Why USA region is called USA?

[sarkwalvein]

Ok.... Yet Asia and Europe are the same land mass, but no one questions that they are seperate continents? I'm sorry, that logic is just plain flawed.

Nobody questioned you, I guess?
You can well see, if you read the link above, that in Russia, Japan, etc. the continent model taught sees Eurasia as just one continent.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Nobody questioned you, I guess?
You can well see, if you read the link above, that in Russia, Japan, etc. the continent model taught sees Eurasia as just one continent.

You can call a dog a duck, but it's still a dog. I would argue that if there are multiple ways to divide the continents, the smaller divisions (larger number of continents) should take priority.

 

[sarkwalvein]

You can call a dog a duck, but it's still a dog. I would argue that if there are multiple ways to divide the continents, the smaller divisions (larger number of continents) should take priority.

You could argue as much as you like, but you are not being scientific about that.
You should accept already that there are many models, know and accept that and act accordingly.
You arguing that you were taught there were 7 and that is the reason it should be the one and only truth makes no sense.

It is a fictional division after all, the categorization some times follows tectonic plates (but if it did so strictly, e.g. North America should include half of Russia and Groenlandia), some other times it follows hydric and mountain features (like the division of Europe and Asia), some other times another thing.

There is no ONE right way of categorizing the continents, but as long as you are not obtuse and you know that they are categorized in different ways along the world you can still understand others.

Your "one way" sounds so obtuse to me as saying "there is only one right way of saying dog, other words like Hund, Chien, Perro, Inu, etc. are all wrong" (did you think English is the only language? did you think the way you were taught Continents are classified is the only one?)

 

[MadMageKefka]

You could argue as much as you like, but you are not being scientific about that.
You should accept already that there are many models, know and accept that and act accordingly.
You arguing that you were taught there were 7 and that is the reason it should be the one and only truth makes no sense.

It is a fictional division after all, the categorization some times follows tectonic plates (but if it did so strictly, e.g. North America should include half of Russia and Groenlandia), some other times it follows hydric and mountain features (like the division of Europe and Asia), some other times another thing.

There is no ONE right way of categorizing the continents, but as long as you are not obtuse and you know that they are categorized in different ways along the world you can still understand others.

Your "one way" sounds so obtuse to me as saying "there is only one right way of saying dog, other words like Hund, Chien, Perro, Inu, etc. are all wrong" (did you think English is the only language? did you think the way you were taught Continents are classified is the only one?)

No, but for simplicity sake, there is a correct way. Most international companies consider them seperate for a reason. There is a standard to go by, to avoid confusion. I would call that the dominant way to look at it.

 

[sarkwalvein]

No, but for simplicity sake, there is a correct way. Most international companies consider them seperate for a reason. There is a standard to go by, to avoid confusion. I would call that the dominant way to look at it.

Well, go tell that Russia. Or go tell that France, or Latin-America, or China.
Sure if you go telling "your way is wrong because I say" they will tell you to go kill yourself best case scenario.
What you will see more often is people adapting what they are wanting to communicate according to the audience, with companies taking it into consideration according to the audience they are talking to.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Well, go tell that Russia. Or go tell that France, or Latin-America, or China.
Sure if you go telling "your way is wrong because I say" they will tell you to go kill yourself best case scenario.
What you will see more often is people adapting what they are wanting to communicate according to the audience, with companies taking it into consideration according to the audience they are talking to.

You said yourself places like Japan consider Europe and Asia to be the same continent, right? Then how come Nintento divides them? Get it yet?

 

[sarkwalvein]

You said yourself places like Japan consider Europe and Asia to be the same continent, right? Then how come Nintento divides them? Get it yet?

Because of economic reasons, it is not doing so in order to separate continents.

Even more, if you look closely, Nintendo separates the main regions not matching continents at all; e.g. for the 3DS as "USA" (not a continent, it also includes Latin-America and SAUDI ARABIA), "EUR" (Europe, including Australia), "JPN" (not a continent), "KOR" (not a continent, and different from the JPN region).

