• percent@infosec.pub
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    4 hours ago

    Most English-speaking countries teach the seven-continent model. There is no place named “America,” so when native English speakers omit “The United States of” for brevity, other native English speakers understand that they’re referring to the USA.

    It seems to cause some confusion with cultures that are taught the six-continent model (in which there is a continent called “America”). I would guess that it’s because a lot of people are unaware of these cultural differences.


    Edit to actually answer your question 😅: In English, Canada is in a continent called “North America”

    • Wilco@lemmy.zip
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      3 hours ago

      Its all just America. America is named after Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512), an Italian explorer and cartographer. His name wasn’t “North America” … so you all are wrong. It is what it is.

      • percent@infosec.pub
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        3 hours ago

        Oh that was centuries ago. In the US, we’ve even divided states in a similar manner over the years. The Province of Carolina became North Carolina and South Carolina. Dakota Territory -> North and South Dakota. Virginia and… West Virginia (not sure why no “East Virginia”).

        I suppose you can say it’s “wrong” on the Internet, but if you tried the six-continent model on a school test in an English-speaking country, it would likely be marked as incorrect.

        There are also five- and I think even four-continent models in some cultures. The thought of any of them being “wrong” is really interesting, to me. Personally, I’ve never really thought about any of them as “right” or “wrong”, just cultural differences.

        • Wilco@lemmy.zip
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          3 hours ago

          The point is moot either way. Canada and the USA are on the exact same continent. Say American or say North American … the US and Canada are the same.

          • percent@infosec.pub
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            2 hours ago

            Sure. I was mostly just trying to answer your question and clear up some of the confusion. In all continent models, Canada and the USA are indeed on the same continent 🙂