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Names for the UK - ah, which to use?

Drifloon Rocks

Drifloon Rocks

Honey, please don't eat the rancid dung.
I'm an American and have wondered this for quite some time now.

What's the deal with England, The United Kingdom, and Great Brittan. Which is it? Why are there three different names? What is the actual name of the country?

Please answer this for me. I know that many people here are English/British/etc. Thanks in advance!
 
Re: I have a simple question...

The United Kingdom is made up of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. As far as I know, Great Britain is the name of the large island.

Edit: Wait, Christ, you're old enough to work but you don't even know this?
 
Re: I have a simple question...

I know I'm not British, but this is what I have learned:

England is England. Home of the original English speakers.

Great Britain refers to the island England, Wales, and Scotland are on.

The United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) refers to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
 
Re: I have a simple question...

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the country's full name and to be honest if you're not a complete twat that explains it.

By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.
 
Re: I have a simple question...

Tailsy said:
By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.
Click to expand...

I would just go, "Um, I am unsure of your nationality. Can you tell me what it is?"

Would that, by any chance, still launch the same rant?
 
Re: I have a simple question...

AuroraKing said:
Edit: Wait, Christ, you're old enough to work but you don't even know this?
Click to expand...

I actually wouldn't lay fault. Try asking people to find Austria on an unmarked map. Geography isn't really focused on.

Tailsy said:
By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.
Click to expand...

So tell me, Tailsy, are you technically then British?
 
Re: I have a simple question...

Rrrrrrrrrrr.....

Rant coming. Please stopd me.

*Refrains*

England=/=Britain. I hate it so much, it makes me furious when I hear people referring to Britain or the UK as 'England', because it's not and it never has been.

Don't apologise, because it's not your fault, it's an easy mistake.
 
Re: I have a simple question...

But England is part of Britain, and thus is Britain. It would make sense for any part of Great Britain to be called Britain. They all suck though.
 
Re: I have a simple question...

What I aws referring to is people referring to Britain or the UK as a whole as England.
 
Re: I have a simple question...

England = best country in the world

Great Britain = England plus Scotland and Wales. the big island basically.

United Kingdom = the above 3 plus Northern Ireland.
 
Re: I have a simple question...

Tailsy said:
By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.
Click to expand...
er english/scottish/welsh accents are not that hard to tell apart
 
Re: I have a simple question...

Jolty said:
England = best country in the world
Click to expand...

Pretty much it.

nah j/k Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are pretty bitchin' too.

Since everyone else explained it I'll just say
I don't like being referred to as British. England is still a, y'know COUNTRY. So I'm English D| All of my relatives are from England, no where else except maybe Sweden at some point wayway back B|
 
Re: I have a simple question...

Eevee said:
er english/scottish/welsh accents are not that hard to tell apart
Click to expand...

Well, I'd say my nationality is more Scottish than English, but I still have an English accent because we moved here seven years ago. And your average North American I don't think would recognise a Welsh accent. Possibly a Scottish one, but they might just lump them together and think they're different counties' accents or something.

...well it happened to me

Uh... seeing as the query's cleared up I'll just say that although you say the United Kingdom is the entire... er, big place, you'd say 'British person', since you don't say 'United Kingdomian'. So that could be partly why you got confused or something.
 
So I've been right:
England = Country.
Britain = Big Island.
UK = Big Island + Northern Ireland.

Wait what happened to Southern Ireland? Is Southern Ireland just Ireland? I know there was a problem involving religion with North and South Ireland but I thought they were all part of the big happy UK. D: Guess not.
 
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