Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me!?

[nikimcbee]

Do I need a kilt for this thread?

Originally Posted by Letum

It's all because of Englands sectarian history. The cultures vary wildly. The Welsh language is the strongest it has been for a long time, as are English, Scottish and Welsh local, native languages. (althow I speak none of these)

OK, you are English. Are there any geographical boundries (I can find the political boundries) which can be easily applied?
I don't want to insult anyone by calling them English when they are Welsh, and visa versa.

EDIT: The Duke of Wales is English? Is the Royal Family still the House of Hanover? Germans? More cheese and rice.

EDIT 2: Should I be thinking about Celts, Saxons and Normans as well? What nationality was Robin of Locksley , Arthur Pendragin, St Andrew, Richard the Lion Hearted, King John of Magna Carta fame, William the Conquerer, Mary Queen of Scotts (and the English?)?
So many questions. Perhaps I should take a class about the history of Britain from the time of Rome to present day.

[perisher]

Next month I will be visiting friends in Minnesota, I have been explaining the British Constitution to them for over 10 years now and they still don't get it. But then, we don't have a written Constitution, we make it up as we go along, and it's brilliant for trivia quizzes, for example :-

Q. "What nationality do you have to be to join the British Army?"

A. "British, or Irish, or a citizen of a Commonwealth country, or Nepalese."

Happy b-day Britain, I'l have Bush send over some nuclear weapons right away! :p

[Tchocky]

The British Isles is very much a geographic and not a political term

[joea]

Originally Posted by waste gate

I don't want to be associated with the boreing non-consequetial Canadians nor the the third world Mexicans. Is it like that between British and English?

Likewise for many of us.

Oh and Happy Birthday to the UK ...

BTW, I always understood the difference similar to regional or state/provincial identity in Canada or the US. In Canada Newfoundlanders and Quebecois have a strong identity like many Southerners in the USA.

[bigboywooly]

I suppose the easiest way to liken it for those in the US in that each US state is a country - part of the United States

In that each individual "state " of Great Britain is

Except they are not " states " but countries lumped together under one flag etc etc

I find it interesting that if the Scots had their way they leave the Great Britain banner and become totally free of influence from the UK ( England )

Good luck to them

Take the Welsh with you and all will be well

:rotfl:

Then we can bin this



And go back to this entirely

[robbo180265]

Happy birthday us

This might help explain the boundry thing - scroll down to the bottom

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/At...United_Kingdom

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by waste gate

EDIT: The Duke of Wales is English?

The Prince of Wales is an hereditary title for the heir to the throne; therefore he is definitely English.

Is the Royal Family still the House of Hanover? Germans? More cheese and rice.

The Georges (I, II, III and IV), George IV's brother William IV and William's niece Queen Victoria were Hanoverians. When Victoria married Prince Albert it was changed to his hereditary name, Saxe-Coburg und Gotha. In 1917 King George V changed the family name to Windsor, which was passed down to George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth's husband is Prince Philip Mountbatten, who uses his mother's family name since he became a British citizen. I assume that will be the family name of the next king. He was born Philippos Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksberg, Prince of Greece and Denmark.

Robin of Locksley: Would have been English if he was a real person.

Arthur Pendragon: If there was a prototype he was likely a Celt of some sort.

St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, but he was Jewish. The younger brother of Saint Peter, he lived and died in ancient Israel.

Richard the Lion Hearted: Descended from William the Conquerer, he was a Norman - descended from Vikings, raised in what is now France. There weren't really defined countries in those days. People were known by families more than regions.

King John of Magna Carta fame: Richard's younger brother, so see above.

William the Conquerer: see Richard, above.

Mary Queen of Scots: She was the daughter of Margaret, sister of Henry VIII, and James V of Scotland, so she was Scottish and English.

So many questions. Perhaps I should take a class about the history of Britain from the time of Rome to present day.

I haven't taken any formal classes, but there are a lot of great books out there. Also more on the internet than you would think is actually good material.

[perisher]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Elizabeth's husband is Prince Philip Mountbatten, who uses his mother's family name since he became a British citizen. I assume that will be the family name of the next king. He was born Philippos Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksberg, Prince of Greece and Denmark.

Family name is now Mountbatten-Windsor (Remains House of Windsor)

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Richard the Lion Hearted: Descended from William the Conquerer, he was a Norman - descended from Vikings, raised in what is now France. There weren't really defined countries in those days. People were known by families more than regions.

Richard is seen as a great hero king, but he only visited England twice in his life. First time to be crowned and to raise taxes. Second time just to raise some more taxes.

[bigboywooly]

Probably more in that one post Steve than my kids will ever learn about the subject in school

Luckily for me they share my passion for history

[JScones]

Originally Posted by bigboywooly

I suppose the easiest way to liken it for those in the US in that each US state is a country - part of the United States

In that each individual "state " of Great Britain is

Except they are not " states " but countries lumped together under one flag etc etc

I find it interesting that if the Scots had their way they leave the Great Britain banner and become totally free of influence from the UK ( England )

Good luck to them

Take the Welsh with you and all will be well

:rotfl:

Then we can bin this



And go back to this entirely

You'd have to get rid of the Cross Saltire of St Patrick too, otherwise you'd still have something like



:rotfl: :rotfl:

Although it's prolly time (big political message coming up) to adopt something like the below...

[bigboywooly]

Nah the Welsh dont need to be added
They can go it alone too and pay for their own free prescriptions and college fees
:rotfl:

Besides Northern Ireland doesnt have its own government sanctioned national flag now since 1972

The last it had was this



From 1953 to 1972
Now it uses the Union flag

[gnirtS]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I would have jumped at the chance to say Happy Birthday, but nobody told me!

Tuesday, May 1, was the 300th anniversary of the Acts Of Union, Uniting England and Scotland as the Kingdom of Great Britain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1707

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UK!

Thats because most people in Wales and Scotland (and id guess england) aren't happy with it and dont want it.
Scottish nationalists won control of the scottish parliament this week - that should hint at something!

[Nostromo]

Well it was SNP or Labour, I was myself talking to a Scot about its possible seccession, he said its the worst thing that could happen to Scotland, and frankly I agree. Where would the scots wear their kilts if not in the British Army?