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What would you like to change about Lemmy culture? (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 4 months ago by PinkyCoyote@sopuli.xyz to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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[–] Skua@kbin.earth 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Non-American here: In English it typically does. The collected landmass of North and South America (or just the continent, if you consider them to be a single one) is usually called "the Americas"

This isn't a hard-and-fast rule of course, and with all the different dialects of English out there I'm sure there are some that work differently. I assume you prefer "US" or "USA" as a short name for the country?

[–] Nemo@midwest.social 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I, as an American, write "The US" the refer to the country specifically to avoid confusion. But there's not really another good demonym that's not an slur. "Estadosunidenses" is too much of a mouthful and "Statesman" has another meaning.

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

It always feels odd to me that the Spanish demonym specifically is that when Mexico is also "Estados Unidos Mexicanos", or the United Mexican States

[–] veniasilente@lemm.ee 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

But there’s not really another good demonym that’s not an slur. “Estadosunidenses” is too much of a mouthful and “Statesman” has another meaning.

Usonian?

[–] Nemo@midwest.social 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

How would that be pronounced?

[–] veniasilente@lemm.ee 2 points 4 months ago

Like "Usonian", not like "USonian", I'd guess? Flat U, non-"yoo"-ed; stress on the O; the "nian" more or less like "nyan" but 'murrically less cute.

[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 2 points 4 months ago

TIL that this architectural style came from Frank Lloyd Wright's use of this neologism, which seems to have originated with Scottish writer James Duff Law in 1865. And, that people have been trying to make this change happen for over 150 years. (Seems to me a review of the tale of King Canute and the tide is in order.)