Is anyone else getting fed up of the UK being referred to as English?

Question

I know it sounds petty, but please to all of you who are not from the UK, England is just one country of the UK. It also contains Wales, Scotland and Nothern Ireland (British Isles). This English navy thing is doing my head in, at least one of the sailors is Welsh, he is therefore BRITISH!!!!!!!!!!

I am British!

Cheryl B, can I just say that your infinite wisdom never ceases to impress me.

My question was aimed at people outside the UK, I am Welsh but live in Greece, I don't call myslef Welsh as no-one understands what I am on about. canadians don't like being called American, it;s the same thing. My whole point was to draw attention to other people referring to our country, the UK as England. Some of you should get down off your soapboxes!!!!

Answer 1

It doesn't sound petty all!!...... England is just a small part of Britain and I for one am fed up of people thinking we are all English!...... I am a Scot and proud of it but at the same time I am British and proud of that too........One thing I am not and never will be is English!!!!

Answer 2

That sailor from Wales probably describes himself as Welsh. People who originate from Ireland (Northern Ireland or Eire) regard themselves as Irish and people from Scotland as Scots. Someone from the Isle of Man may well, correctly, call themself "manx" as the Isle of Man is part of the British Isles (which are made up of far more than just England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as you state above.
It seems to be the English themselves who have the problem. I was born on the island called Great Britain, often known as just Britain, in the country called England. I am, therefore, English.
True the island called Great Britain is part of the British Isles (a geographical term), and part of the United Kingdom (a political term) but it doesn't change the fact that the name of the country where a person is born is usually used for their nationality. For instance, a Nigerian is more likely to see themself as a "nigerian" rather than the more general term "african" because nigerian is more specific and more accurate. People from asia do not like being lumped together as if they were all one people. Most prefer to call themselves after the country of their birth.
So, if I choose to be English there is nothing wrong with it at all. If I or anyone else born on the island called Great Britain chooses to be British there is nothing wrong with that either.
Your irritation seems to come from foreigners (presumably in this case newscasters) getting it wrong but you are not entirely right yourself.

Edit - why not tell people you are Welsh. Maybe the reason "no one understands it" is BECAUSE you keep them in ignorance.
Oh, sorry about the soapbox but a serious question deserves a considered answer.

Answer 3

Whoa, steady on!

I am English, not Scottish, not Welsh, nor an Ulsterman. And I'm a Southerner to boot. So it is quite clear that I cannot pretend to speak for the whole of the UK. I mainly answer questions posted by foreigners. They ask things like "tell me about your culture". I can only answer questions like that as an Englishman, and it would be incredibly presumptuous and wrong of me to pretend to answer from a UK point of view. That's why I always refer to English culture, English people, English perspectives. And even then I'm generalising and I have to make that clear. If I didn't use the word "English", then by omission I would be misleading people and claiming knowledge I didn't have. And it would be insulting to the Scots, Welsh and Ulster people, who must answer for themselves.

Edit ...
Nickynackynoo! Perhaps you should have made your perspective rather clearer when you placed the question? We can't read your mind from 2.000 miles away. And if I'm not mistaken, the one standing on top of this particular soapbox is you! OK, fair enough, you do have a point.

Answer 4

This happens all the time. If a Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish person has done something good (sport for example), they are referred to as British. If however they have done a bad thing they are then Welsh, Scottish or from Northern Ireland.

Answer 5

Yes it annoys me, and I am English. Who knows how much it would irritate me if I was Welsh. I don't call americans "Columbians" as that's the name of their capital state. I don't suppose we can do anything to stop them except be patient and try to persaude them not to do it, or at least call everyone by their seperate countries.

Answer 6

Just shows the persons ignorance! It's always been the BRITISH ARMY AND THE BRITISH NAVY

Answer 7

Whoa what about Geordieland?That bit between The Tweed and The Tyne.We are not English either.Get it right missus.
Bet its a Mackam who gave me the thumbs down.

Answer 8

Blame it on our Geography School Teacher.

Answer 9

I am ENGLISH, and hate being called BRITISH. I AM NOT BRITISH, I AM ENGLISH!

thank you.

Answer 10

ime with zippy on that one!!