The British Council
English Language Teaching Material
Why is England or the UK sometimes called Britain?
What is the difference between the names? Why are they not the same country?
'When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles - but never England.'
Read : 'How to be an Alien' by George Mikes
"England" is sometimes, wrongly, used in reference to the whole United Kingdom, the entire island of Great Britain (or simply Britain), or indeed the British Isles. This is not only incorrect but can cause offence to people from other parts of the UK.
( Nationality of the British people).
The diverse history of England, Scotland and Wales has led to very different cultural traditions; the Scots and Welsh have right to feel aggrieved whenever the term 'English' is used wrongly, to mean all three.
Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the British Isles do not mean the same thing!
BritNats and Unionists naturally feel upset about these facts as they expose the invalidities of the Union and bring to light its perplexing and confusing nature.
The reason the Union still survives into the 21st century is accountable to the years of mal-education, conditioning and brainwashing which several generations have absorbed through ignorance and unawareness of true historical facts and quite deliberate attempts to quash indigenous culture and language. Thus, many who proclaim themselves to be patriotic citizens of Wales, and who consider themselves Welsh have abrogated their responsiblities towards their native country, possibly without even realising that this is so.
Alan in Dyfed
THE SCARY THING ABOUT A PERSON WHO IS BRAINWASHED IS THAT HE/SHE DOESN'T KNOW HE/SHE IS BRAINWASHED
"The Nineteenth century saw a great Springtime of Nations as the revolutions of 1848 saw new countries created the length and breadth of Europe. In our world today we are now seeing our own Spring Awakening with people and cultures that have long been dormant and subdued asserting their right to exist, their right to dream." Adam Price MP
As an aside, George Mikes, although probably better known in your parts for his humorous writings, was a refugee from 1956 Hungary who wrote an account a couple of years later of the AVO secret police, the first in English. The feared Communist agents, true to form, took over the h.q on Andrassy St where the Nazis had tortured partisans in the basement. And, true to form, the nominally democratic-vaguely-socialist regime that ruled when I visited Budapest in 2003 had threatened to close what now occupies that site a memorial exhibit to victims of both powerful dictatorships, The Museum of Terror. Another lesson on nationality and the forces that seek to oppress a people in the name of a totalitarian cause, an imperial hegemony, or an impossible ideal. Keep the spirit up and never mind the naysayers.
ReplyDelete(Although as one correspondent put it twice calling for "priory health care," can abbeys and friaries be next on the agenda? Didn't expect quite that support from the C of E post-Dissolution.)
Although I'm English I do try and explain to my students how British does not mean the same as English. That is not helped by the fact that in many languages the word is the same (in Japanese, Igirisu) and that there are there don't seem to be any international comparisons. At least Wales being a seperate country would make it easier to explain!
ReplyDeleteDemat, That's right you are not English as wea re not frenchs but Bretons. Don't forgot your brothers of Brittany. We need help agains the french totalitar ian minority politi
ReplyDeleteDiolch
We never forget our Breton Brothers and sisters in Llydaw (Brittany). We stand together to the end.
ReplyDeleteWhat is Britain, except England with other bits attached?
ReplyDeleteActually, Britain is a name usurped and exprropriated by the English powers that be.
ReplyDeleteBritain as such belongs to the Brythonic Celtic peoples.