Why do Americans so often wear suits 3 sizes too large? :S

[Noradin]

we have people from SA on this forum, im interested, do you think of yourself as "americans" or do you think of americans as USA? please no europeans respond as i dgaf about your opinion

That argument is idiotic, or do you call all places by their native name?
Most place names are by foreigners, not by natives.

[Surfd]

Yes, still doesn't mean that Americans own the whole continent. They're just one country on the continent. And they're increasingly losing relevance globally. No need to keep treating them like they're the only relevant nation on this planet much longer. Give it a few decades and we can stop pampering their egos. :P

Nobody has ever implied that Americans own the whole continent. Nobody who lives on either continent except for citizens of the US ever refers to themselves as Americans either.

[Noradin]

Does German television also regularly refer to "Canadian Americans", "Mexican Amercians", "Cuban Americans", "Brazillian Americans", or any of the citizens of the dozens of other countries that make up North and South America? Going to go out on a limb and guess "probably not", since that would be stupid. Why refer to someone as "{Country} Americans" when you could just refer to them as Canadians, or Mexicans, or Americans, and literally anyone with more than 2 braincells to rub together will know who you are talking about....

How do you expect us to call people from the Americas as a whole? "Americaseans"?


Does the fact that there is a term "blond men" mean anyone who is not blond cannot be a man?

[Surfd]

How do you expect us to call people from the Americas as a whole? "Americaseans"?

"The Americas" is not a place. You could try North, or South Americans. You know, like everybody else who knows how to read a map.

[Holofernes]

Some Europeans like to claim that "American" refers to anyone from either North or South America, despite the fact that absolutely no one from either North or South America refers to themself as American if they aren't also from the United States.

I mean, what do they think the proper term is? "United Statesian?"


Some of them also claim that North and South America are one continent, despite each landmass being twice the size of Europe and connected by a spit of land 30 miles across. And if we're merging continents, Europe and Asia would the first to be combined, seeing as the only delineation is a nebulous string of mountains.

The correct term is US american. America is one continent, and because of its size it is split in two parts: north and south.

US-Americans live in the United states, which is a on the northern Part of America, and approximately a 3rd of all Americans live in the United States. So the probability to mean a US American if spoken of an American, is only 1/3.

U guys really have some ego problems.

[Devilyaki]

It's to hold in all the freedom, justice and liberty!

[Surfd]

The correct term is US american. America is one continent, and because of its size it is split in two parts: north and south.

Lol, what? Sorry, no. North America and South America are separate continents. Terribly sorry if the fact that they both have "America" in the name is somehow confusing for you.

[Kaleredar]

The correct term is US american. America is one continent, and because of its size it is split in two parts: north and south.

US-Americans live in the United states, which is a on the northern Part of America, and approximately a 3rd of all Americans live in the United States. So the probability to mean a US American if spoken of an American, is only 1/3.

U guys really have some ego problems.

No one says US-Americans.

Also, North and South America are two continents.

As I said earlier, if you want to start merging continents, I'd start with Asia and Europe.

North and South America are split by a demonstrable land bridge about 30 miles across at its narrowest and occupy separate tectonic plates.

Asia and Europe are split by an arbitrary line in the dirt almost 4,000 miles long roughly strung across a group of mountains.

Hell, the Indian Subcontinent should be a unique continent before Europe and Asia. It's larger than Europe is and is actually defined by plate tectonics.

If you're arguing that North and South America should be Pluto'd into one continent, Europe is getting crammed into Asia first.

[Noradin]

"The Americas" is not a place. You could try North, or South Americans. You know, like everybody else who knows how to read a map.

Do you ever think before posting or does it all come out automatically without input from your brain?
Go read your own post and try to spot your error. It is glaringly obvious to anyone with eyes.

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If you're arguing that North and South America should be Pluto'd into one continent, Europe is getting crammed into Asia first.

You are free to use the terms Europeans and Eurasians, despite not being from either continent.
We wont tell you people from Switzerland aren't European because they aren't from a member state of the EU, nor will we tell you they aren't also Eurasians.

[XangXu]

forbidden topics and nation bashing, reported

[Deleted]

well why do jewish people where turbans.


the ansnwer is the same as you're qweshtun.

[Pony Soldier]

Because we're growing boys unlike them scrawny Europeans.

