and a United States citizen is referred to as 242:
spoke to his people of "he name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity" in his
1227: 629: 625: 350: 101: 1068: 246:. Eventually, this usage spread through other English-speaking countries and the unqualified noun 1630: 847: 282: 214: 840:
Several single-word English alternatives for American have been suggested over time, especially
17: 139:, but instead constituted an entirely separate landmass hitherto unknown to the peoples of the 1640: 1589: 1123: 312: 294: 239: 209: 81: 1499: 1117: 684: 510: 412: 360: 260: 132: 109: 97: 85: 1311:„Verzeichnis der Staatennamen für den amtlichen Gebrauch in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland“ 1461: 1455: 1393: 1284: 1011: 793:. Only in formal contexts is the United States referred to by the long-form official name 435: 381: 340: 324: 187: 124: 77: 68: 63: 976: 810: 270: 235: 1248: 1619: 1582: 1492: 862: 470:) is more common in scientific, official, journalistic, and colloquial parlance. The 408:(United States), while much rarer, is occasionally used, including by some scholars. 222: 170:
and subsequently to European settlers and their descendants. English use of the term
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collected a number of proposals from between 1789 and 1939, finding terms including
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is mostly used in colloquial speech, but the term usually used in the press is
1325:"El gentilicio recomendado, por ser el de uso mayoritario, es estadounidense" 1001: 851: 1606: 1164:
Articles of Confederation, Article 1. Available at the Library of Congress'
760: 598: 163: 140: 55: 781:, is the standard term for an American. The United States itself is called 304: 1555: 1261:
Vademecum. Der sprachlich-technische Leitfaden der «Neuen Zürcher Zeitung»
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and thus its use as a demonym for the United States derives by extension.
1381: 746: 724: 702: 677: 218: 73: 1326: 1263:, 13th edition. Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Zürich 2013, p. 102, s. v. 486:
as both "unnecessary" and "artificial" and recommends replacing it with
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Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten:
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to refer to people from the United States, while others, particularly
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Nevertheless, no alternative to "American" is common in English.
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Diccionario de la Lengua Española. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
593:), but the word usually carries a disparaging connotation; in 199: 1276:
Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten:
482:, a leading German-language newspaper, dismisses the term 1459:(1994:88). First published in the December 1947 issue of 1251:. From The Avalon Project. Retrieved November 10, 2008. 925:. Names for broader categories include terms such as 180:
The English-American: A New Survey of the West Indies
104:, primarily use terms derived from United States or 1328:
Real Academia Española. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
