Who Do SO MANY Americans think "The UK" and "Africa" are countries?

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

There's no way Geography teachers teach that, right?

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Before anyone argues:

Africa is a CONTINENT.
The U.K is a United Kingdom containing four countries.

 

[G_Chem]

Can’t say I know anyone who calls Africa a country lol Jesus where you find these people?

That said the UK thing is confusing at least. Many seem aware it’s multiple countries or at least people I talk to but often people will use UK, Great Britain, and England interchangeably where it gets confusing for us.

I guess ok explanation on the second point could educate my dumb American ass..

On the flip side, why does every non American think the USA is all the same. We got states bigger than your entire.. United countries? Lol.

-GC

 

[JTemperance]

The UK is the relevant polity for international purposes: the equivalent of other such "countries" as the République française ("France") and the Estados Unidos Mexicanos ("México").

In the USA, only hobbyist geographers & (hiberno-cymro-)anglophiles have a reason to acquire the taste for Her Majestic Britannia's subtle blend of insular sovereignties. Since neither group is very large in number, I'm not going to dock any points from my countrymen there.

As for the number of Americans who believe "Africa" is a country. . . .

Some of these people are the tragic victims of a dysfunctional education, while others are the willful perpetrators of a bellicose parochialism. But either way, this ignorance is a direct symptom of US national infirmities & not rationally excusable, so we ought to be penalized for it.

 

[jasperkent]

Of course they are countries. Just like Asia is a country. And Antarctica.

 

[neversickanymore]

They don't.. giggles what is this shit

 

[jasperkent]

There's no way Geography teachers teach that, right?

In all seriousness, in my 62 years in the US I have NEVER heard anyone call the UK or Africa a country.
What kind of idiots do you hang with?

 

[neversickanymore]

Be careful as we increasingly see the term "state" substituted for sovereign independent Countries.

We are not states.. no we are independent sovereign Nations. Language is powerful magic... better figure it out.

 

[TheUltimateFixx]

Some of them think Europe is a single country, as well.

Heck I've even heard from foreign students visiting the US and being told unironically that their countries 'don't exist', are made up, or they're asked what US state it's in. Also that Denmark is the capital of Sweden. Personally I've been told by an American tourist that Welsh isn't a language, despite the fact that he was in Wales and could see Welsh language signs everywhere. I could go on.
And if you try to correct them Americans get pissed off and insist they're right.

The level of ignorance of anything outside of the US is staggering and it's got to have to do with the education system (such as it is) concentrating only on America and treating it like it's the entire world.
.

 

[neversickanymore]

same as Europeans looking at Americans like we are one big people..

Levels of ignorance..

tell me more about America and Americans @The UltimateFixx

 

[neversickanymore]

"Who Do SO MANY Americans think "The UK" and "Africa" are countries?"​

I often post grammatically challenged, but "who" need to do better.

 

[S.J.B.]

The U.K. is a country as most-commonly defined. Even the Encyclopedia Britannica agrees.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

The U.K. is a country as most-commonly defined. Even the Encyclopedia Britannica agrees.

Oh for fucks sake...NO. IT. ISN'T.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Can’t say I know anyone who calls Africa a country lol Jesus where you find these people?

That said the UK thing is confusing at least. Many seem aware it’s multiple countries or at least people I talk to but often people will use UK, Great Britain, and England interchangeably where it gets confusing for us.

I guess ok explanation on the second point could educate my dumb American ass..

On the flip side, why does every non American think the USA is all the same. We got states bigger than your entire.. United countries? Lol.

-GC

England = a country
Great Britain = includes the countries Scotland, England and Wales
The U.K. = includes the countries Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland

DO non-Americans think the US is all the same? I certainly don't. I mean, I couldn't list different characteristics for literally every state, but I'm aware of the huge differences between most states etc.

 

[S.J.B.]

Oh for fucks sake...NO. IT. ISN'T.

I'm afraid you'll have to take it up with the Britannica.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

I'm afraid you'll have to take it up with the Britannica.

lol, for some reason this topic makes me unreasonable furious so I just might lol. Like, it's 4am right now, but I seriously might call them and demand an explanation. In fact, I wanna call the MANAGER of BRITAIN and complain.

P.S. that "for fucks sake" thing was indeed aimed at them, not you.

 

[simstim]

I'm from the USA and can tell you most of my countrymen have never thought of any other people in countries in North or South America as fellow Americans.

How could they be. I mean, the president only says my fellow Americans about people in the USA.

Most Americans probably don't ever think about people in Guam and Puerto Rico as fellow Americans even though they are fully US citizens who are free to travel to or relocate to any state they wish.

 

[S.J.B.]

P.S. that "for fucks sake" thing was indeed aimed at them, not you.

It's all good my man, best of luck with your semantic crusade!

 

[simstim]

Oh for fucks sake...NO. IT. ISN'T.

Can't argue with the Britannica. Lol.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Can't argue with the Britannica. Lol.

I CAN and WILL. So there