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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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Most people from the UK probably tolerate ignoramuses calling them "British". You might find that if you recognize their national identity, you'll build a better rapport with them. PS: the English call Americans "septic tanks" or "septics" - cockney rhyming slang for "yanks". Equally as offensive as calling all UK folks "Brits". Call us brits all you want. We have a better word for you :)
Posted on: 2012/6/8 5:16
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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All much ado about nothing for country that can ill afford it. Nothing but a bunch of parasites.
Posted on: 2012/6/8 2:00
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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The only adjective to describe someone from the U.K. is "British" because no others exist (like there is no adjective derived from U.S.). "British citizen" is an accepted status. "English citizen", "Scottish citizen", "Welsh citizen", "Northern Irish citizen" are not meaningful terms.
In more recent times it is becoming more in vogue for British (yes I said it) people to describe themselves as primarily Scottish, Welsh, Irish or English (Ed Miliband did so only yesterday although I wonder if he would have said the same maybe 10 years ago). However, I think a very sizable number of UK residents (6-7million) were born outside the UK. This is several times either the populations of Northern Ireland or Wales so these people should not be forgotten and in my opinion are most likely to describe themselves as British first rather than English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish. Since the ascendency of the nationalist movement in Scotland, people in Scotland are more likely to describe themselves first as Scottish rather than British although it remains to be seen whether they will vote for full independence. If they do, this will mean the break up of the United Kingdom as we know it. "Great Britain" would still exist as a geographical term but I am guessing that the term "British" might eventually disappear if this happens. In response to the rise of Scottish nationalism people in England who hitherto were the least likely of the home countries to describe themselves as anything other than British are now more likely to call themselves English while still thinking of themselves as British. One reason for this is that some people in England see themselves under-represented as England is the only UK country not to have its own separate parliament or assembly ( this anomaly is sometimes referred to as the "West Lothian Question"). The bottom line is this: in the absence of any other information, it is OK to refer to someone from the UK as British. I don't think the vast majority of people from the UK have any problem with this at all, it's how most of them think of themselves. (Sorry Northern Ireland, but there are less than 2 million people living there and it seems quite possible that Northern Ireland and the Republic will unify in the foreseeable future). On the other hand if you refer to someone from the UK as English you have about a 10% chance of offending them (so don't do it unless you know they are  ).
Posted on: 2012/6/7 21:56
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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Fascinating survey. I wouldn't have put the numbers of people describing themselves as "British" quite so high. The survey was a little loaded though. "UK citizen" wasn't an option. Most people in N Ireland qualify for both UK and Irish Citizenship (anyone born before 2004 in N Ireland automatically has the right to Irish citizenship).
Also the distinction between heritage and citizenship wasn't split out in the questionnaire. Folks in the US are proud of both their heritage and their citizenship. The same is true in Northern Ireland. Generally, Protestants are proud of their British heritage, and Catholics are proud of their Irish heritage. Some folks like me are proud of Northern Ireland and both heritages.
Posted on: 2012/6/7 0:16
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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I think you missed my point. By "technically" I meant: the dictionary definition of British is "of/relating to the United Kingdom." It is actually not simply "of Great Britain," even though that would make a lot of sense (and is more consistent with historic usage). I pointed this out b/c I think an American could easily think that because the dictionary/technical definition of "British" includes anyone from the UK, it's okay to casually use it that way, without understanding the high likelihood of giving offense. As I said and you confirmed, many (frankly, in my experience, most*) citizens of the United Kingdom do NOT like being called "British," including but not limited to citizens of N. Ireland. *Interestingly, it's definitely true that almost every friend of mine from the UK strongly prefers English, Welsh, Scots, or Irish to British (obviously depending on where s/he's from; and my friends in Belfast strongly prefer "Irish" to "N. Irish" which probably reflects their politics). But that's apparently not the norm (although it may be that it reflects a difference in preference by age, as the majority of my friends are around my age - late 30's). In N. Ireland, for example, the 2008 Northern Ireland Life and Times survey found that 35% of people chose "British" to describe themselves, 32% chose "Irish," 27% chose "Northern Irish," and 2% chose "Ulster." I would have guessed the "British" percentage to be much lower and the "Ulster" percentage higher. I guess I would have been wrong. ;) http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt/2009/Community_Relations/NINATID.html
Posted on: 2012/6/6 13:35
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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Technically its not correct. The front cover of a UK passport states "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". The folks in Northern Ireland prefer to be called "Northern Irish" or "Ulstermen" (based on the province). Never "British". I know - I'm Northern Irish, an Ulsterman, a UK citizen, but not a Brit...
Posted on: 2012/6/6 0:04
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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If he meant the Deutsche, that would be the Royal Family. I think Lizzie's mum was the 1st Brit in the family for centuries, but Liz married another mostly German prince.
Posted on: 2012/6/5 17:11
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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"Then who are the Dutch?"
-George Costanza
Posted on: 2012/6/5 16:42
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) is a country (sovereign state) that is comprised of 4 countries, England, Scotland, Wales, and N. Ireland (they are not sovereign states). Most of England, Scotland, and Wales are on the island of Great Britain but these countries also include smaller islands surrounding GB (England includes 100+ islands, for example).
The 14 overseas territories (Bermuda, BVI, etc.) are under the jurisdiction of the UK, but are not considered "part" of the UK. The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of countries with historic ties to the UK that are not governed by the UK (almost all former colonies of the British Empire), such as Canada, Australia, and India. Great Britain and United Kingdom are used pretty much interchangeably in the US (and much of the world), although Great Britain technically does not include N. Ireland. But the Olympics team from the UK is listed as GB (Great Britain), so there's really not even consistency there... English and British are also often used interchangeably here, although this is not as accepted. It's incorrect to refer to someone born in Ireland, Wales, or Scotland as "English" - just as someone born in Wales is not "Irish" or "Scottish/Scots," etc. It's technically correct to call any citizen of the UK "British" but it could start trouble. I think most of us are aware of the continuing tension around the Irish/British debate, but people who were born in Scotland, Wales, or England may also prefer to be called Scottish/Scots, Welsh, or English instead of (or in addition to) British.
Posted on: 2012/6/5 16:11
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Re: Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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Great Britain=England+Wales+Scotland
UK=England+Wales+Scotland+Northern Ireland
Posted on: 2012/6/5 15:40
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Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee
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I am following this momentous occasion, but am a bit confused as to what country Her Majesty The Queen is ruling?
I thought it was Great Britain, but Wikipedia says Great Britain is merely an island (a geographical term). Is it United Kingdom, then? Or is it England? Or is it the Commonwealth (including Canada - just kidding...). Could enlightened jclisters shed some light on the relationship between Great Britain, United Kingdom, and England? It is all so confusing. I need an Excel spreadsheet to figure it out. Long Live the Queen! 
Posted on: 2012/6/5 15:23
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