Why do Americans call cinema "theater" ?

Question:Theater is another thing, where actors act just in front of you, duh !

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Theater is another thing, where actors act just in front of you, duh !

We don't refer to "cinema" as "theater." We call it "the movies."

"Theater" refers to the auditiorium in which performing arts are done. This would apply to films and live performances. In other words, films are shown in a "movie theater."

Now, please understand: people who are in the performing arts like live drama, refer to the buisness as "Theater," with an upper case "T." For them, like you, "The Theater" means live plays put on before a live audience. For most of us Americans, this use appears to be pretentious and "arty."

Theater is the place. Movies were shown in the same place (i.e. theater) that plays (what you'd call theater) or musicals were performed.

It isn't a reference to what you are going to see.

In Greek, cinema means movement
In French, theatre means place of seeing

I think it may be just a matter of semantics but Im pretty sure it's just the local way of saying something just as some people call carbonated beverages soft drinks, some say soda and still others pop

I agree with VInce M that when we go to see a movie, we say we're "going to the movies". Movies are shown at movie theater (I suppose becuase the set up is similiar to a real theatre, but with a screen instead of a stage)

When we go to see a play/musical, we say we're "going to the theatre" or "going to see a show". I don't see this as pretentious, by the way...how else would you say you're going to see a play?

Films in the U.S. are shown in "movie theaters". But most Americans will say I am going to "the movies" or "the show" or "to see a flick". There are some regional differences, but I don't know anyone who refers to movies as theater.

well after cinema it became movie theater , and then just theater, but also the spelling is different movie theater is with an er and for jsut actign on stage it is theatre with an re.