`  == Use of ``America`` when the meaning is ``United States`` ==  You are correct, that one irks me so whenever I see it I change it )  In school, the difference between America and the United States was beaten into our heads. America is two continents. The United States is one country. There is no country or nation named ``America``. So when someone puts ``Nationality - American`` , well, what does that tell us ? He's not European or Russian, I guess. But he she or it could be from Guatemala, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Peru or thirty other countries. The use of ``American`` in that way is flat-out wrong. And becoming more and more common, alas !  You are correct, occasionally using 'United States' becomes very cumbersome in a sentence. As an occasionality, what the heck. But we really need to stomp on this total misuse of the name ``America`` when people really mean ``United States.``   Today's schools just have a heck of a lot to answer for (   `