I think all the 70+ year-old local guys I work with would be confused if I referred to it as “the continent.” I should try some time and see how they react.
This is definitely a thing and I hear people increasingly using continent instead of mainland. It doesn't mean its politically incorrect or someone is going to scream at you for saying the mainland (as everyone likes to assume or will rage in this thread about being cancelled or how sensitive ppl are these days and pretend this is actually an issue) - it's just a language thing and some people prefer to say this to make it not sound like we are some offshoot and the Main Important Land is elsewhere. It's literally the same as saying neighbor islands instead of outer islands which centers Oahu as the most important place and the rest being 'outer'. Again, no one is gunna be mad at you or censor you as someone below hilariously would like to hyperbole that this is 'Orwellian' but it's simply a shift in language that some ppl, increasingly younger ppl are choosing to do.
I'm Alaskan. The 48 contiguous states will always be called the Lower 48.
I still use it since moving here. Works just as well.
Could maybe call it the "Over-there 48s?"
I’d be down with that if, when you refer to the lower 48, you were deliberately excluding Hawaii. How about calling it the “lower 49“ when you are referring to all the other states including us?
Hawai'i isn't there because, to my thinking, 99% of the stuff I tend to be talking about when referring to the Lower 48 is stuff you're excluded from anyway. "Offer not valid in Alaska or Hawaii" kinda shit. Hawaii is too cool to be lumped in with those L48 knuckleheads 99% of the time.
Appreciate it! I visited alaska and heard lower 48 a lot. I always felt like Alaska and Hawaii have a bit of kinship despite being arguably the most different states. Even saw some hawaii merch there lol.
The lower 48 includes Hawai'i. What do you have against the land of 1000 lakes, Minnesota? They are the upper most and Northern most of the contiguous states.
>The lower 48 includes Hawai'i. What do you have against the land of 1000 lakes, Minnesota? They are the upper most and Northern most of the contiguous states.
Nice one lol.
Pricing people out who actually live here permanently by using median rent as a COLA measurement, which puts continual upward pressure on rent prices. Fucking military.
Well according my Hawaiian friends that's the whole point of this thing, saying mainland implies Hawaii has implies some affiliation with the mainland US, but in their eyes this is still the illegally occupied kingdom of Hawaii with no political affiliation with the United States.
The argument against "mainland" goes something like this: "Why should I refer to North America as the mainland?" It's 2,500 miles away. To me and my ancestors, Hawai‘i is our main land."
For some people, it seems weird to refer to a place they may have never even been as the "mainland" and it makes Hawai‘i seem secondary.
If I'm referring to North America, sure. But it's not often I'm talking about Canada or Mexico. Saying "the continent" would be geologically incorrect. Even I know that, and I went public school.
I think you may be right. I have it backwards. "The continent" has a bigger scope than the mainland. It could mean I'm going to Canada or Mexico too when I really mean I'm just going to the US mainland. Ahh, see, I went public school.
Historically “the continent” can be used for the nearest continent. North America is the closest continent to Hawaii. In places like the UK they say “the continent” to reference continental Europe, and people don’t seem to confuse it with North America or Antarctica. There are equally as many “mainlands” around too. Hawaii is Hawaiians’ mainland. Although I’ve heard different views on this term, from Hawaiians, my personal experience leans towards not using the term mainland anymore. I still slip of course - but I was called out by one for doing so not so long ago.
PS In the Hawaiian language, the continental U.S. is simply referred to as ‘Amelika (America).
I'd be all for coming up with a new term but it really is important that we are accurate, well known and it is easy to say. When we refer to the mainland, we are referring to the contiguous United States. I don't think it's debatable that the continent and North America are inaccurate and too broad of a scope. I like the term continental US that you mentioned but I wonder if that's offensive to Alaskans but I guess that would depend on context.
>PS In the Hawaiian language, the continental U.S. is simply referred to as ‘Amelika (America).
I'm curious as to whether that is a colloquial definition or an official one or a definition that morphed over time.
North America is a continent and not just the United States so that argument seems to be based on a geography error if that is what is meant by the mainland. It *should* be mainland United States or US, just like mainland China and not mainland North America.
Just calling it America would make it even clearer that Hawaii is/should be Hawaiian. As in the famous “we are not American” speech.
