Do Arabs and Jews count as Asians?

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I'm not from the USA, but I use the term American. People from Canada are Canadians, people from the United States of America are Americans, people from Mexico are Mexicans, people from Venezuela are Venezuelans and so on. I may be wrong, but I don't think that any other countries in the Americas have the word America in their name? I'm not sure what else people from the USA would call themselves?

collectively known as 'semites', Persia and Turkey are not included as they are not Arabs or Jews. I have asumed here that you are using 'Jews' to describe the indigenous semitic Jews and not Israeli Jews who are mostly Europeans and recent settlers.

peace j

Is this prompted by my use of the word America? If so, it is kind of redundant since I am actually living in and full-blooded Canadian. I used the term America because it is one that everyone understands, and I feel it does not need an explanation. I am fully aware that there are two continents that use the word America in their title, yet in general, the only ones referred to as Americans are those from the United States. I guess that is probably because United Statesian just sounds plain awful. I don't think it is confusing or exclusive to refer to people of the USA as Americans, or to sometimes refer to the USA by its nickname America. I don't feel left out. I know I am still North American.

Yes of course. And, IMO, they are wrong too.

this has actually been my question for a very long time. I kind of feel like Asia is just the continent for all the "mischievous countries" that aren't "the world" (Europe), aren't the "new continent" (America), aren't where the black skin people live (Africa) and aren't where prisoners were sent to (Oceania).
As a Chinese myself, I used to be really bothered by the term Asian. In geographical terms, I do not understand why aren't Europe and Asia one continent. And even if the continents are divided by taking the cultural factor into account, I do not understand how can Chinese and Indians and middle easterners could be put into the same group.
I really appreciate seeing that i am not the only person with this question

It's based on common usage and the way our countries in this hemisphere evolved. The US achieved independence from its colonial ruling country earlier than, well, everyone else, so we called ourselves Americans to distinguish ourselves from those still living under colonial rule.

Canada is still part of the British Commonwealth. That has greatly shaped their own national identity in a way that's markedly different from us. Long before Canada had its own parliament and PM, the British monarchy frowned greatly on their Canadian subjects calling themselves "Americans" as it sounded too sympathetic towards us uppity, rebellious USA'ers for the British monarchy's liking. So, they ended up stuck with "Canadians."

And as for Latin American--ever tried to call a Colombian, or a Brazilian, or a Costa Rican an "American"? Most of the Latin American countries had a hard struggle to achieve their national independence and identities. They often don't want to be referred to generically as American. They want to be recognized for their own nationalities. I live on the Mexican-US border, and you're hear Mexicans say things like "I'm an American but I'm a Mexican first." The term "American" does not convey the same identity as "Mexican," "Costa Rican," "Brazilian" etc. to many Latin Americans. One refers to the hemisphere they live in, and the other to their nation and culture. And not surprisingly, the latter has more meaning with them. (This of course does not include indigenous groups who shun a national identity altogether, preferring only their own ethnic identity).

So it's a little more complicated than just assuming us Americans are arrogant as*holes. Some of us may be arrogant as*holes, but that's not why we call ourselves "Americans" while everyone else over here calls themselves something else.

I agree, people in the Americas tend to prefer referring to themselves by nationality, rather than by continent. It makes sense since each country is very unique.

Also, for clarification, I was not aware, but I have no doubt that that explanation of why Canadians did not call themselves Americans is likely. Also, keep in mind that even though we are technically part of the British Commonwealth, we also do not see ourselves as British in any way. We are 100% Canadian. The commonwealth plays more of a role in history and technicalities than it does in that of Canadian identity.

By that logic, there are no Europeans as no country has Europe in its name!! ! I can't think of any country with Asia in its name for that matter (Exception Malaysia: a different spelling and historic from Malaya rather than a link to it's continent).

Jews are both a religion and a nation. Anyone who tells you being Jewish is not an ethnicity is mis-informed. Of course it is. Though it is not a race, and because you can convert, there's no such thing as "Jewish genes" though most Jews (the born ones) do share certain gene markers. Like I said, I think it's similar to being an American. It's not a racial thing, because you can choose to become one, but it is a nationality and a culture.

Besides, why does a topic have to be 'valuable'? Are kilobytes that precious in this day and age?

As for your second point - I think 'America' is just 'short' for the USA. but i agree it doesn't really do justice to our Latino and Canadian friends.

No. All people who live in the Americas are Americans, obviously. Just as I am a European. But people also call themselves a name after their country, yes? Therefore Great Britain becomes British (although some do not like to call themselves this), Germany becomes German, Malaysia becomes Malaysian, United States of America becomes American. What else should they call themselves - in reference to their NATION?

United Statesians? United Statesites?

I agree. That is the explanation. We're not excluding everyone else. It's just a result of how it came to be a country and what they decided to name it.

@Henbane

I think the OP meant to say the Jews of Israel (that is in Asia), not the Jews of argentina or europe or anywhere else, Israel is AFAIK a nation. In israel there is NO seperation between the state and religion.

As for the arabs, they kinda are amongst themselves... they are stuff that is strictly arab related like the arab league and all, Asia is way too big so people from the distant edges look different, have different customs, history, religions and etc.

I am an Israeli Jew but I am no an asian, infact I'm white. not all the people who live in asia have that 'cheinese' oriental look. Israel is more related to Europe, america and the west than the rest of asia, as it takes part in the eurovision, european soccer tournies and etc. While the arabs of the region have their own tournaments and obviously wouldn't count israel in... so it kinda leaves no choice but to look for friends in other places.

This has all become a bit confusing. I wasn't replying to the OP, but to a different question: "When people from the United States use the term America they certainly refer to the Unites States, not only ignoring the existence of Canada but even of the entire South American continent. Any explainations ready?" by Christian77.

Perhaps, yeah. It would make more sense if there was an easy collective term for "peoples of the Indian subcontinent." And a big warning saying "racial groups are at best a gross approximation."

I think a lot of things would be clearer if more maps were drawn showing population and the things that matter to people and not simply the geographical extent of countries. Like, "Russia is mostly empty apart from the European bits", or "there's a stonking great mountain range between China and India, guys"; the world becomes a different place. Those pictures you see taken from space showing city lights are a better map of countries than "political" maps with block-colouring over deserts and wasteland.

So true, but all the South Americans I have met hate it and wish to be seen as 'americans' but not US citizens their first desire being to be seen as Chileans, Venezuelans, Cubans etc... The Americas are after all two continents and the Caribbean.

peace j

Around here, people do consider all other non-USA Americans, Americans. They just refer to them by their countries names just as you said. The same goes with USA. They are not called "Americans" because they have a monopoly over all North and South America. They are called Americans because they live in the United States of AMERICA, and calling them Americans is easier and more phonetically pleasing than saying United Statesian. Or how about, "all those United States of Americans." It is simply easier to say "American". No one living in the Americas is being excluded from being North American or South American. Also, Caribbean is not a separate continent. The majority, if not all of it, is part of the North American continent, while some of the northern bits of South American may also (or perhaps not) also be referred to as the Caribbean. There is no continent called Caribbean and no continent called central America. But that is just a side note and not really important to the discussion....