575:colloquial speech, Americans may be referred to as 1581: 1491: 1067: 709:) while the continents of the Americas are called 1554:. Oxford English Dictionary. 2020. Archived from 1429:as "a native or inhabitant of the United States". 1224:"The Barbary Treaties: Treaty of Peace and Amity" 994:) derive from rhyming "yank" with "septic tank". 1425:(1999:1580) gives the first meaning of the noun 670: 662: 654: 642: 634: 533:Association of Academies of the Spanish Language 354: 197:of 1776 refers to "the thirteen united [ 54:are known by some as and refer to themselves as 1386:The Columbia Guide to Standard American English 815: 803: 795: 783: 773: 765: 601:, a more common word with a similar meaning to 287: 1600:Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. 1034:List of demonyms for US states and territories 431:are used, although the former is more common. 317: 298: 58:. Different languages use different terms for 31:List of demonyms for US states and territories 1584:Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage 1456:Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage 1102:Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage 732: 710: 688: 611: 603: 577: 565: 557: 549: 537: 515: 425: 417: 364: 264: 8: 496: 488: 475: 464: 456: 448: 440: 402: 394: 386: 344: 334: 328: 1376: 1374: 1122:. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 6. 967:usually refers to people specifically from 392:is used in an official and colloquial way. 275: 186:came to be applied especially to people in 72:, which can also refer to people from the 1526: 1524: 1405:University of the Pacific (United States) 195:United States Declaration of Independence 1050: 628:, the terms used varies by country. In 162:referenced European settlements in the 76:in general. Other languages, including 1410:1.5.4 - Sources of US-American Culture 813:, the inventor of Esperanto, used the 1611:. Oxford University Press. June 2002. 1119:A Companion to Latin American History 1062: 1060: 1058: 1056: 1054: 986:and Australian derogatory slang term 7: 1249:"Washington's Farewell Address 1796" 238:refers to "American Citizens" while 225:to advocate the ratification of the 345: 335: 329: 809:(United States of North America). 168:indigenous peoples of the Americas 42:Street sign in Luxembourg showing 25: 1477:Sovereigns Peacefully Take Charge 1116:Holloway, Thomas H., ed. (2010). 805:Unuiĝintaj Ŝtatoj de Nord-Ameriko 535:, recommends the genderless term 525:Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts 518:Diccionario panhispánico de dudas 1278:„Liste der Staatenbezeichnungen“ 1018: 1004: 506:is common in colloquial speech. 18:Names for United States citizens 652:, the everyday term is usually 1588:. Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1994. 1537:. Retrieved November 27, 2008. 1106:. Retrieved November 28, 2008. 1: 1388:. Retrieved April 27, 2009. 990:(and in the Australian case, 60:citizens of the United States 1626:Culture of the United States 797:Unuiĝintaj Ŝtatoj de Ameriko 166:. Americans referred to the 158:First uses of the adjective 151:(in honor of Vespucci) in a 1380:Wilson, Kenneth G. (1993). 846:, popularized by architect 454:are sometimes used, though 1657: 947: 227:United States Constitution 122: 28: 1608:Oxford English Dictionary 1535:Oxford English Dictionary 1443:Oxford English Dictionary 1423:Concise Oxford Dictionary 1144:"The Charters of Freedom" 1083:Oxford English Dictionary 733: 711: 689: 676:is the preferred form in 585:(likely originating from 373:(अमरीकी transliteration: 365: 299: 213:of 1787–1788, written by 205:Articles of Confederation 1513:Carlson, Elwood (2008). 1475:Matthews, Allan (2006). 1445:. Retrieved May 4, 2009. 821:terms as early as 1910. 116:Development of the term 52:United States of America 1490:Bartow, Arthur (1988). 1210:"The Federalist no. 70" 1195:"The Federalist no. 51" 1180:"The Federalist no. 24" 1088:Oxford University Press 498:Amerikaner/amerikanisch 446:and its adjective form 318: 1392:June 29, 2008, at the 973:Northern United States 816: 804: 796: 784: 774: 766: 671: 663: 655: 643: 635: 612: 604: 578: 573:Latin American Spanish 566: 558: 550: 538: 524: 516: 497: 489: 476: 465: 457: 449: 441: 426: 418: 403: 395: 387: 366:американец, американка 355: 288: 276: 265: 47: 1636:Political terminology 984:cockney rhyming slang 529:Royal Spanish Academy 244:1796 farewell address 182:in 1648. In English, 41: 1494:The director's voice 1230:on November 20, 2008 1208:Alexander Hamilton. 