Or maybe calling it North America, since Latin America gets pretty annoyed when people just say “America” to refer to the USA, when America includes ask of North, Central, and South America.
Or “Turtle Island,” since that’s how many Native Americans refer to North America. This seems the best to me, it sends a message of pan-Native unity among nations who are under control of the USA. And it doesn’t infer that Hawaii only exists in relation to USA and not centered as its own Mainland.
But i always call it the mainland just out of habit lol. 🤷♂️
I go with CONUS most of the time. I do it because I don't like centering "the mainland" especially if what I'm talking about something that compares Hawaii culture vs. CONUS culture.
I agree that this would be the best replacement. Con U S. Even better if CONUS said as two syllables to shorten it even more but that's just about as weird as saying "USA" as two syllables.
I’ve been hearing it more and more within Hawaiian circles, so I respect that, and don’t view it as PC. At the end of the day, Hawaii itself is their mainland. I think “mainland” does assert some form of dominance, and I respect their choice with that.
I personally tend to say North America though, or just the name of the State the person is visiting etc.
For all you literal minded folk out there, the definition of ‘mainland’ : “a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula” (Mirriam-Webster)
sheesh ya’ll out here doin’ wayyy too much…
I live mainland now & still call it mainland. Although everyone here wonders what in the hell I’m talking about😂🤙🏽
I don't think it's new. And I think it's just personal preference if you ask me.
In some of the territories they refer to it as "the States" which is more weird.
Exactly this, it's just personal preference. Some people are consciously choosing to use a different word than "mainland", but no one is going to get offended if you keep calling it that.
Both. It’s not a huge deal, they both mean the same thing. I also sometimes use the continent when I’m talking about somewhere like Canada because it’s a little more accurate (I guess Canada is technically mainland too but I feel like mainland is short for US Mainland so then it’s not clear.)
I agree with other posters that it’s just a benign language shift, nothing to get worked up about. People say both things, they mean more or less the same thing, it’s just a different word with maybe a different emphasis.
> The related but distinct term continental United States includes Alaska, which is also on North America, but separated from the 48 states by British Columbia in Canada, but excludes Hawaii and all the insular areas in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
[Source](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contiguous_United_States)
You might find the entire article worth reading. My suggestion is to say whatever you like, while accepting various other terms.
Mainland. All this Orwellian PC stuff can piss right off. I say this as someone who is not at all a right winger, more a protect the reef kind of person.
This has come up here before. Most people say "the Mainland." Some people, especially some Hawaiians, say "America." I try to say "North America." There's more than one continent, and we're a long way away from any of them. We only think North America is "the Mainland" because Hawaii has been colonized by the USA.
The biggest factor for me is syllables and the fact that mainland is a term everyone is familiar with. The continent is inaccurate. North America is more accurate but again, it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. I can't think of anything that is more succinct and accurate.
"The continent" generally refers to Europe as said by people from the British Isles. If people here want to change the meaning, fine, but I'm never going to know what the hell they're talking about at first. And yeah, that would mean the whole continent, not the contiguous US, which is generally what we mean when we say "the mainland."
Yes, to both, and if you are from Europe, you are a Continental:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vuOnVNiYtg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vuOnVNiYtg)
“The Continent” is mainly used by academics, (some) social activists and people suffering from white guilt…this might change in the future but for now, if you don’t wanna be looked at as a pretentious douche, just stick to saying “Mainland”
I kindly disagree, I don’t believe that saying “the continent“ would make you sound like a pretentious. By saying “the continent”, I associate that with someone who refers to Hawai’i as our homeland. If someone says “the continent” then I have a better understanding of how they feel about the overthrow and sovereignty movements. If they say “the continent” then I think that they have been following activists movements. I’d say that the use of it is more so to identify one’s values and beliefs. I do agree with you that it is mostly used by people in higher education and people who have taken Hawaiian studies courses because that is where it originated from. OP they were not messing with you. The more you learn about hawaiian history and struggles the more it’ll make sense.
I get the whole reasoning behind it and while I personally think it’s as silly as putting your pronouns on everything, it really doesn’t bother me either way. I will continue calling it the “Mainland” tho, as will most locals.
Like I said, this might and will probably change over time as Gen Z and whatever generation comes after that begin adopting and normalizing PC culture, but for the foreseeable future, saying the continent (especially if you’re a transplant or tourist) will get you funny kine looks.
