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About LinkBacks"I knew we shouldn't have trusted those buggers with our nuclear subs"?Originally Posted by Stewart
"I knew we shouldn't have trusted those buggers with our nuclear subs"?
To err is human. To really foul things up ... you need a computer.
As I said, meaning what, exactly? You were born in Roman times? You were born in England, Scotland and Wales?
What does 'being British' mean? And why are you British and not English, Scots or Welsh?
I can't see it being different for the Scottish, Welsh, people from any other countries. People may associate certain things or characteristics to a given population (e.g. kilt, haggis, bagpipes for the Scots). But those will always be generalisations (ditto for tea drinking, 'English breakfast').
That's also think why I think that the Life in the UK test would be 'alright' as long as it does not contain factual error. At least it tests the reading/comprehension of the individual and which is a basic requirement for anyone to have a chance to integrate with the rest of society. A bit of history traditions and how society work is probably as far as you can take those tests. It won't guarantee anything, but nor could any simple test, in my view, given how difficult it is to define and 'pigeon-hole' what it means to be any other nationality.
IF, and I am saying this with in capital (it doesn't seem to be the case based on this thread), an Englishmen is as likely to say they are English as they are British, it might simply be because they know that people outside the UK may be perceived as associating the UK with England by default.
Doesn't it depend on the context? In a world context, other countries recognise the UK as one entity, which is populated by 'British' citizens. If you lose your passport in another country, you would be going to a 'British' embassy. It is meaningful enough for some people.Why choose British, which doesn't really mean anything, over the country you were born in?
It is always possible to narrow it down further, and it may make more sense in some context. Two Scots speaking to one another may want to introduce themselves as Aberdonian, Glaswegian etc. But they are also Scottish. And British. And European. Earthlings. etc. The later two may be too vague in most context but still correct. Of course, the the two Scots may have more in common compared to the English. But the Scots and English probably have more in common than the French (I dare not take much further than this though).
Last edited by TooNice; 03-09-2008 at 11:09 PM.
We don't even like each other.The Scots hate the English, as do the Welsh, and the English try to conquer the Scots and Welsh.
If you are in the army or watching the Olympics, yes, I can see a 'British', outside of that there are English people, Scots people and Welsh people. And with Alex Salmond and his ilk doing well, soon there will be even less point to the whole British.
American and Canadian peeps are pretty much the same, as are Danish and Swedish, but they call themselves Americans, Canadians, etc.
Someone explain to me what being British is, and how exactly its different from being English or Scots?
Try? No.We don't even like each other.
Did.
Which is why they are British. They should just get over it.
They had this annoying habbit of fighting back though.
Something to do with freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom.
I'm Internet-ish
If you asked me where I was born, I'd say I was English.
If you asked me my nationality, I'd say British.
Although that would be down to my being part Welsh alongside my English heritage.
Although on the subject of Scots/Welsh hate English, I don't particularly beat myself up
However, I don't particularly see much difference between the two, asides from England=country, United Kingdom/(Great) Britain=nation.
like Saracen said (Damn I'm agreeing with him far too much recently!
Most of the empire fought back at one time or another, which is why it doesn't exist anymore.... Somone should post one of those retarded 'fail' pictures, just for the scots...
But politically, the Americans has their own president, and Canada their own PM. The UK though has one Prime Minister and one Queen (in modern time, more specifically, one reigning Monarch - if I am not mistaken). In some countries, people from one city may dislike people from another - but in the end they all serve under the same flag and fall under the same nationality. Okay, the UK is different given that each part is technically a country, and each do has the same flag and unique traditions. It's a system that's different from most countries, and 'British' simplifies it for people unfamiliar with the UK (and if they want to know more, they can always ask 'where in the UK...'). The only problem I have with the term 'British' though, is that it sounds similar to, yet doesn't quite imply 'population of the British Isles'.
How often do you hear someone from Belgium call themselves 'Beneluxian'?
They dont....they are Belgian.
Im English, i was born in England, raised in England, support English teams (not British Teams).
Strange how the Scots, Irish, Welsh all hold onto their national identity and no-one moans. When you are English and dont consider yourself anything besides English, people say thats wrong.
Weird......very weird.
I think one a picture of a Scotsman cheering would be more apt, celebrating that he isn't American.
Last edited by Blitzen; 04-09-2008 at 01:38 PM.
its the old thing of power.
For instance its perfectly ok to describe someone in the UK as white, yet black not. This is because people still hold idiotic racist views that people who are white are more likely to be a part of the successful majority.
Same goes with say the welsh, who desperately try to bang on about how great they are because they would otherwise just been seen as very high levels of un-employed parasites, who contribute very little per head to the countries economy.
What is the purpose of pride anyway? To realise ones failings? Blind pride dosen't accomplish that. I'd sooner have people asking are you ashamed to be English rater than thinking we where stupidly proude.
throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)
Thing is, that statement has alot of factual substance.Same goes with say the welsh, who desperately try to bang on about how great they are because they would otherwise just been seen as very high levels of un-employed parasites, who contribute very little per head to the countries economy.
There are more people on disability benefits in Wales than anywhere else in the UK.
Anyone welsh that has done well for themselves does even live there now. (except Ivor the Engine....i have heard he has a holiday cottage near Abergavenny).
The interesting here is that you have the choice when it comes to football given that the different countries in the UK get to participate with their own team in many football games. This is not true when it comes to other sports/events (e.g. the Olympic). Am I correct to think that not every Englishman support every English teams (probably quite far from it)? Just as not every Englishman will drink tea in the afternoon or have full English breakfast every day (or even Sunday)? Would those factors make a person 'more' or 'less' English?
I'd find it strange, and be quite surprised, if (most) people really care what other people call themselves. I'll respect the fact that someone wants to call themselves Scottish, Irish, Welsh, English, British, etc. It would be stupid in my view or argue over what other people want to call themselves. On the other hand, the terms British, European, African etc. are terms defined in the English language, and they will be used in any context where it makes more sense than listing the various countries that's included in the term. Just as the term England include people from everywhere in England.
That's something I've been wondering too, especially in the context of national pride (where the pride comes from association rather than what one has personally accomplished). I am in a fairly unique position where I can only second guess what it must be like to have such national pride. And my guess is that it's something people do out of respect for their heritage and the people who put them where they are.
Last edited by TooNice; 04-09-2008 at 02:22 PM.
The distinction between English and British isn't a *huge* deal, but what does annoy me is when your typical government form lists "British, Scotish, Irish, Welsh... etc"
There's a definate politcal incorrectness to be seen describing your nationality as English, but then quite frankly, how on earth do you define "English" or even "British" anyway??? We are a country in an identity crisis because modern society deems many of the things that we traditionally did as "wrong"
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This is bunny and friends. He is fed up waiting for everyone to help him out, and decided to help himself instead!
I asked my wife (who has lived in southern England her whole life) her nationality last night, without leading the question, and she replied 'British'. So that's two of us and we're happy. For reference, my son's British too.
We don't even like each other.
Sounds to me that's more to do with ones social circles than anything one could hang a hat on.
To err is human. To really foul things up ... you need a computer.
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