 

[FAST6191]

No, but for simplicity sake, there is a correct way. Most international companies consider them seperate for a reason. There is a standard to go by, to avoid confusion. I would call that the dominant way to look at it.

Does that also mean when companies lump the Baltics together, lump the Balkans together, lump Scandinavia/the Nordic countries together (indeed we were just discussing it the other day as the demise of Toys R Us brought it up), or Australia and New Zealand that we count those as continents?

I too find the seemingly considerable objection to North and South America being split to be an odd one but it is something I can certainly stand to ponder. Equally you say there is a standard but said standard seems to vary depending upon where you live.

 

[MadMageKefka]

Does that also mean when companies lump the Baltics together, lump the Balkans together, lump Scandinavia/the Nordic countries together (indeed we were just discussing it the other day as the demise of Toys R Us brought it up), or Australia and New Zealand that we count those as continents?

I too find the seemingly considerable objection to North and South America being split to be an odd one but it is something I can certainly stand to ponder. Equally you say there is a standard but said standard seems to vary depending upon where you live.

I mostly agree, tho I still argue there is a world-wide standard most can agree on, to keep things simple. See below.

Because of economic reasons, it is not doing so in order to separate continents.

Even more, if you look closely, Nintendo separates the main regions not matching continents at all; e.g. for the 3DS as "USA" (not a continent, it also includes Latin-America and SAUDI ARABIA), "EUR" (Europe, including Australia), "JPN" (not a continent), "KOR" (not a continent, and different from the JPN region).

That's not what I mean. They publicly say it's a continent all the time, even though, according to you, that's not how they teach it over there. When dealing with world-wide stuff like this, I still argue that the maps shown in my earlier post would be standard for everywhere. Maybe not for joe schmoe, but for people constantly dealing with international business. Otherwise, things get stupid and confusing, much like this debate. If I'm selling something online and the person is asking me about shipping to America, I'm not gonna assume they mean Brazil, ya know?

 

[sarkwalvein]

I mostly agree, tho I still argue there is a world-wide standard most can agree on, to keep things simple. See below.

That's not what I mean. They publicly say it's a continent all the time, even though, according to you, that's not how they teach it over there. When dealing with world-wide stuff like this, I still argue that the maps shown in my earlier post would be standard for everywhere. Maybe not for joe schmoe, but for people constantly dealing with international business. Otherwise, things get stupid and confusing, much like this debate. If I'm selling something online and the person is asking me about shipping to America, I'm not gonna assume they mean Brazil, ya know?

As I told you, any company should adapt to the audience they are talking to.

They are writing in English, so mostly they are targeting an English speaking audience (and most of them live in countries that teach the 7 Continent model anyway).

I am telling you how it is outside the USA actually, if you don't trust me travel around and you will see it is the truth (or ask some of the latin-american tempers that are around here).

In there people and companies refer to America as one Continent with three regions, South, Center and North. That is the way it is, that is reality, and Nintendo also does so, the same as Ford or any other company, because they translate and localize what they want to tell, they know the audience they are speaking to.

If you said "something ships to America" in a Spanish speaking country, i.e. "se hacen envíos a América", in a Spanish speaking country they will find it weird, as who the hell say something ships to a Continent, that is the way it is.

They will expect something like "se hacen envíos a Estados Unidos", or "se hacen envíos a Brasil", never "America".... What can I tell, things are different around the world, you just haven't experienced them, but if you go out you will understand.

PS: And there is nothing wrong with things being different, different cultures, different models, different points of view... all of that is OK, why should it be a problem?

 

[FAST6191]

Continental Europe is not understood to mean continent in the nature we are discussing here. It specifically excludes the UK, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland,, a whole bunch of other islands, various departments of France and other territories around the world. It is basically another word for mainland Europe.