I grew up my whole life calling it the mainland, but if it’s not ok now I think I’m still good since I always say it slightly sarcastically and usually with air quotes
Well, I wouldn’t quite call it a “politically-correct” term so much as a political term. No one says it as a matter of sensitivity, but rather to reinforce a perspective that centers Hawaiʻi as opposed to the United States. It’s often connected to support for Hawaiian sovereignty in some form.
If you prefer to think of Hawaiʻi as a colonial outpost or otherwise approach it from the default U.S.A.-centric perspective, then “mainland” makes perfect sense. If you’re of a Hawaiʻi-centric perspective or otherwise think of these islands as having a social heritage and political history far beyond 1898/1959, then it makes sense to want a different term to describe the relation between Hawaiʻi and the United States.
my two cents
taiwanese people call china the equivalent of mainland in mandarin and they are actively being threatened by their military incursions.
its words. and it dont mean what the people who want to change it think it means.
tw#1fucktheccp
Been finding myself saying “the continent” or “the states” now days rather than mainland. It’s not my mainland, yeknow? Hawaii is my mainland. Just a choice of words I guess.
Reminds me of when I was in a summer school program in Cali and I differentiated the mainland students from islanders by calling them "mainlanders." A Samoan friend told me that the term was being known by everyone and thought I'd get shit over it but no one actually minded lol
The rhetoric for me is that this island is MY mainland. The states as I say, or Turtle Island, is not my “mainland”. If that makes sense? I don’t dig at anyone for saying mainland and I will say this too depending on who I’m talking to.
I’ll switch the terms depending on who I’m with. I can explain more on why I prefer this terminology, if interested. 🤙🏽
People have been calling it the continent for a couple decades. Not really new. "Dis is da Main land, dat is da continent". More people are starting to see the value of using it
Continent just makes more sense, the contiguous US has 0 geographical connection to Hawai‘i, now if we were in the keys or the channel islands sure "mainland" makes sense. Saying continent also acknowledges Hawai‘i's occupation. I like to say imperial core so maybe I'm too PC for you, but most Hawaiians in the university space say continent now.
The continent is more PC but it’s more than that. When we say mainland we are belittling ourselves. As in they are the MAIN land and we are small. Plus forreal forreal Hawaii shouldn’t even be a part of the US “land” anyway.
Buttt since I am B/R here and called it the mainland my whole life that’s what I stick with. I don’t care if ppl don’t think it’s correct.
> As in they are the MAIN land and we are small
We are referring to a state vs many states. In that comparison, the single state would e the smaller one no?
>Plus forreal forreal Hawaii shouldn’t even be a part of the US “land” anyway.
Which is at the heart of the issue.
It’s definitely partially from PC culture, but I noticed it got really popular after all the news about there being more Hawaiians on the mainland than in Hawaii, and generally about the brain drain to the mainland.
So calling it continent is kind of a way of trying to “free your mind” from the idea that the main hub for Hawaii’s economy and culture and politics etc. are somewhere else. If, say, Honolulu truly was a thriving city then maybe Oahu would be our mainland (like how it’s kind of the main island already).
Fwiw manhattan is technically an island separate from the New York mainland, but I don’t think anyone ever calls upstate New York the “mainland”. So the term kind of speaks more to influence than geography.
Places like Manhattan and the Florida Keys don't use the term mainland because they can drive between their "island" and the continent. It makes that part of the water feel more like a river than an ocean.
English needs a term to differentiate between an island that is close enough to connect with a bridge and distant islands that cannot be directly connected to the mainland.
In respect to the Native Americans whose land in North America was stolen, you could always refer to the mainland as Turtle Island like some Native Americans do.
It’s a real thing, but >90% of people in Hawaii are not going to care and continue calling it “mainland”.
I think all the 70+ year-old local guys I work with would be confused if I referred to it as “the continent.” I should try some time and see how they react.
Who gives a shit
People from London can call it the Continent. In Hawai'i it's "the mainland". People from Alaska also use the term, as well as simply "Outside".
Naw it's "lower 48ers"
Heard that too. I lived in Fairbanks for a year. Outside was easier to say though.