1178:Alexander Hamilton. 1026:United States portal 927:Western Hemispherian 758:constructed language 650:Brazilian Portuguese 571:are also common. In 527:), published by the 502:for official usage. 478:Neue Zürcher Zeitung 145:Martin Waldseemüller 137:Christopher Columbus 46:(United States Road) 1382:"American, America" 1146:. National Archives 630:European Portuguese 1558:on August 15, 2021 1283:2015-11-03 at the 848:Frank Lloyd Wright 617:(from the English 438:, the designation 215:Alexander Hamilton 48: 44:Rue des États-Unis 1595:978-0-87779-132-4 1309:Auswärtiges Amt: 825:Alternative terms 255:International use 240:George Washington 210:Federalist Papers 16:(Redirected from 1648: 1612: 1602: 1587: 1568: 1567: 1565: 1563: 1544: 1538: 1528: 1519: 1518: 1510: 1504: 1503: 1497: 1487: 1481: 1480: 1472: 1466: 1452: 1446: 1436: 1430: 1419: 1413: 1402: 1396: 1378: 1369: 1368: 1366: 1364: 1350: 1344: 1339: 1335: 1329: 1324: 1320: 1314: 1307: 1301: 1294: 1288: 1274: 1268: 1258: 1252: 1246: 1240: 1239: 1237: 1235: 1226:. Archived from 1220: 1214: 1213: 1205: 1199: 1198: 1190: 1184: 1183: 1175: 1169: 1162: 1156: 1155: 1153: 1151: 1140: 1134: 1133: 1113: 1107: 1098: 1092: 1091: 1079: 1064: 1028: 1023: 1022: 1021: 1014: 1009: 1008: 935:North Atlantican 887:United Statesian 856:United-Statesian 819: 807: 799: 787: 779: 769: 736: 735: 714: 713: 692: 691: 674: 666: 658: 646: 638: 615: 607: 583: 569: 561: 553: 545:United Statesian 541: 521: 500: 492: 481: 468: 460: 452: 444: 429: 421: 406: 398: 390: 368: 367: 358: 348: 347: 338: 337: 332: 331: 321: 302: 301: 291: 279: 268: 147:coined the term 133:Amerigo Vespucci 110:Amerigo Vespucci 50:People from the 21: 1656: 1655: 1651: 1650: 1649: 1647: 1646: 1645: 1616: 1615: 1605: 1596: 1580: 1577: 1572: 1571: 1561: 1559: 1548:"Lexico: seppo" 1546: 1545: 1541: 1529: 1522: 1512: 1511: 1507: 1489: 1488: 1484: 1474: 1473: 1469: 1462:American Speech 1453: 1449: 1439:"United States" 1437: 1433: 1420: 1416: 1403: 1399: 1394:Wayback Machine 1379: 1372: 1362: 1360: 1352: 1351: 1347: 1337: 1336: 1332: 1322: 1321: 1317: 1308: 1304: 1295: 1291: 1285:Wayback Machine 1275: 1271: 1265:US-amerikanisch 1259: 1255: 1247: 1243: 1233: 1231: 1222: 1221: 1217: 1207: 1206: 1202: 1193:James Madison. 1192: 1191: 1187: 1177: 1176: 1172: 1166:American Memory 1163: 1159: 1149: 1147: 1142: 1141: 1137: 1130: 1115: 1114: 1110: 1099: 1095: 1066: 1065: 1052: 1047: 1042: 1024: 1019: 1017: 1012:Language portal 1010: 1003: 1000: 952: 946: 833:, also spelled 827: 751:mei5 gwok3 yan4 664:norte-americano 644:norte-americano 484:US-amerikanisch 450:US-amerikanisch 400:, derived from 257: 229:, use the word 188:British America 130: 121: 64:British America 34: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1654: 1652: 1644: 1643: 1638: 1633: 1628: 1618: 1617: 1614: 1613: 1603: 1594: 1576: 1573: 1570: 1569: 1552:www.lexico.com 1539: 1520: 1505: 1482: 1467: 1447: 1431: 1414: 1397: 1370: 1345: 1330: 1315: 1302: 1289: 1269: 1253: 1241: 1215: 1200: 1185: 1170: 1157: 1135: 1129:978-1444338843 1128: 1108: 1093: 1049: 1048: 1046: 1043: 1041: 1038: 1037: 1036: 1030: 1029: 1015: 999: 996: 977:Horatio Nelson 948:Main article: 945: 942: 826: 823: 811:L. L. Zamenhof 567:norteamericana 559:Norteamericano 539:estadounidense 256: 253: 236:Barbary States 153:1507 world map 120: 114: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1653: 1642: 1639: 1637: 1634: 1632: 1629: 1627: 1624: 1623: 1621: 1610: 1609: 1604: 1601: 1597: 1591: 1586: 1585: 1579: 1578: 1574: 1557: 1553: 1549: 1543: 1540: 1536: 1532: 1527: 1525: 1521: 1517:. p. 15. 