what puts the GREAT in Britain?

Answer 1

You, me and all those other GREAT Brits out there.

Answer 2

"Great" is a geographical term to distinguish "Great" or "Grande" (ie large) Britain from Brittany on the coast of France.

But figuratively speaking? I'd say its the British people that put the Great in Britain. Those who were bombed out in the Blitz, got up, dusted themselves off and went to work as if nothing had happened the next day! You can't kill British spirit.

Oh and the NHS. Americans might scoff but our healthcare system is the envy of most of the world.

PS Fiona M - stop shouting.

Answer 3

Definitive:

In the middle ages there was confusion with the Duchy and
Province of Britanny (Bretagne) - part of France that was (incidentally) under English influence for a time,and the island of Britain or the British Isles.

The "Great" has nothing to do with how good the Brits think they are! Its "Great" in the context of being greater (or larger) than Bretagne.

You can see on the Wikipedia link below how close it is to the British Isles.

In fact there are cultural and language similarities between the Bretons and the people of Cornwall just over the English channel in the extreme South West of England, especially the fishermen.

Sorry to disappoint all those who are ready to call the British arrogant!

Answer 4

Brittany (Bretagne) is a part of North West France smaller than than the Islands that at the time of William the Conqueror were also called Bretagne after he conquered them in 1066. To distinguish between the two, what is now Great Britain was known as Grande Bretagne (Big Britain) in French.

Grande in French means large as well as Great, hence the confusion as to the true meaning of Great Britain on occasions.

Answer 5

The Great in question is that this is the greater island, size-wise, and that is all. It used to be Great Britain but it is now little britain and that is because of the numskull politicians that people keep reelecting to parliament and the depredations of the EU which is slowly destroying England in retribution for in the past standing up to petty dictators from the mainland.

Answer 6

After the Romans left and the Anglo-Saxon mercenaries took over, the original 'British' population - Brythonic Celts or Welsh as they are referred to today (deriving from Anglo-Saxon word for 'outsiders') were replaced/displaced - they headed west and south.

Some ended up in Wales, some in Cornwall and some took to boats seeking a better life across the Channel in what is now Brittany, where they still speak a brand of Welsh.

The French, who apparently invented international diplomacy, distinguished between Brittany ie Bretagne and us lot on this island which was named Grande Bretagne ie Big Britain.

Of course, it has suited political elites looking for popular support to translate it as Great Britain but it was only 'great' in the same sense as the 'great plague', 'great flood', 'Great War' ie it was physically large not in the sense that it was really brilliant or fab.

Answer 7

Originally it was known as Greater Britain since Scotland was officially added as a 'Territory'. The name was shortened to simply Great Britain later.

Answer 8

There are a number of Islands off the coast of France. Julius Caesar named the biggest one Great Britain. That doesn't mean the people are great (the English were still living in Germany at the time). It just means the island is bigger than Ireland.

Answer 9

It simply refers to the mainland of Great Britain as opposed to the offshore islands. It does not mean great in the modern sense of being good or wonderful.

Answer 10

during the reign of King James VI of Scotland, I of England. Though England and Scotland each remained legally in existence as separate countries with their own parliaments, on 20 October 1604 King James proclaimed himself as 'King of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland', a title that continued to be used by many of his successors. In 1707, an Act of Union joined both parliaments.

Answer 11

It was the French, who called our country, "Grande Bretagne",( "Great Britain") to distinguish it from Bretagne= Brittany