It's hard to be a woman

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Jay

In the UK, we refer to it as America for the country and the American Continent for the whole lot.

Hmm. While I don't doubt that's how you refer to it (not sure if your use of "we" was meant to include your countrymen, or was one of those funny royal usages), I've just browsed a few UK educational curriculum sites, and how you do it does not appear to be how they teach it.

quote:

I gather that this was not as a member of the armed services.

You gather correctly.

Jay

I have lived here for the best part of 59 years and believe me most of us refer to it as the American Continent.

Regards

Mick

The '7 continent system' seems to be a new-fangled thing.

The reason why the Olympic flag has five rings (not seven), for example, is one for each of the continents - distinctive land mass above water.

quote:

Originally posted by JWM:
The '7 continent system' seems to be a new-fangled thing.

The reason why the Olympic flag has five rings (not seven), for example, is one for each of the continents - distinctive land mass above water.

If by "new-fangled" you mean more recent than 1913 (the year the Olympic flag was designed), I agree. Honestly, quite a bit has changed since then, though.

No, I'm significantly younger than Mick Parry!

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Jay

In the UK, we refer to it as America for the country

Surely this isn't strictly correct though? I don't - I call it the United States ever since I was told off for calling it America by some Ecuadorian friends!

Steeve

Well i got 73% on the map of the USA with an average error rate of getting within 78 miles of the correct positioning all done in 510 seconds .Rhode island being the first one to try and place was a bit of a tough call but as the guy said it started to get easier after the first 7 or 8 and 44 out of 46 on the European countries with an average error rate of 10 miles.

Mick[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Chaps

I was once in a shopping Mall in San Diego and the shop assistant had never heard of Teneriffe.

Most Americans have a skimpy knowledge of what is outside the states. I once read a figure, that if you exclude servicemen, only 6% of Americans have actually been

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
I was once in a shopping Mall in San Diego and the shop assistant had never heard of Teneriffe.

I've never heard of Teneriffe.

quote:

and believe me most of us refer to it as the American Continent.

No we don't, because it doesn't exist. As posted before it's America for USA or US, North America or South America both continents and may be Central America not a continent, not difficult no net and no Wikipedia.
Do you say I come from England/Great Britain/UK off the European continent no off Europe is really what we say.