[Gutpile]

forbidden topics and nation bashing, reported

Oh, thank goodness. Be sure and tell the teacher she forgot to assign homework too.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Suits are a dying trend, in my opinion. Why work in an office in a suit which is going to be uncomfortable for the sake of looking "professional". Happier more comfortable workers, more productive workers, more good work getting done. Now don't get me wrong I'm not bashing it at all, I understand some people really like wearing them and how they look which is fair enough. In cases like this I think it's because they're expected to wear a suit but find tailored fitted suits uncomfortable and not very practical.

If you find a tailored suit uncomfortable then you need to find a better tailor. It's their job to make the suit comfortable for you, as well as looking good.

[Holofernes]

Lol, what? Sorry, no. North America and South America are separate continents. Terribly sorry if the fact that they both have "America" in the name is somehow confusing for you.

Could you please show me where the north and the south of America are not connected? And no, a manmade channel does not divide landmass to be different continents.

America was named by an Italian who was called "amerigo vespucci", and he meant the whole landmass in the western border of the Atlantic, from north to south. It is seen as One big continent since 1494, when the pope decided on the status and rights of Amercia beeing spanish (minus eastern part of america, which belonged to portugal, who owned the eastern hemisphere, including africa and India, thats why in brasil people speak Portuguese, and not Spanish like the majority of America),
I find it really funny that me a central European has to educate american inhabitents about the younger history of their own area.

[LMuhlen]

Does German television also regularly refer to "Canadian Americans", "Mexican Amercians", "Cuban Americans", "Brazillian Americans", or any of the citizens of the dozens of other countries that make up North and South America?

Why would you need to do that when other countries have non-ambiguous names? Again, it all boils down to a word having two meanings, which happens because the US failed to name their country with a name and instead chose to name it a phrase, a description. So the standards used to refer to citizens of countries deriving the adjective from the country's name kind of failed because there is no name.

Different countries teach continents differently. If you can't see how there can be multiple interpretations for a man-made division, then I think you fail at understanding that the world is a large place and what that entails.

*I* was taught that America is a continent, and North America, Central America and South America are subcontinents. Also that a geopolitical division is often used, distinguishing Latin America and Anglophone America (which is only the US and Canada). That being the case, American can be used to refer to anyone from the continent, the same way European can be used to describe anyone from Europe. Since the US is named as it is, and since we chose not to call their citizens Uniteders, for a lack of a better name we call them Americans as well, and it becomes evident the need to sometimes make a distinction.

Looking into it a bit shows that many countries use that definition. But many countries indeed define South America and North America as distinct continents. I don't think there is a "right" way to do it since it's all made up anyways. It's like trying to define what an Elf is. Unless, of course, some global entity decides to define it and all countries embrace that definition, which as far as I can tell, hasn't happened.,

All that said, I think the fact the USA is called that way and not United States of North America, that shows that North America wasn't considered the continent's name back then.

[Rahulk]

we have people from SA on this forum, im interested, do you think of yourself as "americans" or do you think of americans as USA? please no europeans respond as i dgaf about your opinion

Yes, i think of myself as American even tho i'm not a US citizen, i think of a lot of those place's people as brothers. That is wy here, we refer to these places as "Hermana república de (insert anamerian country here) "

[kail]

For me, comfort. It's not 3 sizes larger but there is some extra room. I hate any form of tight clothing.

[Polarthief]

Off the top of my head, I can think of two good reasons actually:
1. Clothes aren't meant to be tight and stiff on you. Their original purpose was so we weren't a bunch of cavemen looking at each others genitals all day. Might as well be comfortable rather than not, no?
2. If you gain weight/get bigger (or if you're still growing), you won't have to buy new clothes.

Not necessarily with suits but I wear 3XL shirts while my normal size is ~XL-2XL (depends on the fabric/how it's made) because I like being comfortable instead of it being constrictive. I'll never understand why people wear really tight jeans and clothes that are practically too small for them.

[bowchikabow]

I'm pretty sure that in 2017, Canadia takes offense at being considered part of North America.

Just a thought.

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On-topic: I am 73in tall, weigh 228lbs. When I want clothes that last more than 3mo? I buy 3XL shirts, 38W/34L. Technically I am an XL to 2XL shirt, 36W/32L, but if I get the exact right measurement... washing/use/ANY change in my body and they lose what TINY amount of comfort I had.

I don't really care about being exact in measurements. I care about being comfortable. When you are paying for my clothes, then your opinion will matter.