Bill D. my point about the naming of the U.S. wasn't about a name which understandable, but about how people elsewhere in the Americas feel about the U.S. having the all-embracing "America" for itself when they are also in "America"


I can't speak for Venezuelans, but as a Canadian: I never call myself an American, nor do I recall hearing any other Canadian do so. Occasionally it's useful to speak of "North Americans", which includes us of course, but not plain "Americans". The only people I hear using the word so generally are well-intended but misinformed Americans.

I've got to agree with Bill D. - going along with the common usage of a word (i.e., that America=USA) is more helpful to communication than using a word to mean what you think it should mean.