Equally few businesses really care about continents as a concept -- blocks of countries with similar regulations (see my list from earlier) is a different matter entirely. If it so happens

"we're doing business on ? continents" is a mostly a line for a cheesy film or a press piece. No accountant, lawyer, engineer concerned with standards, communications provider, or any other key role in a business thinks about it in such matters. You might get a distribution hub care about it but even then probably not, same for marketing where if they care about continents it is mainly because they don't care about that area and are planning to farm out such reasons to someone else.

 

[Viri]

Why USA region is called USA?

Because the US is so important, that we get an entire region dedicated to us!

Spoiler

 

[MadMageKefka]

As I told you, any company should adapt to the audience they are talking to.

They are writing in English, so mostly they are targeting an English speaking audience (and most of them liven in countries that teach the 7 Continent model anyway).

I am telling you how it is outside the USA actually, if you don't trust me travel around and you will see it is the truth (or ask some of the latin-american tempers that are around here).

In there people and companies refer to America as one Continent with three regions, South, Center and North. That is the way it is, that is reality, and Nintendo also does so, the same as Ford or any other company, because they translate and localize what they want to tell, they know the audience they are speaking to.

If you said "something ships to America" in a Spanish speaking country, i.e. "se hacen envíos a América", in a Spanish speaking country they will find it weird, as who the hell say something ships to a Continent, that is the way it is.

They will expect something like "se hacen envíos a Estados Unidos", or "se hacen envíos a Brazil", never "America".... What can I tell, things are different around the world, you just haven't experienced them, but if you go out you will understand.

Sigh... Please stop implying that I think the way I know is the only correct way. Im saying it makes the most sense on a world-wide scale. Yes, it is different in other places, that much you have made VERY clear already. ...but you just said it yourself. Those companies conform to their audience. Lets say a game company announces a tournament for "All of Europe," does that mean everyone in Asia should assume they are allowed to participate? How would they say it over there? List each country seperately? Say eastern Eurasia?

Continental Europe is not understood to mean continent in the nature we are discussing here. It specifically excludes the UK, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland,, a whole bunch of other islands, various departments of France and other territories around the world. It is basically another word for mainland Europe.

Equally few businesses really care about continents as a concept -- blocks of countries with similar regulations (see my list from earlier) is a different matter entirely. If it so happens

"we're doing business on ? continents" is a mostly a line for a cheesy film or a press piece. No accountant, lawyer, engineer concerned with standards, communications provider, or any other key role in a business thinks about it in such matters. You might get a distribution hub care about it but even then probably not, same for marketing where if they care about continents it is mainly because they don't care about that area and are planning to farm out such reasons to someone else.

I see... Interesring. What about my example above, though? How would you say that differently in other languages?

 

[Chuardo]

your teachers were dingbats, they're clearly two separate continents.

It's just one big continent divided as North and South, that is it, on the Olympics they represent 5 continents and America is one big thing, I can't understand how you would even think that they are two continents and not only one.

There are five continents, America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

It's called "United States of America" and not "United States of North America", what do you have to say against that?

If I make my own country and I call it "Great Union on Earth" and every citizen starts calling themselves "Earthlings", other people on Earth aren't earthlings too?

Of course they still are earthlings, they live on the Earth, they don't need another reason, it would be dumb if they aren't earthlings, they don't live on Mars or another place just because I say so.

Same deal with Americans, technically every person born in North or South America is an American, just like also any person born in Africa is African, people from the US should find a more specific way to refer to themselves.

 

[MadMageKefka]

It's just one big continent divided as North and South, that is it, on the Olympics they represent 5 continents and America is one big thing, I can't understand how you would even think that they are two continents and not only one.

There are five continents, America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

It's called "United States of America" and not "United States of North America", what do you have yo Say against that?

If I make my own country and I call it "Great Union on Darth" and every citizen starts calling themselves "earthmans", other people on Earth aren't earthmans too?

