"When you say American, do you mean someone from the USA or someone from elsewhere in the Americas?"

Is that a trick question? I say that because there is an awkward old Scottish guy on scs who insists Americans have no right to call themselves that because there are plenty of other countries in the Americas too. Hence he uses tha appellation Usains :-) Thought you might have looked in at some point!

Nah when I said American I meant someone from the USA. Which of course is no slur on anyone else from the USA many of whom I'm sure do know the difference between Britain and England. It doesn't really matter where you come from though does it? If you mistakenly say something wrong (and for instance many folk here in the past would have classed everyone from the USSR as Russians) it doesn't mean you are being rude - but if you insist on still doing it once your mistake has been pointed out to you as well as the fact that the mistake could offend then it turns from an innocent mistake to rudeness.

That is all I've been trying to say. It is common courtesy to not call people by a name you know they don't like to be called.