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The UK as a whole

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#1
Am I the only person who find it insulting when people refer to Britain as England? They don't say UK, they always call the place England and seeing as I'm Welsh and I live in Wales I can't help but take offense.

When people say it I find it insulting because they are totally disregarding Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, whether they do it intentionally or not.

It kind of reinforces that statement which I was told by someone the other month, "Ah yes, Wales, that small abscess hanging off that great country England".

I have great respect for Wales, I am also proud to be British and maybe I'm just too sensitive, but it gets on my nerves when people refer to the WHOLE of the UK as England.

If you live outside the UK, do you call the UK England when refering to it? I won't be mad or anything, I would just like to know if you do or not.

And those who live in Britain, what are your thoughts on this matter?
 
#2
I personally don't take offense all though i am partly Welsh but then again i live in London so i don't think it affects me much. I can certainly see why someone from Scotlacn, Walse or Northern Ireland would take offense.

I think its mainly people being naive and not knowing, i think most people are in the habbit of calling the whole of the UK as England. Most people see England, Walse, Ireland and Scotland as one and tend to generalise it as England but still this is wrong. When ever somone ask's where im from i tend to say UK instead of England, Or if im asked my nationality i will say British instead on English, i don't know why i just don't like calling myself English and much prefer British.

If i lived in Walse i would certainly get offended but people today don't understand and can be very naive about things like this, and its especially hard when they don't live in UK.
 
#3
Same things happens with Ireland too. I've often come across Americans who think we're still in the union. I find it highly offensive considering the blood my ancestors shed for centuries to free themselves from Saxon rule. And even now, 6 of our counties are still occupied by the British government, and the other 26 which they call the "Republic" are occupied by our own group of government maggots who represent no-one but themselves and their own gombeen class. Sorry state of affairs.
 

Jenny

Staff Alumni
#4
My dad is half Welsh.. my mum is French (although her parents are Polish) and I was born in Germany, although have mostly lived in England all my life.. so you could say that I'm European :tongue:

To be very honest I'd never truly thought about this whole issue until I went to a university in Wales. It sounds really naive, but I honestly hadn't. It certainly opened my eyes, and i was very aware of how much Wales means to the Welsh. My best mate at Uni was welsh and was very proud of her country.... I guess, in a way, this is something I don't have. I don't feel like i "belong" or am "proud" of England.

I try hard now to call us the United Kingdom (apart from the occasional joke just to wind friends up.. in a nice way!!) but I do understand why it would be difficult for people outside the UK to get their heads round... to a certain extent anyway.

When I was visiting a friend in Northern Ireland, my mum, who has lived in the UK for 25 years, asked me if I wanted her Euros....
 
#6
To be very honest I'd never truly thought about this whole issue until I went to a university in Wales. It sounds really naive, but I honestly hadn't. It certainly opened my eyes, and i was very aware of how much Wales means to the Welsh. My best mate at Uni was welsh and was very proud of her country.... I guess, in a way, this is something I don't have. I don't feel like i "belong" or am "proud" of England.
I was in Wales once when England were playing in Euro 2004, some bloke had a shirt on saying "we may be sh*te, but at least we're not English":biggrin:
I think part of the reason for the lack of national identity and patriotism in England is that for centuries your political leaders and monarchs have been banging on about the United Kingdom, which is a political Union and not a Nation, it has 4 different nations within it and it has ended up destroying the English national identity. Wales, Scotland, Ireland, we were all invaded and ruled by England who attempted to displace our own heritage, languages, customs with the English ways, so they brought us into the Union to turn us all into happy little English boys and girls. But when your nation is on the recieving end of agression and opression it makes people very patriotic, so in short, if English people want to re-discover some long lost pride and sense of identity they should let themselves be invaded:tongue:
Most middle aged Englishmen would feel more ashamed standing up and singing the National anthem than they would in stealing from the church poor box.

When I was visiting a friend in Northern Ireland, my mum, who has lived in the UK for 25 years, asked me if I wanted her Euros....
LOL!
I've been to Omagh a few times, I love the Ulster accent. The Ulster accent and the Scottish accent really do it for me, if I'm talking to ladyfolk from either place then I instantly fall in love.
 