Of course they still are earthmans, they live on the EartE, they don't need another reason, it would be dumb if they aren't earthmans, they don't live on Mars.
Same deal with Americans, technically every person born in North or South America is American, just like also any person born in Africa is African, people from the US should find a more specific way to refer to themselves.

...about you "earthmans" example. We have a word for that already, it's "Earthlings," and yes, we are all earthlings and call ourselves as such.

 

[Chuardo]

...about you "earthmans" example. We have a word for that already, it's "Earthlings," and yes, we are all earthlings and call ourselves as such.

Earthlings, I forgot about how it was written, thanks for remainding me that.
Still, that typo does not change my argument at all

 

[Onibi]

I mean, is also used in Canada, Mexico and south America, not only USA
even Nintendo call it "Americas", why is called "USA" region?

TBH definitely incorrect and a bit demeaning ...

(Joke: Should be called Greater Westen Europe or GWE region o.c.)

 

[MadMageKefka]

Earthlings, I forgot about how it was written, thanks for remainding me that.
Still, that typo does not change my argument at all

My point is your example is a bad one. Lets say you make a new country like you said. New language too. You invent a word that means people on planet Earth. In that case yes, we are all part of that new word, like it or not, because thats what it means. If you called everyone from your country something... Say "steves," then no one besides people from your country would be called steves (besides maybe a group of multiple people named steve, lol).

 

[Chuardo]

My point is your example is a bad one. Lets say you make a new country like you said. New language too. You invent a word that means people on planet Earth. In that case yes, we are all part of that new word, like it or not, because thats what it means. If you called everyone from your country something... Say "steves," then no one besides people from your country would be called steves (besides maybe a group of multiple people named steve, lol).

But English is not a new language at all, it comes from England, and American was how Europeans refered to the native people on America when they found the new continent, just how Asians are people from Asia, in the US they did not made up a new word, they are using an already existing one incorrectly.

 

[FAST6191]

Sigh... Please stop implying that I think the way I know is the only correct way. Im saying it makes the most sense on a world-wide scale. Yes, it is different in other places, that much you have made VERY clear already. ...but you just said it yourself. Those companies conform to their audience. Lets say a game company announces a tournament for "All of Europe," does that mean everyone in Asia should assume they are allowed to participate? How would they say it over there? List each country seperately? Say eastern Eurasia?


I see... Interesring. What about my example above, though? How would you say that differently in other languages?

Most competitions usually restrict by area for the purposes of language, advertising and travel costs. There can be some weird quirks with prize laws but for the most part it is what it is and only places with travel restrictions are likely to be troubled.

For the purposes of games then yes most countries in Asia/the orient (Asia and by extension Asian in the UK tends to mean India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) do seem to be separate -- most companies seem to have individual strategies for China, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and even Japan in some cases where a lot of Europe amounts to "stick something in Germany, the UK, ROI or some other tax haven and go from there". Equally where things might not apply in every country in "Europe" they will tend to preface it with most of.

It's just one big continent divided as North and South, that is it, on the Olympics they represent 5 continents and America is one big thing, I can't understand how you would even think that they are two continents and not only one.

There are five continents, America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

It's called "United States of America" and not "United States of North America", what do you have to say against that?

If I make my own country and I call it "Great Union on Earth" and every citizen starts calling themselves "earthmans", other people on Earth aren't earthmans too?

Of course they still are earthmans, they live on the Earth, they don't need another reason, it would be dumb if they aren't earthmans, they don't live on Mars or another place just because I say so.

Same deal with Americans, technically every person born in North or South America is an American, just like also any person born in Africa is African, people from the US should find a more specific way to refer to themselves.

It really is just a simple variation depending upon where you grew up and the philosophies that inform the school systems there. But anyway different seasons, weather, oceans, cultures, ancient and modern history, populations, tectonic plates, other aspects of geography, animals (the lines of animal variation coming more into play as you leave the Korean peninsula and start heading towards Australia). While I find continents as a general concept quite unhelpful I can see the "American" landmass being split into more than one.