Igirisujin

[nori-chan 0]

Can some Igirisujin tell me are you call yourself British or English? (or what?) It is confusing!

[Ocean11 0]

People from the 4 countries of the United Kingdom generally say they are of the nationality of the country from which they originate, hence I am English although I have Irish ancestors.

 

We sometimes hesitate to agree when Americans say to us "You're British, right?", and Scots will issue angry denials when English say to them "You're English aren't you?"

[kintaro 0]

So technically, who is British?

[Ocean11 0]

Anybody from England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales.

 

But the point is, people don't tend to identify much with a place called 'Britain', or the state of being 'British'.

 

(Britons, correct me if I'm wrong...)

[kintaro 0]

I see, thank you.

[miteyak 0]

Although there may be a couple of Dubliners who disagree...

[rach 1]

Since I came here I have got used to being called British. Back home though, everyone says they are English.

[powwwers 0]

 Quote:

anybody from England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales.

that would be NORTHERN Ireland wouldn`t it?

[BagOfCrisps 24]

I'm from London, (innit.)

[scouser 4]

English, though I'm used to being British since I've been here. Northern usually gets them, scouse they have no idea.

[me jane 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by powwwers:

 Quote:

anybody from England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales.

that would be NORTHERN Ireland wouldn`t it?

Yep it would. Here's how I explain it to my students.

A country is a political jurisdiction
A nation is a cultural one.

Technically, all history and emotions aside (even though I am Welsh myself and I hate to say it), The British Isles consists of two countries:

Country 1. "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" (UK)

Country 2. "The Republic of Ireland"

("The British Isles" is a geographical term refering to the islands of Ireland and Great Britain and all the other little ones surrounding them. As is Great Britain with great just meaning big, as in the biggest of the isles and consisting of mainland Scotland, England & Wales)

Country 1 has 3&1/2 nations - Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.
(So I can redeem myself a little here by pointing out that England is not a country either )

Country 2 is the Republic of Ireland (the other 1/2 of the nation of Ireland)

People from country 1 have passports from "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"
People who come from Great Britain are British Citizens. They all have "British" written in their UK passports. These British citizens sub-divide themselves into Welsh, Scottish and English.
People who come from Northern Ireland can choose whether to have "Irish" or "British" written in their UK passports, however for the purposes of the law, regardless of what they choose to have written in their passport, they are UK passport holders and could therefore technically be termed British.

People who come from country 2 are from the Republic of Ireland, are Irish Citizens and have Irish passports.

I draw something like this for my students -


and tell them

a Rep. of Ireland (Country)
b Northern Ireland (Nation)
a+b Ireland (island name)
c Scotland (Nation)
d Wales (Nation)
e England (Nation)
c+d+e Great Britain (island name)
b+c+d+e United Kingdom (Country)
a+b+c+d+e British Isles (name of the group of islands)


So North Americans who call me British are correct, Germans who call me English are not

[kintaro 0]

me jane, Do any of your students know what you are talking about?

[BagOfCrisps 24]

She's lost me.....

[me jane 0]

Of course they do! It makes perfect sense. Well, they get it eventually anyway

[2pints-mate 0]

Did you learn all that once you got to Japan, jane-san?

[me jane 0]

Yep, before I came here I was just Welsh.

[big-will 7]

Not English then?

[grungy-gonads 54]

You have really confused me there jane. Here's me thinking I was English and a Brit.

[me jane 0]

GG, I think you are.

[gamera 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by nori-chan:
Can some Igirisujin tell me are you call yourself British or English? (or what?) It is confusing!

Norichan, I think people from Scotland, Wales and Northen Ireland never say they are English but people from Scotland, Wales say they are British. Perhaps people from Northern island also say they are British because Me jane says

 Quote:

a+b+c+d+e British Isles (name of the group of islands)

I think perhaps "English" could only mean people from southern Britain island when it means people, not language.

I have asked this kinda confusing matter to my "British" guests but their answer was more like "Not sure" rather than "Because....".

Perhaps it's difficult to answer even to them.

So Norichan I think if people say they are English, you are sure they are from England but when they say they are British, you are not sure which part of UK they are from.

[me jane 0]

Sounds like you've got it Gamera!

(Some people from Northern Ireland say they are British but others say Irish. It depends on their political beliefs.)

[DumbStick 13]

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Perhaps it's difficult to answer even to them.

Spot on.