#7
I was in Wales once when England were playing in Euro 2004, some bloke had a shirt on saying "we may be sh*te, but at least we're not English":biggrin:
Heh. Yeah, I think that 'rivalry' between the Welsh & English will always be there. You've only gotta go into the local tourism shop to see some car stickers or something dissing the English, but I'm sure it's the same over there! I've heard some pretty nasty (but funny, Heh) jokes about the Welsh but we can give as good as we get!!! :tongue: :box: :girlpower(I love you all really).
 

theleastofthese

SF Friend
Staff Alumni
#8
Being a "geographically-challenged" american:wink: I had to look on a map to see what countries were included in the U.K. (how come only Northern Ireland? What happened to the southern part??) I usually just say "UK" cause it's easier to say - only two syllables. But does Great Britain mean the same as "UK" or does it mean just England?? :blink:

As far as history goes, I think all countries have had their share of conquering or being conquered, and that our job today is to live together in peace, no matter what our history.:smile: I am ashamed of the way so many of my ancestors (previous generations) have behaved but I'm not responsible for their behavior, only my own.

I have heard and read that the UK is beautiful. Scotland inspired Mendelssohn's Third Symphony, England has James Herriot's Yorkshire, and Ireland, I have been told, is home to some of the loveliest scenery anywhere. I've never been to Europe at all so will have to wait til I get there to appreciate it (and its citizens) in person.:smile:

least
 

ACRon

Well-Known Member
#9
On a political note Scotland and Wales seem to be moving closer to independance as time goes on. The Welsh assembly is a great idea and the building is ultra modern and cool. I don't eally know wether the people of these countries want independance or not. Its just a matter of time before we all have seperate governments. I think its a good idea, could be dangerous for the smaller economies though.
 
#10
Least: The UK is England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland (Northern Ireland is seen as a seperate country, and isn't part of the UK). Great Britain, also means the UK.

Great Britain being a throw back to the English empire.... :rolleyes: Not so great or big anymore, although there are some people in the UK (England especially, IMO) who like to believe we still are :mad: Idiots! But - *stops rant there* GB does indeed refer to the UK, yes :)
 

JohnADreams

Well-Known Member
#11
Most middle aged Englishmen would feel more ashamed standing up and singing the National anthem than they would in stealing from the church poor box.
I've never know anyone feel ashamed about the anthem. Bored and generally disinteresed maybe, but not ashamed.
 
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A

Always Alone

#12
I'm half English, half Irish, and I live in Wales and to be honest it's never bothered me.

Whats in a name? People call it UK, GB, England, to me It all filters through as the same thing That place where I live.
 

ACRon

Well-Known Member
#13
I moan about england all the time, If people attack it though I get very defensive for some reason, dunno why. Oh well, could be worse, the weather in scotland would be too much for me
 

goliath

Active Member
#15
Least: The UK is England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland (Northern Ireland is seen as a seperate country, and isn't part of the UK). Great Britain, also means the UK.

Great Britain being a throw back to the English empire.... :rolleyes: Not so great or big anymore, although there are some people in the UK (England especially, IMO) who like to believe we still are :mad: Idiots! But - *stops rant there* GB does indeed refer to the UK, yes :)


I am sorry but I have to disagree. The full name of the country we live in is
THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND as written on the covers of our passports. Therefore UK=GB+NI. Northern Ireland is a part of UK but it's not considered GB. As for Republic of Ireland this is a fully independent country which is not a part of either UK or GB.:)
 

xan

Chat Buddy
#17
hmm i'm from england and say that, always lived here so i'll say uk or england... if someone said they were from scotland or wales i'd probably tell that to other people... i actually said to some people the othe day, i'm from sussex not wales.. sorry. though they were all welsh.. lol, all the welsh people i've met are great, anyway time for my sleep... nos da x :smile:
 
#18
On another forum I visit, the admin is American but he has great respect for Wales because his father and his ancestors are from there. In the profile you have a list of locations and if you live in America, it is set out like: State, USA and when it comes to the UK, it is set out as:

Scotland, United Kingdom.
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
England, United Kingdom.
Wales.

It doesn't say 'Wales, United Kingdom' and I think this is wrong because yes, I know that Wales has been trying to claim independancy but I wouldn't like that because in my opinion, we are on the same island as the UK and we are within that cluster and we've always been part of the UK and to separate seems a bit alien to me. :unsure:
 

ACRon

Well-Known Member
#19
Sorry, I over reacted. Wales is a beautifull country in its own right.

Ive always wanted to go to the place where the manics shot the cover of "this is my truth, tell me yours". Looks awesome on a sunny day i imagine :smile:

-edit- this post should be below my other one, it appears this way for some reason
 

ACRon

Well-Known Member
#20
Resistance, I thought you'd like this. My friend, from Wales (needless to say) sent me it today ;)

Thats funny, it just looks like persil made the colour under the arms run. Ruined a perfectly good shirt aswell, one minute you have the Rugby world champions official shirt, the next you have some irrelevant sideshow of a country's shirt. Sue persil I say :dry:


-edit- reverse this post with the other one
 
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