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What do you/should you call this island we live on?

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 11.06
by Bail
Just a random thought that quite literally popped into my head a few mins ago... But what do you call this place most of us call home, there are quite a few names for it.

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 11.35
by Nick Harvey
This isn't going to be much help, but it's the, technically, correct answer.

You live in Hampshire, which is in England.

England (together with Wales and Scotland) is part of Great Britain.

Great Britain is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The United Kingdom (together with Eire and a few "odds and sods" like the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) is part of the British Isles.

Abbreviations are perfectly acceptable.

The strict answer to your question is, therefore, "all of the above".

As to how I actually refer to it, in everyday conversation, I'm still going to be no help, I'm afraid, because the strict answer to that is "any of the above", depending on the context.

And all this is before we move on to such oddities as the "England" cricket team, actually being the "England and Wales" cricket team.

I think I'll stop now.

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 11.59
by Jamez
When we finally get round to kicking Scotland out of the union, there'll be space on the union flag for Welsh representation! ;)

Until fairly recently I used to refer to myself as British, but it just seems old fashioned. I much prefer to say I am Welsh. It's a shame that the English have pissed away their national identity. Well, they haven't - the liberal lefties have pissed it away on behalf of the majority of English people. Poor sods.

Then again, I'm reminded almost daily that England is home to some of the most vociferously rude and arrogant people I've ever met. There's rude and snobby people wherever you go, but the ratio is a LOT higher just across the border.

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 12.01
by Spencer For Hire
'Britan' and 'Great Britan'? I see you've specifically catered for what 623058 calls the country.

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 12.04
by Bail
No, that would be my idiocy

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 12.04
by Jamez
Bail has never been too good with spelling. But not knowing how to spell the name of his own country is scandalous! ;)

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 12.11
by Bail
Actually my spelling is fine, its my typing that isn't, I type to quickly (wrongly) and don't proof read.

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 14.34
by marksi
Where does Northern Ireland appear in your poll?

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 16.21
by Gareth
Looking at the question the correct answer should, for people on the UK mainland be "Great Britain" as the question asks for the "island".

Mr Harvey is, of course correct. I spent a whole day trying to explain it to a fellow trainee geography teacher last year and he still doesn't get it!

Posted: Tue 19 Jun, 2007 18.31
by marbles333
Hmm I have to agree with Nick Harvey on that one.

When asked what country I live in (by some random person) I'd most likely say the UK, especially so many people overseas have no idea what or where Wales is. Plus really the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the "official" country I live in; Wales is just a constituent country of that.

Posted: Wed 20 Jun, 2007 12.29
by Johnny
I normally say I'm English and usually use UK to describe where I live, but I would use any of the above really, depending on the context.