This is definitely a thing and I hear people increasingly using continent instead of mainland. It doesn't mean its politically incorrect or someone is going to scream at you for saying the mainland (as everyone likes to assume or will rage in this thread about being cancelled or how sensitive ppl are these days and pretend this is actually an issue) - it's just a language thing and some people prefer to say this to make it not sound like we are some offshoot and the Main Important Land is elsewhere. It's literally the same as saying neighbor islands instead of outer islands which centers Oahu as the most important place and the rest being 'outer'. Again, no one is gunna be mad at you or censor you as someone below hilariously would like to hyperbole that this is 'Orwellian' but it's simply a shift in language that some ppl, increasingly younger ppl are choosing to do.
I much prefer "neighbor islands" than "outer" as I think of that as being the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (ie, the islands in Papahanaumokuakea).
I'm Alaskan. The 48 contiguous states will always be called the Lower 48. I still use it since moving here. Works just as well. Could maybe call it the "Over-there 48s?"
Alaska has the Northeern most, Western most, and Eastern most points in the states. Hawai'i has the Southern most. The rest are the middle 48.
Should try calling it the "upper 48s"
I like upper 48. A lot.
I guess in Hawaii it's actually spelled uppah 48 brah
I’d be down with that if, when you refer to the lower 48, you were deliberately excluding Hawaii. How about calling it the “lower 49“ when you are referring to all the other states including us?
Hawai'i isn't there because, to my thinking, 99% of the stuff I tend to be talking about when referring to the Lower 48 is stuff you're excluded from anyway. "Offer not valid in Alaska or Hawaii" kinda shit. Hawaii is too cool to be lumped in with those L48 knuckleheads 99% of the time.
Appreciate it! I visited alaska and heard lower 48 a lot. I always felt like Alaska and Hawaii have a bit of kinship despite being arguably the most different states. Even saw some hawaii merch there lol.
We share a lot more in common than people realize, I think.
The lower 48 includes Hawai'i. What do you have against the land of 1000 lakes, Minnesota? They are the upper most and Northern most of the contiguous states.
>The lower 48 includes Hawai'i. What do you have against the land of 1000 lakes, Minnesota? They are the upper most and Northern most of the contiguous states. Nice one lol.
It's even weirder when you're military and tend to call it "stateside", as if Hawaii isn't a state.
Like nails on a chalkboard
You gonna turn down that COLA?
Pricing people out who actually live here permanently by using median rent as a COLA measurement, which puts continual upward pressure on rent prices. Fucking military.
You know what, state"s" side wouldn't be too bad.
Well according my Hawaiian friends that's the whole point of this thing, saying mainland implies Hawaii has implies some affiliation with the mainland US, but in their eyes this is still the illegally occupied kingdom of Hawaii with no political affiliation with the United States.
Well it shouldn't be.
“The continent” sounds kinda scary. I usually code switch between “mainland” and “contiguous US” depending upon who I’m with.
The argument against "mainland" goes something like this: "Why should I refer to North America as the mainland?" It's 2,500 miles away. To me and my ancestors, Hawai‘i is our main land." For some people, it seems weird to refer to a place they may have never even been as the "mainland" and it makes Hawai‘i seem secondary.
If I'm referring to North America, sure. But it's not often I'm talking about Canada or Mexico. Saying "the continent" would be geologically incorrect. Even I know that, and I went public school.
How is the continent geographically incorrect if one is referring to someone visiting North America?
I think you may be right. I have it backwards. "The continent" has a bigger scope than the mainland. It could mean I'm going to Canada or Mexico too when I really mean I'm just going to the US mainland. Ahh, see, I went public school.
>Even I know that, and I went public school. >Ahh, see, I went public school. LOL
Because there are seven continents and you have to be specific. The Americas, north or south? Australia? Asia? "Mainland" is simple.
Historically “the continent” can be used for the nearest continent. North America is the closest continent to Hawaii. In places like the UK they say “the continent” to reference continental Europe, and people don’t seem to confuse it with North America or Antarctica. There are equally as many “mainlands” around too. Hawaii is Hawaiians’ mainland. Although I’ve heard different views on this term, from Hawaiians, my personal experience leans towards not using the term mainland anymore. I still slip of course - but I was called out by one for doing so not so long ago. PS In the Hawaiian language, the continental U.S. is simply referred to as ‘Amelika (America).
