A Very British Question?

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J S

Look at it this way: the english are really German, the Welsh are English, the Scots are Irish and we Irish? God knows!

Wasn't it Samuel Johnson who said that patriotism was the last refuge of the scoundrel.

Coming from a country where nationality has caused so much trouble I find the whole nationality thing a bit contrived and rather sad. It's a clan thing really - I belong to this contrived club (nationality) so that: I can pretend I'm better than you, I can hide behind the cloak of nationality, I feel scared not to belong to the group - it makes me feel powerful.

I rather admire people such as yourself that have the personal security not to really need this sort of sham.

Do you ever feel European?

terapatrickismywife

British - but ALL people don't accept me as British because I have brown skin. My parents don't consider me to be British - they say that's just lip service. That's also what the typical BNP supporter would say. Everyone has issues with their identity - not just you.

Pleasant Peter Perkins

I am always English unless I am in America where I am European.

Although technically I am more Scottish than English...my culture is entirely English to the extent that I get embarrassed when Sottish people go on about the English like it was 300 years ago.

I find all the Celtic races to be people who like to live anywhere but their home; and then spend all their time moaning about their generous hosts and talking romantic nonsense about their homeland valleys...skies...songs...grandmothers..... brewed alcohol...mud covered ancestors and grey indigestible food!

Brooke

English born, but have been living in Wales for so long now that i 'feel' Welsh and proud of it too.

Whatever you feel comfortable with.

amri

I'm Scottish.....don't be ashamed to say you are English....

Joan el guiri

People usually say what they feel or what will be understood.

As our Portuguese friend says, people in his country and in Spain say English and mean British.

Scottish people usually say that they are Scottish and especially when they are in Africa as they had less to do with the slave trade compared with the English as up to 1707, they could not trade with the Americas because England would not let them. They do not feel British.

Welsh people normally say they are British because they have been part of England for so long, and nobody knows where Wales is.

Irish is difficult. They never say they are British because they don't live in Britain, even although they may live in the 'British' North. (British here means that it belongs to Britain).

(This is boring, I'm off to the pub)

Bird of Paradise

I'm Portuguese, and I tend to say English when I mean British...

I try to avoid it... (And I'm sure I would, if I were in the presence of someone from Britain...)

i_am_ellee

english 100 % and proud of it

piimashokolaad

Rule of thumb which is very very general:

Welsh are perhaps the most patriotic lot and will generally always identify with Wales first and a lot won't even consider themselves British.

English people tend to always call themselves British when they are outside the UK but English inside and still have a strong feeling for the UK and Bristishness which is not surprising because they control the thing.

The Scotland are pretty nationalist towards being Scottish, especially the Gaelic Scots though the Low-land Scots are slightly more open to Bristishness, but I say only very slightly.

As for the Irish, that's a toughy. Northern Unionists will always refer to themselves as British first even though they were born on the Irish island and not therefore in Britain but they relate closely to the sense of Britishness and the UK. Northern Protestants may feel themselves both British and Irish or even Northern-Irish. Northern Catholics generally always consider themselves Irish and never British. The Southern Irish always put as much distance between themselves and the British apart from those loonies in the Reform Movement http://www.reform.org/ that want closer links to the UK and the Commonwealth.

Of course this is just a general rule, not some sort of exact science or anything. Each to their own!!

British Bexicle

With Irelands hatred of England (look up wikipedia long story involving politics),
Northern Ireland being a false country (lets just give it back)
Scotland hating England because of Hadrians Wall STILL!
Wales feeling left out!

English people seem to despise all the above in general, seriously Charlotte Church would never call herself "British"
people in these countries are too Patriotic and nationalistic, we arent British!

pontoise

It really annoys me when foreigners (especially Americans)say English when they mean British. I'm Welsh and I shudder to even think about being English

I'm British for all official documents, driving licence, passport etc but when abroad well because of the accent I say I'm Irish.

sosgez

I'm English. But I like scotch eggs and welsh rarebits.

marc_s90

I am Welsh, but consider myself to be British.

cubalishus

I always say I'm British and have as much pride for Ireland, Scotland and Wales as I do for England, there would be no point me saying I was British otherwise.

lav750

Like dodie I am technically English by birth and have English parents but have lived in Wales most of my life and in all ways think of myself as welsh, and proud of it.

The only time I have any issue is if England plays Wales at rugby.. Then I just hope it is a good game

emmiboo

I was born and raised in england, mum is scottish, dad is irish. i am british! i never say i am english because i just think british sounds better, more important. i support england et sporting events but i also support other brit teams. in the olympics there is no english team so i support GB

Beastie

Scottish. I've only once put down British on a form and that's only because I was late applying for a passport and wanted to make sure nothing was going to slow it down.
Americans tend to say England when they mean Britain. I was speaking to an American tourist about ten years ago and he said until he arrived in Edinburgh he honestly thought that Scotland was a city in England. Fortunately public awareness is a bit better these days!

Lass, I'd have considerably more respect for you if you were to say you were English. British means nothing but past glory to anyone.

jay jay

English

Joanne Hunter (Jo)

English but sometimes there is only British or the others to choose from on a form?

I don't understand why there are two terms for the same meaning.

There isn't a British football team etc.

Yes, of course I support the others if England are no longer competing.

Sometimes I feel proud to be English and sometimes I am afraid to say that I feel ashamed to be English.

I suspect that this is the same wherever you are born.

Benthebus

British Welsh Father English Mother ( and a lot of Cornish ancestry to boot)

tigertigertiger

I usually refer to myself as English because thats where I was born and live but at the same time I also regard myself as British on a secondary level as we share the same laws certain cultural things. What I also feel identifies me is my family history; my mum is dual nationality so I'm 1/4 Flemish and 1/8 Irish; the Flemish side explains my personal appearance so its important that I understand my roots because its had such a strong influence on my life and background. Its a very complicated and personal thing really.

tommy d

english

Emmarose

British

Helena

I'm born and bred English, and I'll either say I'm British or English - it doesn't matter too much to me.

I don't really support Wales/Scotland/Ireland's teams, but then again I don't really go in for sport too much.

Ste B

I'm English!!!

Jon

ENGLISH!

xangel123x

british...but i am 1/4 scottish. but if i was all english i think i'd still say british. i don't have that much pride being english either...i'm not embarassed of it but i don't see it as a particular asset. the best thing about england is london - i would live in whatever country london happened to be in :P in sporting events i'll support other countries if england isn't playing

Sadiq H

British. It just sounds so much more important

FruitCake

uh, i say im english or from england cos i dont rele understand why they formed the uk and britain so wateva.
but gr8 to no that ur patriotic.
x

Leacy

The Irish are never classed as British!
They are an independant state

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