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What indigenous word would be appropriate to rename United States? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 2 months ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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The world is considering renaming United States on their maps. As the indigenous people discovered and explored the land thousands of years before the first Europeans, it's fitting that they should do it. Many nations made up the area. Is there any name that would be representitive of all?

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[–] 30 points 2 months ago* (7 children)

I love* how — in true stupid fashion — they’re naming things after America, which isn’t even the country’s name. We’re the United States of America, just one of several countries located on the North American continental plate.

That said in answer to your question that is a tough one because there are so many unrelated language families in NA. I’d probably pick something either Algonkian or iriquoian. Nituskeenan means “our land” in Cree, for example, and sounds kinda cool.

* I do not love this.

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  • [–] 11 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    While as an American (the continent) I find that annoying, their country name IS America. For example, these are some other countries full names:

    • Republic of the United States of Brazil (until 1930, now it's Federative Republic of Brazil)
    • Kingdom of Spain
    • Argentine Republic
    • United States of Venezuela
    • Oriental Republic of Uruguay

    Etc, a lot of countries have a long name that explains what type of government they run and then the actual name of the country, the United States of Venezuela is a country named Venezuela that was formed by a coalition of states, I know nothing of Venezuela but because of its name I can imagine states have some autonomy in their ruling. And similarly United States of America is a country named America that was formed by a coalition of states, they just decided to name their country after the continent they're in making life difficult for the future generations.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 months ago (2 children)

    While here in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we apparently shortened it to just the type of government, like we're the only kingdom or something.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    AFAIK UK is the only country that's named "United Kingdom of something" and it's shorter than Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so it doesn't need disambiguation.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 months ago

    Wouldn’t it be poetic if the rest of the countries on these continents ‘maliciously complied’ by going all-in adopting the term “American”?

    “American tacos” and “American Cerveza” sold with the Mexican flag on it, “American bacon”, “American Whiskey” and “American maple syrup” with the Canadian flag, etc.

    Leave the population of USA orphaned without a collective name for themselves.

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  • [–] 11 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    Yes but to play devil's advocate, no other country uses "America" in their name and the word is synonymous with the USA in English.

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