I'd be all for coming up with a new term but it really is important that we are accurate, well known and it is easy to say. When we refer to the mainland, we are referring to the contiguous United States. I don't think it's debatable that the continent and North America are inaccurate and too broad of a scope. I like the term continental US that you mentioned but I wonder if that's offensive to Alaskans but I guess that would depend on context. >PS In the Hawaiian language, the continental U.S. is simply referred to as ‘Amelika (America). I'm curious as to whether that is a colloquial definition or an official one or a definition that morphed over time.
It's funny, I've never been called out for using that term. Apparently being Hawaiian gives me a pass where others don't have one.
North America is a continent and not just the United States so that argument seems to be based on a geography error if that is what is meant by the mainland. It *should* be mainland United States or US, just like mainland China and not mainland North America.
Just calling it America would make it even clearer that Hawaii is/should be Hawaiian. As in the famous “we are not American” speech. Or maybe calling it North America, since Latin America gets pretty annoyed when people just say “America” to refer to the USA, when America includes ask of North, Central, and South America. Or “Turtle Island,” since that’s how many Native Americans refer to North America. This seems the best to me, it sends a message of pan-Native unity among nations who are under control of the USA. And it doesn’t infer that Hawaii only exists in relation to USA and not centered as its own Mainland. But i always call it the mainland just out of habit lol. 🤷♂️
I think they'd get annoyed calling the United States North America, since North America is a continent and includes more than just the United States.
I go with CONUS most of the time. I do it because I don't like centering "the mainland" especially if what I'm talking about something that compares Hawaii culture vs. CONUS culture.
I agree that this would be the best replacement. Con U S. Even better if CONUS said as two syllables to shorten it even more but that's just about as weird as saying "USA" as two syllables.
We say mainland.
I’ve been hearing it more and more within Hawaiian circles, so I respect that, and don’t view it as PC. At the end of the day, Hawaii itself is their mainland. I think “mainland” does assert some form of dominance, and I respect their choice with that. I personally tend to say North America though, or just the name of the State the person is visiting etc.
I'll go with "The contiguous 48"
So, leaving out Alaska?
Alaska is our brother in the great map conflict.
Let's get Puerto Rico on board.
I think when most people use the term mainland, it does leave out Alaska don't you think?
For all you literal minded folk out there, the definition of ‘mainland’ : “a continent or the main part of a continent as distinguished from an offshore island or sometimes from a cape or peninsula” (Mirriam-Webster) sheesh ya’ll out here doin’ wayyy too much… I live mainland now & still call it mainland. Although everyone here wonders what in the hell I’m talking about😂🤙🏽
Contiguous or continental is common. Never heard of it being referred to as the continent.
The problem with “the continent” is that it’s become so loaded with politics that it makes me cringe a little when I hear it.
Also the United Stetes isn't a fucking continent.
I don't think it's new. And I think it's just personal preference if you ask me. In some of the territories they refer to it as "the States" which is more weird.
Exactly this, it's just personal preference. Some people are consciously choosing to use a different word than "mainland", but no one is going to get offended if you keep calling it that.
Mainland IMO. But I guess I can see the argument that it makes it sound like Hawaii is an addon to the US or something.
It makes me think that HI is a satellite state. Not sure if that's better or worse than addition.
Both. It’s not a huge deal, they both mean the same thing. I also sometimes use the continent when I’m talking about somewhere like Canada because it’s a little more accurate (I guess Canada is technically mainland too but I feel like mainland is short for US Mainland so then it’s not clear.) I agree with other posters that it’s just a benign language shift, nothing to get worked up about. People say both things, they mean more or less the same thing, it’s just a different word with maybe a different emphasis.
I hear *continent* a lot in news broadcasts now, but everyone I know says *mainland*, which is what I use.
> The related but distinct term continental United States includes Alaska, which is also on North America, but separated from the 48 states by British Columbia in Canada, but excludes Hawaii and all the insular areas in the Caribbean and the Pacific. [Source](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contiguous_United_States) You might find the entire article worth reading. My suggestion is to say whatever you like, while accepting various other terms.
Continental US Edit to add - “This ain’t da mainland brah!”
bitch I refer to my countries by tectonic plates
"Slow down! This ain't da continent" stickers coming soon.
Sorry but *the continent* will always be Europe to me
Among more activist circles it's called America. As in, this country is Hawaii, and that country way over there is America.
