Help Me Understand

[scionic]

Alright, I'm not sure if you all realize it but in the United States, most of us use these interchangeably. Much the way most people call us "America" (and we call ourselves that) much to the chagrin of Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, who are all "America" too.

So help me clear this up, if you would please.

It's my understanding that "UK" indicates England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (and all the territories)

"England" is just the bit south of Scotland and east of Wales.

So what is "Great Britain" and/or "Britain"?

Does that cover the same lands as "UK" or not?

Thanks.

[dicey2k]

Great Britain is the same as the UK essentially. It incorproates England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland (The southern bit) is it's own Country essentially!

You don't get many people calling it GB though, its used for official purposes like passports, vehicle and aircraft identification mostly!

But some say we are British, and some people prefer to use their own country's name... I for one am English, and i'm sure the Scottish, Irish and Welsh (and Cornish ) lads and lasses will say the same!

[scionic]

Cool, thanks for clearing that up for me!

[dicey2k]

No worries, i added a bit of an afterthought but you replied before i could finish editing!

[Fidgits]

Actually, I thought Great Britian was England, Scotland and Wales...

The UK includes Northern Ireland...

?

[scionic]

I've just read that bit now.

That's cool. That is the impression I got, that the British thing is more a designation of geography and government rather than culture.

[dicey2k]

Actually, I thought Great Britian was England, Scotland and Wales...

The UK includes Northern Ireland...

?

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I found this with the powers of google!! May help?

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

[mad welshman]

welsh and proud.

[dicey2k]

Think it comes back to the times of the old British Empire... sort of stemmed from there!

If you don't know BTW, the Union jack is a combination of the George Cross of England, St. Andrews Cross of Scotland, and the Cross of St. Patrick of Ireland!

[ae111sr]

Think it comes back to the times of the old British Empire... sort of stemmed from there!

If you don't know BTW, the Union Jack is a combination of the George Cross of England, St. Andrews Cross of Scotland, and the Cross of St. Patrick of Ireland!

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But nothing Welsh in there though!! :shutit:

[Al J]

Think it comes back to the times of the old British Empire... sort of stemmed from there!

If you don't know BTW, the Union Jack is a combination of the George Cross of England, St. Andrews Cross of Scotland, and the Cross of St. Patrick of Ireland!

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But nothing Welsh in there though!! :!Removed!:

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No, but a Welsh dragon in the middle would look cool!

Geek point: the proper name for the Union jack is 'Union flag'.

Really geeky point: There is a right way up to the flag. If flown upside down, it's a distress call (or an indication that you didn't know this really geeky point!).

[dj_davo]

however,...

without wishing to incite racism, politics or any other politically correct entwined discussion

it seems that nowadays to be english is a bad thing. the welsh, scots and irish can (rightly so) proudly display their countries' flag without fear of prejudice but to display the english one is deemed bad.

you can (rightly so) proudly claim to be welsh, or scottish, or irish, but if you say you are english it is frowned upon as you should really say you are british.

the welsh, irish and scottish had the devolution and have their own political establishment but the one in england is actually for all britain.

i fear we (in england) are currently in a climate of over political correctness where we should proudly embrace everybody else over ourselves.

i hope i haven't opened a huge can of worms and put a pair of ladders up the soapbox here.

p.s i am in no way a political expert, i am merely a person employed in a highly politically corrrect environment, who reads a lot, watches a lot of tv and forms opinions without always being privvy to the full facts ;)

[Avensis wagon]

The UK = the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

That is to say, Great Britain (=England, Scotland and Wales only) plus Northern Ireland.

The Republic of Ireland isn't included in this (being a republic and all that).

But anyway, why ponder minor details when you can congratulate me on shaking my Toyota dealer's hand today on a new 2 litre Avensis wagon (estate) with cruise control and 6 CD changer. Oh, and let's not forget the tow bar! Yeah, boring family dude I know. Platinum is my colour of choice, 36,000 euros the price. Outrageous! Could have got it tax-free if I was still resident in the UK (of GB and... )

[PaulT]

Exactomondo. And furthermore, you can't use English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish as a nationality, you are British.

