When is it British and when is it English ?

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by ABBAFAN

Is the Irish Republic still considered part of the British Isles?

AFAIK it is, but not part of Great Britain. The British Isles is more of a geographical terminology than a political one.

[fireftr18]

I thought I had a good handle on it. I'm completely confused now.

[Betonov]

Originally Posted by mapuc

An off topic story which i remembered when I read you comment

It was about 94-95 I lived in Sweden at that time.

I was studying in a school for grown-ups

In the beginning I met a person from former Yugoslavia

He said I'm from (forgot the name of the town)
I said Where in Yugoslavia is that ?

He looked at me with some angry eyes and said
It's Croatia, Yugoslavia does not exist anymore.

Now we jump forward some month
A new student had arrived
We became friends and one day I asked him where he came from

I'm from (sorry can't remember the name of the town)
I said isn't that somewhere in Serbia

His response
Yugoslavia thank you.

Markus

In the nineties, during the war, Serbia was still named Yugoslavia. And was at war wirh Croatia. So the Serb saying he's from Yugoslavia didn't mean the federation that existed between 1945-1991, but the smaller entity which later renamed itself to Serbia.
And the fact that they were at war with eachother, you're lucky that Croat didn't punch you.

[Reece]

Originally Posted by STEED

You can't be us Brits for comedy.

I would say for music as well, certainly back in the 60's and 70's!!

[limkol]

I often hear people in the Danish media refer to everyone in the British Isles as 'englænder' (Englishmen), whether they are Scots, Welsh, English or Irish. They seem to think that the word 'English' is the same as 'British'. This is incorrect and some people might take offense over it. I'm surprised that educated people in the national media and politics do not have a better knowledge of history or at least geography.
NEVER call a Scot, a Welshman or even worse an Irishman 'English'. NEVER EVER call an Irishman 'British'.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Skybird

I may be wrong, but England, Scotland, Wales and a part of Ireland form a union called "United Kingdom" - or (Great) Britain. That alltogether is "British".

England is just one of these four entities forming Great Britian, and that is when you talk of "England, English".

Great Britian includes England, but England is not all Britain. Thats why they all have their own national teams as well, at least in football.

You can also differentiate the six "Celtic nations": Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Bretagne, and some small Isle that I now have forgotten. How "England" (which includes Cornwall and said Isle - Isle of Man, btw?) matches into this scheme, I do not know.

As I understand it, there is some - today light-handed - "animosity" between Englishmen and Scots, due to historic reasons (England oppressing Scotland for long time, "Braveheart" and all that stuff, and that was when it was much less light-handed an animosity ). Thats why you may have hit some nerve there, mapuc. As I see it, Scots are British - but NEVER ENGLISH. And if they leave the UK, they are not even that anymore.

You are very correct Sky, I personally know some people in my locality who would have trouble bettering that explanation.

[Catfish]

So, what is Australia And Canada ? Never part of the UK (?), but belonged to the Commonwealth. But not anymore..

[Von Due]

Originally Posted by Catfish

So, what is Australia And Canada ? Never part of the UK (?), but belonged to the Commonwealth. But not anymore..

Now part of the Uncommonwealth. The Commonwealth is a total mystery to me. How does it work in a practical sense?

[Reece]

Basically we're still owned by England, we were discovered and settled by English settlers. Until we vote for our independence and become a republic we belong to the UK, I personally want our ties to persist if for no other reason than security.
America used to belong to England until their fight for independence.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Reece

Basically we're still owned by England, we were discovered and settled by English settlers. Until we vote for our independence and become a republic we belong to the UK, I personally want our ties to persist if for no other reason than security.
America used to belong to England until their fight for independence.

At the time when Australia was found and seized was that captain an Englishman or Briton (latter in reference to modern concept not Roman times)? Also is your allegiance still only to England (if it everwas) or instead to the United Kingdom as whole?

[Oberon]

Canada and Aus are still part of the Commonwealth, there are 53 nations in the Commonwealth and 16 of them have the Queen as technical monarch but membership of the Commonwealth is not dependent on accepting the Queen as anything other than the Head of the Commonwealth but with no powers over the organisation.

It is a bit complicated, but as de-colonisation processes go, it worked out quite well. A bit bloody in some places, but better than the fall of Rome.

[Catfish]

So.. Australia belongs to the UK? Officially?
I thought it was how Skybird put it .. -> completely confused

But you do not have a say in the EU vote
You can partake in the Eurovision song contest though

[Reece]

Labor here in Australia tried to change us to a republic way back in the 70's, IIRC, but the Queen said straight out that it has to be put to the public in a referendum before she'd even consider it. Good on her!!

[Von Due]

Originally Posted by Catfish

You can partake in the Eurovision song contest though

Kevin Bloody Wilson would be a breath of fresh air for sure.