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We learned this in Chile as well, Oceania is as Asia is as America. Also that no country is at the same time a continent. Are Aussies taught that their country

We learned this in Chile as well, Oceania is as Asia is as America. Also that no country is at the same time a continent. Are Aussies taught that their country is the actual continent?

throwaway894345 4y ago
> Also that no country is at the same time a continent Can a continent have the same name as a country?
- frosted-flakes 4y ago
  Sure, Australia the continent and country have the same name.
- coutego 4y ago
  Yes. America. I know, I know. English speaking countries refer to the continent as "the Americas" rather than America, as the rest of the planet does but, then, the rest of the planet refers to the "United States of America" as the "US" and (normally) not as "America" . Now seriously, America is a given name for the whole continent (with Noth America and South America as its two subcontinents) and was never meant to be used as the name of any one of its 35 countries. Many in the EU are often doing the same chauvinistic thing, refering to themselves as "Europe" forgetting that there are 23 European countries that are not part of the EU. That case is slightly (just slightly) less annoying because at least is 27 EU European countries vs 23 non EU European countries, so at least they can claim to be the majority of countries. US case is one country vs. 34, so objectively even more absurd.
  - mixmastamyk 4y ago
    Synecdoche is relatively common: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche
  - throwaway894345 4y ago
    This comment seems confused. In English, "the Americas" isn't a continent nor are North America and South America "sub-continents"; rather, North America is a continent, South America is a continent, "the Americas" refers unambiguously to the collection of both continents, and "America" refers unambiguously to the United States of America (and "American" refers unambiguously to a US citizen). The only chauvinism occurs when speakers of other languages insist that the English language adopt their model of continents and the corresponding toponyms and demonyms (for example, many Spanish speakers use "Americano" to refer to inhabitants of the Americas, and since that word looks like "American" in English, many of these Spanish speakers believe English speakers should modify the meaning of "American" to mirror their "Americano"). Using "Europe" to refer to the EU member states in English is different because "Europe" in English traditionally refers to the entire continent and referring to the EU as "Europe" introduces ambiguity. I don't think this ambiguity is a significant problem and I wouldn't call it "chauvinism" but perhaps I could be convinced otherwise.
    - lhorie 4y ago
      > "America" refers unambiguously to the United States of America When people say "Columbus discovered America", it most certainly is referring to the entire landmass and surrounding islands (he technically landed in the Bahamas).
      - throwaway894345 4y ago
        That seems likely to be a vestige and not emblematic of a general pattern.
      - msm_ 4y ago
        By the way, one thing I always wondered? Are Canadians annoyed by that usage, or more or less accepted that they're not "American" in English? (I would especially appreciate if a Canadian shared their thoughts about this)
        lhorie 4y ago
        (I'm a canadian citizen, born in South America) My two cents is US people are the ones who have an unusual take on the word "America". Outside the US, it's not very idiomatic to call the country "America", or even "USA". "US" is more common (and in both Spanish and Portuguese, it's almost always called "Estados Unidos"). The term "american" is mainstream both in Canada and elsewhere. I imagine that's probably at least partly a function of "unitedstatesman" being too much of a mouthful. (BTW, if you think that's a ridiculous word, in portuguese "estadounidense" is an actual word, albeit with a connotation of being something a "woke" person might say).
xiande04 4y ago
We were taught that Australia is a continent in the US as well. But then again, Americans are not known for their knowledge of geography...
- kube-system 4y ago
  I was taught both in the US. The content taught in US schools varies by locale.
- Clamchop 4y ago
  Pretty sure even Americans know of islands and continents, even if they bin them differently. The distinction is fundamentally arbitrary...
  - xiande04 4y ago
    Okay. If you think that, go ask a random American to point to Oceania on a map. Report back to me when you do. :)
    - Clamchop 4y ago
      Different goalpost. :) :) :)
      - xiande04 3y ago
        Not really. If an American doesn't know where Oceania is (and they likely don't), then they are left to assume that Australia is the continent, not an island. Hence, I was providing a counter-example to your dubious claim that "Americans know of islands and continents". Come to think of it... what do you even mean by that? What does it mean to "know of islands and continents"?
CRConrad 3y ago
> Also that no country is at the same time a continent. Weird. Why not? > Are Aussies taught that their country is the actual continent? Why shouldn't they be, when it obviously is? I think most of the world, not just Aussies, learn that in school.