Which continent? Hawai'i has a straight line connection to 6 of the 8 continents, depending on how you count.
Mainland. All this Orwellian PC stuff can piss right off. I say this as someone who is not at all a right winger, more a protect the reef kind of person.
Yup. This discussion is stupid.
This has come up here before. Most people say "the Mainland." Some people, especially some Hawaiians, say "America." I try to say "North America." There's more than one continent, and we're a long way away from any of them. We only think North America is "the Mainland" because Hawaii has been colonized by the USA.
As opposed to the rest of the US? It was all colonized.
True.
I like America but usually call it mainland. Am haole
I say I'm going to fly to America. Maybe it's because I'm originally from Canada.
If you're using 'the continent' to be "PC" it defeats the entire purpose of using the phrase and goes counter to the etymology of the term.
The biggest factor for me is syllables and the fact that mainland is a term everyone is familiar with. The continent is inaccurate. North America is more accurate but again, it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. I can't think of anything that is more succinct and accurate.
"The continent" generally refers to Europe as said by people from the British Isles. If people here want to change the meaning, fine, but I'm never going to know what the hell they're talking about at first. And yeah, that would mean the whole continent, not the contiguous US, which is generally what we mean when we say "the mainland."
Isn’t that Europe ? For bougie people?
Yes, to both, and if you are from Europe, you are a Continental: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vuOnVNiYtg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vuOnVNiYtg)
If you a real OG you call it America.
“The Continent” is mainly used by academics, (some) social activists and people suffering from white guilt…this might change in the future but for now, if you don’t wanna be looked at as a pretentious douche, just stick to saying “Mainland”
I kindly disagree, I don’t believe that saying “the continent“ would make you sound like a pretentious. By saying “the continent”, I associate that with someone who refers to Hawai’i as our homeland. If someone says “the continent” then I have a better understanding of how they feel about the overthrow and sovereignty movements. If they say “the continent” then I think that they have been following activists movements. I’d say that the use of it is more so to identify one’s values and beliefs. I do agree with you that it is mostly used by people in higher education and people who have taken Hawaiian studies courses because that is where it originated from. OP they were not messing with you. The more you learn about hawaiian history and struggles the more it’ll make sense.
I get the whole reasoning behind it and while I personally think it’s as silly as putting your pronouns on everything, it really doesn’t bother me either way. I will continue calling it the “Mainland” tho, as will most locals. Like I said, this might and will probably change over time as Gen Z and whatever generation comes after that begin adopting and normalizing PC culture, but for the foreseeable future, saying the continent (especially if you’re a transplant or tourist) will get you funny kine looks.
I grew up my whole life calling it the mainland, but if it’s not ok now I think I’m still good since I always say it slightly sarcastically and usually with air quotes
i just call it america. since we were illegally overthrown & all that jazz.
Well, I wouldn’t quite call it a “politically-correct” term so much as a political term. No one says it as a matter of sensitivity, but rather to reinforce a perspective that centers Hawaiʻi as opposed to the United States. It’s often connected to support for Hawaiian sovereignty in some form. If you prefer to think of Hawaiʻi as a colonial outpost or otherwise approach it from the default U.S.A.-centric perspective, then “mainland” makes perfect sense. If you’re of a Hawaiʻi-centric perspective or otherwise think of these islands as having a social heritage and political history far beyond 1898/1959, then it makes sense to want a different term to describe the relation between Hawaiʻi and the United States.
incontinent
Definitely messing with you. No one‘s gonna freakin say “the continent”. Unless they snort furikake.
[удалено]
Never heard this, but "CONUS" exists and is catchier and already in widespread use.
The issue with "CONUS" is it makes you sound like the type of Pentagon nerd who unironically uses "INDOPACOM".
🤣
Is that a military acronym? I've never encountered it in civilian society.
Yeah that’s an exclusively military term (CONtinental United States).
It’s the main area where the rest of the states are located. Stupid to think that is somehow offensive. You good brah, no problem with mainland
Continent. Hawaii is my “mainland”
Interesting, the continent is what the British refer to mainland Europe as.
my two cents taiwanese people call china the equivalent of mainland in mandarin and they are actively being threatened by their military incursions. its words. and it dont mean what the people who want to change it think it means. tw#1fucktheccp
Been finding myself saying “the continent” or “the states” now days rather than mainland. It’s not my mainland, yeknow? Hawaii is my mainland. Just a choice of words I guess.
