+338 It's totally normal to call the United States "the States", but it would be weird to call the United Kingdom "the Kingdom", amirite?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think it'd be awesome telling people that I live in 'The Kingdom'

by Anonymous 12 years ago

There are so many kingdoms in Europe though, it would be hard to be sure which one they were talking about.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I thought of The Lion King...and I have no explanation for why...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Because "kingdom" has the word "king" in it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

probably cause there is only one country with "The States" in its title, whereas there are plenty of kingdoms.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No, I don't think that's it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

i guess not. but i figured even if i was wrong, someone would point it out. ty

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Federated States of Micronesia

by Anonymous 12 years ago

When I read this I thought of The Kingdom Bionicle alternate universe...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Forever calling it "the Kingdom".

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think the answer to this is rooted in the more complex relationship that has existed between elements of the UK when compared to the US. The UK proved much more difficult to unite as one under a common cause, since so few really felt the fervor of it all. Changes made had little real effect on ordinary people. Even now the UK is starting to fracture, with Scotland planning an independence referendum in 2014. It could precipitate the end of the UK, with Wales and N. Ireland using the precedent to take advantage of London's policy of supporting self-determination. We used to call America "the colonies" - it follows that they called themsleves "the states" following independence, it was a great symbol of defiance to Britain's imperialism

by Anonymous 12 years ago

The Emirates

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Well, it would be more accurate it call it a Queendom anyway.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Not really, because the first monarch was a king, and the Queen won't be the last monarch, so would you change it to the Queendom everytime there's a queen and back to Kingdom everytime there's a king again?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

You might call it a different thing when the monarch changes. But it's a moot point anyway, since nobody calls it either.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Well it's not really moot, we don't change the name to the UQ whenever there's a queen, so why would it be the queendom?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I yield, I yield. Sheesh.

by Anonymous 12 years ago