Paul.

ps. Blackadder 3 is on now, with Robbie Coltrane as Dr. Johnson :D

[Puls]

"Buncha rotten-toothed limeys"

;) :arrgg-matey:

[dj_davo]

"Buncha rotten-toothed limeys"

  ;)  :arrgg-matey:

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lmfao

[scionic]

"Buncha rotten-toothed limeys"

  ;)  :arrgg-matey:

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Hey, they don't have floride in their tap water. It's not their fault!

[Al J]

"Buncha rotten-toothed limeys"

  ;)  :arrgg-matey:

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Hey, they don't have floride in their tap water. It's not their fault!

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Hey mate, we have loads of things in our water!

[dj_davo]

my girlfriends mums boyfriends friend (you get all that?) works for a water treatment place and says that there is chlorine, fluoride, even e-coli (hmmm) in the water which is why he - and me wont drink the tap stuff!

besides you lot stateside only got nice teeth cos you're all obsessed and want to appear on sunset beach!

you wear them crazy big braces that have monkey bars on 'em when your a kid, spend loads on dental products throughout your 20's, and then finally go to one of them beverley hills fellas who makes your teeth 5 shades whiter and puts those crazy cap things on 'em, after first drilling your teeth into little spikes to accomodate the caps!

give me a slight yellow discolouration and maybe a couple of slightly bucked teeth anyday :P

[Demonic Angel]

I'm British and proud to be!

My other 'alf is half English half Scottish although he says hes English, he refuses to be known as British!

This baffles me and we have arguments about it sometimes - he believes that if you are born in England/Scotland/Ireland/Wales you are English/Scottish/Irish/Welsh - same as if you are born in France you are French, Spain you are Spanish etc as all four are their own countrys.

However I choose to live in the "UK" and be "British" - if I fill in a form and it says nationality, it'd feel weird for me to put English as I dont feel English, I feel British - if that makes sense to anyone?

[GIDDLEPIN]

I'm proud to be a "Yorkshire" lad on my fathers side.

But equally as proud to have my "Scottish" ancestry on my mothers side.

[scionic]

my girlfriends mums boyfriends friend (you get all that?) works for a water treatment place and says that there is chlorine, fluoride, even e-coli (hmmm) in the water which is why he - and me wont drink the tap stuff!

besides you lot stateside only got nice teeth cos you're all obsessed and want to appear on sunset beach!

you wear them crazy big braces that have monkey bars on 'em when your a kid, spend loads on dental products throughout your 20's, and then finally go to one of them beverley hills fellas who makes your teeth 5 shades whiter and puts those crazy cap things on 'em, after first drilling your teeth into little spikes to accomodate the caps!

give me a slight yellow discolouration and maybe a couple of slightly bucked teeth anyday  :P

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We are obsessed with having white teeth and controlling body odor and body hair. It's true.

We bleach our teeth and laser the hair off every part but our heads and use 4 kinds of deodorant a day.

[nell boy]

I thought we were an American state anyway.

Bush says 'jump' Blair says 'how high,sir'. :censor:

And we do have floride in our water,you can !Removed! smell the stuff in it,especially after a flood...

Thats 'Welsh Water' mind...

[scionic]

I thought we were an American state anyway.

Bush says 'jump' Blair says 'how high,sir'. :censor:

And we do have floride in our water,you can !Removed! smell the stuff in it,especially after a flood...

Thats 'Welsh Water' mind...

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Ah, it must be an old myth then about the water. That's what we've been told. Maybe we began putting floride in our water earlier on.

Sorry about that Bush thing. I did my part by not voting for that semi-functional !Removed!.

I don't know what to tell you, at least 50% of my countrymen are farking idiots. <_<

[dicey2k]

I'm proud to be a "Yorkshire" lad on my fathers side.

But equally as proud to have my "Scottish" ancestry on my mothers side.

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I've told people i'm "Stockportian" before now! Thought it sounded good :P