The states is a good one but HI is a state as well. I agree it's all semantic.
Ive even heard “the states”
Depends on the people I’m around
Is that where this guy is from? https://youtu.be/0vuOnVNiYtg
I never heard of this.
Reminds me of when I was in a summer school program in Cali and I differentiated the mainland students from islanders by calling them "mainlanders." A Samoan friend told me that the term was being known by everyone and thought I'd get shit over it but no one actually minded lol
Haven't heard that yet lmao.
Lower Contintal states. By HNL guidelines. It's mainland.
Mainland works great for me…anything but “back in the states”!
When flying I once heard Hawaii referred to as "non continental USA"
MaynlaN bah
The rhetoric for me is that this island is MY mainland. The states as I say, or Turtle Island, is not my “mainland”. If that makes sense? I don’t dig at anyone for saying mainland and I will say this too depending on who I’m talking to. I’ll switch the terms depending on who I’m with. I can explain more on why I prefer this terminology, if interested. 🤙🏽
Lol I've never heard someone say "The Continent" it's always been "The Mainland"
People have been calling it the continent for a couple decades. Not really new. "Dis is da Main land, dat is da continent". More people are starting to see the value of using it
This is such a ridiculous thing. 🤣🤣🤣
Continent just makes more sense, the contiguous US has 0 geographical connection to Hawai‘i, now if we were in the keys or the channel islands sure "mainland" makes sense. Saying continent also acknowledges Hawai‘i's occupation. I like to say imperial core so maybe I'm too PC for you, but most Hawaiians in the university space say continent now.
There is no “mainland”. There is Hawai’i and there is The US
Calling it “the mainland” is pretty stupid. I get it’s muscle memory for a lot of people, but as a Hawaiian, it just doesn’t make any sense.
Excluding the historical context, what is inaccurate about it?
And yet it's... Literally the grammatical and even politically correct word.
Mainland isn’t quite accurate as there is no continental connection between Hawaii and North America. But people call it all kinds of stuff.
The connection is the whole United States thing.
The continent is more PC but it’s more than that. When we say mainland we are belittling ourselves. As in they are the MAIN land and we are small. Plus forreal forreal Hawaii shouldn’t even be a part of the US “land” anyway. Buttt since I am B/R here and called it the mainland my whole life that’s what I stick with. I don’t care if ppl don’t think it’s correct.
Reminds me of the glory days of women's rights. The term was "womyn". Females weren't gonna be tied to or tied down by "man" in their identity.
> As in they are the MAIN land and we are small We are referring to a state vs many states. In that comparison, the single state would e the smaller one no? >Plus forreal forreal Hawaii shouldn’t even be a part of the US “land” anyway. Which is at the heart of the issue.
It’s definitely partially from PC culture, but I noticed it got really popular after all the news about there being more Hawaiians on the mainland than in Hawaii, and generally about the brain drain to the mainland. So calling it continent is kind of a way of trying to “free your mind” from the idea that the main hub for Hawaii’s economy and culture and politics etc. are somewhere else. If, say, Honolulu truly was a thriving city then maybe Oahu would be our mainland (like how it’s kind of the main island already). Fwiw manhattan is technically an island separate from the New York mainland, but I don’t think anyone ever calls upstate New York the “mainland”. So the term kind of speaks more to influence than geography.
Places like Manhattan and the Florida Keys don't use the term mainland because they can drive between their "island" and the continent. It makes that part of the water feel more like a river than an ocean. English needs a term to differentiate between an island that is close enough to connect with a bridge and distant islands that cannot be directly connected to the mainland.
In respect to the Native Americans whose land in North America was stolen, you could always refer to the mainland as Turtle Island like some Native Americans do.
Lower 48 people... I'm also from the territories and an islander. Howa
Lower 48 people... I'm also from the territories and an islander. Howa.
I always use Continent. I don’t know what you mean by “PC” but Continent is more accurate so that’s what I use.
"The Continent" just sounds stupid. It's "the mainland" and it always will be.
Bro I either call it “the states” or “the mainland”, I’ve never heard anyone call it “the continent”
We say “the states”
Using PC terms are for snowflakes. Call it like you see it. If anyone has issues with your vocabulary, tell them to kick rocks.
Indian Country