Clear now??
No, when you say it in an American accent, it has nothing to do with Spanish. Also I’m pretty sure “America” is also a Portuguese word… now who’s the one who is being egocentric? Don’t forget the French Guianans, either!
Interesting. So what? My point stands the same. America is the name that Spanish gave to the New World. The concept of “Americas” or “America” is not coming from USA, USA borrowed the term and misuses it being oblivious about the origin of the term and the other inhabitants of the Americas.
Good point, Italian… yet pointless to the discussion which is if “American” is the term that should be used for the USA citizens.
You are trolling me here, right?
Yeah, it could be. So… so what?
Not me, because I’m not using Iberia for referring only to Spain (just an example).
Your point was that the word “America” is Spanish in origin.
You were wrong.
Again, you’re wrong. If anyone, it’s the name a Portuguese cartographer gave to the New World.
Unless, of course, you’re submitting that Portugal is part of Spain…
By the way, if you don’t like equating the term Americans with citizens of the USA in English, you should also have an issue with Chinese calling Americans 美國人 (the American country’s people). In contrast with 美洲人 (people of the American continent), it’s almost as if the Chinese language is suggesting there is only one country worthy of mentioning on the American continent. 
Same applies to Japanese and Korean.
Of course, like American in English, 美國人 is also just a well accepted abbreviation.
But of course. As I said, it’s not (only) a laguage problem. “American” is used in many other languages besides English as the way to call the USA citizens. Even I sometimes use the term in the same way. And in Taiwan they call “toast” to what I would call sandwhich bread.
USA culture is a bad influence to other countries. English in general is a bad influence 
I really don’t understand why some “americans” don’t just accept that the term is not really appropriate, even if they defend its use because it’s the “official” and they are used to it, or they just like it.
TAiwanese don’t usually call Americans “meiguoren”, usually they say “lao wai”
Bullshit.
“Laowai” is the term provincials and other people from down south use for any foreigner.
Taipei natives almost never use this word, preferring “waiguoren”.
If people use the word “meiguoren”, it’s specifically in reference to citizens of the US, as opposed to Canadians, Scotsmen, New Zealanders, or frigging Norwegians.
Depends on your point of view!
Well, even Canadians are Americans!
And a LOT of Canadians are insulted if you call them “Americans”. Even ones living in the USA !!
Oh wow people are actually debating about the term “Americans”?
That’s hilarious.
It happens literally almost every time I engage with a Spanish speaker…
That is so petty. 
Hey, petty goes both ways. What always happens is I inadvertently say the word “American,” and then my interlocutor summons a high horse from which to preach against my selfish American – I mean Unitedstatesian – ways. I just counter when provoked.
I think this thread may well be the worst in the history of this site. Either that or its the greatest stream-of-consciousness forum thread in the history of the interwebs. Can’t quite decide.
No kidding.
May I humbly propose the term ‘Dumb Fucking Shermans’ to appease la Hayzoos??
I think you guys have to be careful. Those of you who aren’t directly engaged in shooting black children, picketing abortion clinics and discussing whether your own government blew up that tower block have every chance of being mistaken for 
Canadians. You’d think there’d be a committee or something?
No way.
You can always tell a Usanian.
He’s the one who only takes the drummies from the plate of wings and leaves all the flats, and nicks more than his share of top cheese from the mosticcoli.