Final answer:
The term 'author' can indeed be used for architects in the United States, as they create original works much like writers and artists. The use of 'author' traditionally aligns with written works, but the term is flexibly used in relation to various creative fields, including architecture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the term author is not used for architects in the United States and that they are viewed the same as engineers is false. In the broadest sense, an author is someone who creates or originates something, and this can indeed include professionals like architects. Architects, much like writers and artists, conceive original structures and often imbue them with aesthetic and conceptual significance beyond mere functionality. However, the traditional use of the term author is most commonly associated with the creators of written work, such as books or articles.
Historically, the concept of the artist or artisan extended to those who labored with their hands, crafting pieces that merge utilitarian purpose and beauty. In contemporary contexts, the notion of artistic creation has expanded to include a vast range of activities beyond the traditional fine arts. Significant parallels can be drawn, for example, between a playwright constructing a narrative for the stage, and an architect designing a building, both requiring artistic vision and technical knowledge to bring their creations to life.
It is also pertinent to mention that contemporary discourse sometimes employs the term author in a metaphorical or extended sense to describe the involvement and creative input of individuals in various fields, including architecture. Thereby, the division between authorship typically reserved for writers and artists, and the recognition of architects, is not as rigid as the question suggests.