The united kingdom, great britain and Britain are not the same thing?. And why so many names?

[Nick Bounty]

As long as nobody says Ireland is part of the UK, then I'm okay with it.

Actually, you just said the United Kingdom contains Ireland.

BURN IN HELL!

It's Northern Ireland that's part of the UK, not Ireland. Believe me, Irish have spent long enough fighting and starving to not be part of the UK that we're very touchy about it.

And sometimes even saying Northern Ireland is part of the UK annoys us.

Oops, sorry did not mean to offend. Thanks though, I knew that but in my head I clumped the whole island as one. I promise not to do it again, please don't hurt me.

*snip*

[HEADING=1]Beginners Guide to the United Kingdom and nomenclature[/HEADING]

[small]Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)[/small]​

[small]United Kingdom ( England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)[/small]​

[small]The British Isles[/small]​

Hope it helps you!.

Well that clears it up for me, thanks Skarin. Also kick-ass avatar!.

 

[Tiny116]

I live in England not the UK, neighbour to people who take sheep farming to the next level, the scottish ... meh they're cool

Actually Northern Ireland they're pretty cool too

(Although can we even call it England anymore there is so few of us left)

Really I thought I was next to the Sheep farmers (The Welsh)
Sorry guys must have a dig love ya really ;-)

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

They are not independent under the clause of trade (since they are not an EU nation and use the UK as a trade nexus) and military protection. The House of Keys (parliament of the Isle of Man) however has total control of law and policies.

I did not know that.
Thank you helpful internet man!

Also, you've pretty much won this thread with your illustrated diagram.
[sub]They always help[/sub]

Not a problem amigo!. I dated a Manx girl once, hence my knowledge about the country.

 

[Garzo]

People on Live always seem to have problems understanding the whole thing as well.

 

[Cmwissy]

Whatever you do - Don't say that Scotland or Ireland is part of England.

As a Scotsman; We will wreck your shit.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

I have it stuck in my head that they're all like this, although I know they aren't.

It's a very interesting place, I'll give you that!. No other country would have three feet as their national flag other than the Manx. Also, everyone seems quite short..then again I rarely see girls above 6'2" this side of Europe.

 

[Silva]

A good thread. I must admit, I never knew there was a very specific difference with the borders implied by the names of these different conglomerates. I understand that as an issue of sensitivity, it's very important in the British Isles to know the difference, particularly when speaking to Irish people. Useful information to know.

And then there's the Commonwealth and the old Empire but no one ever seems to care about that...

...Except for those who live in the MANY nations which reside technically within the Commonwealth, still owned by the Crown. Like, you know, Australia and half the Pacific, a few sections of Africa, Asia and North America.

The Commonwealth Games take ages to start because there are a LOT of people in those places.

But I'm just taking the Mickey. Sometimes I want to be Captain Obvious instead.

 

[Snork Maiden]

As long as nobody says Ireland is part of the UK, then I'm okay with it.

Actually, you just said the United Kingdom contains Ireland.

BURN IN HELL!

It's Northern Ireland that's part of the UK, not Ireland. Believe me, Irish have spent long enough fighting and starving to not be part of the UK that we're very touchy about it.

And sometimes even saying Northern Ireland is part of the UK annoys us.

Its still part of the British Isles though, so I don't fully understand why that doesn't make you British (unless you have to be from Britain, but that would mean the Northern Irish aren't British either which seems to be inferred by a lot of Irish).

Clearly though saying you are part of the UK is probably a good deal worse than someone claiming I'm Irish.

 

[Snork Maiden]

Irish don't even like it being called the British isles, we refer to it as the Atlantic isles (rarely) or 'These Islands' (common)
Also, Irish nationalists like myself believe that Britain has no justification to continue ruling over Northern Ireland.

Whats your justification for that? I was under the impression the split was as it is because the N.Irish *wanted* to be part of Britain. Note I know basically zit about Ireland, so I'm genuinely curious - seems to me that the Status Quo is currently the most sensible and option right now.

It drives me into apocalyptic rage when people do, I doubt you have quite the same reaction.

I don't, which is why I made the differentiation.

 

[throumbas]

To be honest as a foreigner, you wouldnt tell didly squat difference moving from england to wales to scotland to whichever irish part. If you live outside the british "area" you certainly have no idea what the accents are saying half of the time so you dont even notice it when you move around and accents change.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

For instance I know that England once used to mean not only England as a country but the entire UK in its entirety

is this true? if so i never knew

i'm from england, therefore the rest of the british isles hates me before they've ever met me

 

[Nepeccel]

Also don't say that England is part of Scotland cos we get all stroppy about that. What? I can have an inferiority complex as well, right?

In all seriousness, it's the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The British Empire was never known as England because it was formed after the act of Union which created Great Britain. People just use England to mean GB because England is the dominant country and it is easier than saying Greath Britain. Though I always say Britain.

 

[havass]

As long as nobody says Ireland is part of the UK, then I'm okay with it.

Actually, you just said the United Kingdom contains Ireland.

BURN IN HELL!

It's Northern Ireland that's part of the UK, not Ireland. Believe me, Irish have spent long enough fighting and starving to not be part of the UK that we're very touchy about it.

And sometimes even saying Northern Ireland is part of the UK annoys us.

Its still part of the British Isles though, so I don't fully understand why that doesn't make you British (unless you have to be from Britain, but that would mean the Northern Irish aren't British either which seems to be inferred by a lot of Irish).

Clearly though saying you are part of the UK is probably a good deal worse than someone claiming I'm Irish.

its a civil war thing. Ireland's divided. you cant blame them for not liking to be labelled as British!

 

[havass]

EDIT: woops. double post. my bad.

 

[Azmael Silverlance]

Soooo waiiiiiiit. I just realised i was having geographical gaps in my brain too.
So is UK a country? Or just a term?
I always asumed it was 1 united country n whatnot.

 

[Altorin]

I'm pretty sure that Great Britain and Britain are the same thing.

Also The United Kingdom only applies to England, Scotland, Wales and NORTHERN Ireland not the whole of Ireland.

that's funny..

"IRELAND WILL NEVER BE PART OF THE UK!!"
"Awww.. can we at least have Northern Ireland?"
"...FINE!.. *heheh hey lads, they took Norn Ireland, lil diddey know we PEED all over it! hehehe*"

 

[atomicmrpelly]

Ok first things first, a lot of people are getting in a huff that the OP said Ireland is in Britain: He didn't, he said 'N.Ireland'!

Yes this whole thing is annoyingly confusing, and the Scots, Welsh and Irish seem to make a point of being annoyingly picky about it! But as long as you never use 'England' or 'English' to mean 'Britain' or 'British' you should get by!

I've never heard that distinction between Britain and Great Britain, I don't see that there's any point to it. All you really need to know is that GB means England, Wales and Scotland and UK adds Northern Ireland to that. And (the rest of) the Irish are entirely seperate from all o' that there business!