1516: 1515:The lucky few 1509: 1506: 1501: 1496: 1495: 1486: 1483: 1478: 1471: 1468: 1464: 1463: 1458: 1457: 1451: 1448: 1444: 1440: 1435: 1432: 1428: 1424: 1418: 1415: 1412: 1411: 1406: 1401: 1398: 1395: 1391: 1387: 1383: 1377: 1375: 1371: 1359: 1355: 1349: 1346: 1342: 1334: 1331: 1327: 1319: 1316: 1312: 1306: 1303: 1299: 1293: 1290: 1286: 1282: 1279: 1273: 1270: 1266: 1262: 1257: 1254: 1250: 1245: 1242: 1229: 1225: 1219: 1216: 1211: 1204: 1201: 1196: 1189: 1186: 1181: 1174: 1171: 1167: 1161: 1158: 1145: 1139: 1136: 1131: 1125: 1121: 1120: 1112: 1109: 1105: 1103: 1097: 1094: 1089: 1085: 1084: 1078: 1076: 1072: 1063: 1061: 1059: 1057: 1055: 1051: 1044: 1039: 1035: 1032: 1031: 1027: 1016: 1013: 1007: 1002: 997: 995: 993: 989: 985: 980: 978: 974: 970: 966: 962: 958: 957: 951: 943: 941: 938: 936: 932: 928: 924: 923:United Stater 920: 916: 912: 908: 904: 903:Washingtonian 900: 896: 892: 888: 884: 880: 876: 872: 868: 864: 863:H. 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Mencken 859: 857: 853: 849: 845: 844: 838: 836: 832: 824: 822: 820: 818: 812: 808: 806: 800: 798: 792: 789:, similar to 788: 786: 780: 778: 777: 771:, similar to 770: 768: 762: 759: 754: 752: 748: 744: 740: 730: 726: 722: 718: 708: 704: 700: 696: 686: 681: 679: 675: 673: 672:estadunidense 667: 665: 659: 657: 651: 647: 645: 639: 637: 631: 627: 622: 620: 616: 614: 608: 606: 600: 596: 592: 588: 584: 582: 581: 574: 570: 568: 562: 560: 554: 552: 546: 542: 540: 534: 530: 526: 522: 520: 519: 512: 507: 505: 501: 499: 493: 491: 485: 480: 479: 473: 469: 467: 461: 459: 453: 451: 445: 443: 442:US-Amerikaner 437: 432: 430: 428: 422: 420: 414: 409: 407: 405: 399: 397: 391: 389: 383: 378: 376: 372: 362: 357: 352: 342: 326: 322: 320: 314: 310: 306: 296: 292: 290: 284: 280: 278: 272: 267: 262: 254: 252: 249: 245: 241: 237: 232: 228: 224: 223:James Madison 220: 216: 212: 211: 206: 202: 201: 196: 191: 189: 185: 181: 177: 173: 169: 165: 161: 156: 154: 150: 146: 142: 138: 134: 129: 127: 119: 115: 113: 111: 107: 106:North America 103: 99: 95: 91: 87: 83: 79: 75: 71: 70: 65: 61: 57: 53: 45: 40: 36: 32: 27: 19: 1607: 1599: 1583: 1575:Bibliography 1560:. 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From the 1069:"American, 969:New England 931:New Worlder 835:US American 831:US-American 551:americano/a 547:), because 543:(literally 396:États-unien 309:amerika-jin 176:Thomas Gage 1620:Categories 1498:. p.  1040:References 895:Appalacian 850:, and the 743:měiguó rén 707:mei5 gwok3 626:Portuguese 589:, meaning 523:(English: 458:Amerikaner 404:États-Unis 351:Portuguese 289:Amerikaner 123:See also: 102:Portuguese 1631:Ethnonyms 1340:"Yanqui" 891:Colonican 875:Fredonian 871:Columbard 867:Columbian 761:Esperanto 729:mei5 zau1 656:americano 636:americano 599:Argentina 419:americano 388:Américain 356:americano 319:Amerikano 283:Afrikaans 277:Amerikaan 266:Americano 164:New World 141:Old World 56:Americans 1641:Demonyms 1531:"Yankee" 1390:Archived 1354:"Uson/o" 1281:Archived 1150:June 20, 998:See also 747:Jyutping 725:Jyutping 703:Jyutping 678:academia 531:and the 313:Filipino 295:Japanese 248:American 231:American 219:John Jay 184:American 172:American 160:American 126:American 118:American 94:American 90:cognates 82:Japanese 74:Americas 69:American 1427:Usonian 1384:. 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Index

Names for United States citizens
List of demonyms for US states and territories

United States of America
Americans
citizens of the United States
British America
American
Americas
French
Japanese
Russian
cognates
Spanish
Portuguese
North America
Amerigo Vespucci
American (word)
Amerigo Vespucci
Christopher Columbus
Old World
Martin Waldseemüller
1507 world map
New World
indigenous peoples of the Americas
Thomas Gage
British America
United States Declaration of Independence
sic
Articles of Confederation

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