We learned this in Chile as well, Oceania is as Asia is as America. Also that no country is at the same time a continent. Are Aussies taught that their country is the actual continent?

throwaway894345 4y ago

> Also that no country is at the same time a continent Can a continent have the same name as a country?

frosted-flakes 4y ago
Sure, Australia the continent and country have the same name.
coutego 4y ago
Yes. America. I know, I know. English speaking countries refer to the continent as "the Americas" rather than America, as the rest of the planet does but, then, the rest of the planet refers to the "United States of America" as the "US" and (normally) not as "America" . Now seriously, America is a given name for the whole continent (with Noth America and South America as its two subcontinents) and was never meant to be used as the name of any one of its 35 countries. Many in the EU are often doing the same chauvinistic thing, refering to themselves as "Europe" forgetting that there are 23 European countries that are not part of the EU. That case is slightly (just slightly) less annoying because at least is 27 EU European countries vs 23 non EU European countries, so at least they can claim to be the majority of countries. US case is one country vs. 34, so objectively even more absurd.
- mixmastamyk 4y ago
  Synecdoche is relatively common: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche
- throwaway894345 4y ago
  This comment seems confused. In English, "the Americas" isn't a continent nor are North America and South America "sub-continents"; rather, North America is a continent, South America is a continent, "the Americas" refers unambiguously to the collection of both continents, and "America" refers unambiguously to the United States of America (and "American" refers unambiguously to a US citizen). The only chauvinism occurs when speakers of other languages insist that the English language adopt their model of continents and the corresponding toponyms and demonyms (for example, many Spanish speakers use "Americano" to refer to inhabitants of the Americas, and since that word looks like "American" in English, many of these Spanish speakers believe English speakers should modify the meaning of "American" to mirror their "Americano"). Using "Europe" to refer to the EU member states in English is different because "Europe" in English traditionally refers to the entire continent and referring to the EU as "Europe" introduces ambiguity. I don't think this ambiguity is a significant problem and I wouldn't call it "chauvinism" but perhaps I could be convinced otherwise.
  - lhorie 4y ago
    > "America" refers unambiguously to the United States of America When people say "Columbus discovered America", it most certainly is referring to the entire landmass and surrounding islands (he technically landed in the Bahamas).
    - throwaway894345 4y ago
      That seems likely to be a vestige and not emblematic of a general pattern.
    - msm_ 4y ago
      By the way, one thing I always wondered? Are Canadians annoyed by that usage, or more or less accepted that they're not "American" in English? (I would especially appreciate if a Canadian shared their thoughts about this)
      - lhorie 4y ago
        (I'm a canadian citizen, born in South America) My two cents is US people are the ones who have an unusual take on the word "America". Outside the US, it's not very idiomatic to call the country "America", or even "USA". "US" is more common (and in both Spanish and Portuguese, it's almost always called "Estados Unidos"). The term "american" is mainstream both in Canada and elsewhere. I imagine that's probably at least partly a function of "unitedstatesman" being too much of a mouthful. (BTW, if you think that's a ridiculous word, in portuguese "estadounidense" is an actual word, albeit with a connotation of being something a "woke" person might say).

xiande04 4y ago

We were taught that Australia is a continent in the US as well. But then again, Americans are not known for their knowledge of geography...

kube-system 4y ago
I was taught both in the US. The content taught in US schools varies by locale.
Clamchop 4y ago
Pretty sure even Americans know of islands and continents, even if they bin them differently. The distinction is fundamentally arbitrary...
- xiande04 4y ago
  Okay. If you think that, go ask a random American to point to Oceania on a map. Report back to me when you do. :)
  - Clamchop 4y ago
    Different goalpost. :) :) :)
    - xiande04 3y ago
      Not really. If an American doesn't know where Oceania is (and they likely don't), then they are left to assume that Australia is the continent, not an island. Hence, I was providing a counter-example to your dubious claim that "Americans know of islands and continents". Come to think of it... what do you even mean by that? What does it mean to "know of islands and continents"?

CRConrad 3y ago

> Also that no country is at the same time a continent. Weird. Why not? > Are Aussies taught that their country is the actual continent? Why shouldn't they be, when it obviously is? I think most of the world, not just Aussies, learn that in school.