4 ms·

Arabia is a peninsula. Qataris, Yemenis and Emiratis among others would not appreciate Saudis attempting to appropriate Arabian to refer to those from Saudi Ara

Arabia is a peninsula. Qataris, Yemenis and Emiratis among others would not appreciate Saudis attempting to appropriate Arabian to refer to those from Saudi Arabia. And Arab refers to people from Morocco to Iraq so it’s equally unsuitable.

gpderetta 7y ago
Exactly, imagine if people of the United States appropriated the name 'American'! I'm sure that every other country in the two Americas would be up in arms! (It is a joke, laugh).
- garmaine 7y ago
  I’m sure every other country with America in its name would be.
  - gpderetta 7y ago
    well, the complain was about calling Arabs the people from Saudi Arabia.
    - garmaine 7y ago
      It was a bit of sarcasm, as it is exactly comparable. Go look at a globe and tell me which other countries have “America” in their name ;)
- paulryanrogers 7y ago
  Some other countries actually use terms like United Statians or North Americans. And after traveling a bit makes the USA's use of 'America' seem arrogant or ignorant.
  - gpderetta 7y ago
    In italian "statunitense" is used, but probably not as often as "americano". Canadians might still not be pleased about 'North American'.
  - orisa2 7y ago
    I'm guessing you haven't traveled much. American is a virtually ubiquitous term to describe someone from the United States worldwide, no matter which language you're speaking. Countries which have a problem with calling yourself American are a minority, and even then it's usually a small minority of the younger generation.
    - laken 7y ago
      If you go anywhere within Latin America, you'll find quite quickly that "American" is used to describe someone from the continents, and it's consider very odd to introduce yourself as "American" to a local. You say you're Estadounidense, or "Soy de Estados Unidos" (From the United States). It's actually a very charged topic in Latin America, as many latinos feel that the word they use to describe themselves has been stolen.

gpderetta 7y ago

Exactly, imagine if people of the United States appropriated the name 'American'! I'm sure that every other country in the two Americas would be up in arms! (It is a joke, laugh).

garmaine 7y ago
I’m sure every other country with America in its name would be.
- gpderetta 7y ago
  well, the complain was about calling Arabs the people from Saudi Arabia.
  - garmaine 7y ago
    It was a bit of sarcasm, as it is exactly comparable. Go look at a globe and tell me which other countries have “America” in their name ;)
paulryanrogers 7y ago
Some other countries actually use terms like United Statians or North Americans. And after traveling a bit makes the USA's use of 'America' seem arrogant or ignorant.
- gpderetta 7y ago
  In italian "statunitense" is used, but probably not as often as "americano". Canadians might still not be pleased about 'North American'.
- orisa2 7y ago
  I'm guessing you haven't traveled much. American is a virtually ubiquitous term to describe someone from the United States worldwide, no matter which language you're speaking. Countries which have a problem with calling yourself American are a minority, and even then it's usually a small minority of the younger generation.
  - laken 7y ago
    If you go anywhere within Latin America, you'll find quite quickly that "American" is used to describe someone from the continents, and it's consider very odd to introduce yourself as "American" to a local. You say you're Estadounidense, or "Soy de Estados Unidos" (From the United States). It's actually a very charged topic in Latin America, as many latinos feel that the word they use to describe themselves has been stolen.