What is the correct way to address folk living in the UK?

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Jeremy W

Does the word Britian covers England , Ireland , Scotland , and Wales?

Yes, Britain covers England, Northern Ireland, Scotland & Wales - notice its only Northern Ireland, Southern Ireland (Eire) is a completely independent country gaining independence after the first world war.

Guess foreigners call British people Brits yes, cant imagine anyone would be offended. Australians call us poms :)

Yes Gordon Brown governs the entire UK.

Technically the UK just means England,Scotland,NI & Wales, whereas Great Britain means Britain plus her Empire (whats left of it). But to most people Great Britain just means the UK. GB is a pretty anachronistic term, not generally used by the man on the street.

Scotland has its own parliament, but is still part of the UK (though there has been talk lately of it becoming independent). Wales has an assembly of its own which is like a parliament but with not so many powers (no tax raising powers for instance), but again Wales is still part of the UK firmly but with a movement for independence.

Overall most people in England & Wales wouldnt be offended by the term 'brit', some Scots may though their sense of their own identity is stronger than the Welsh sense. Forget it in Ireland though, unless you are talking to an Irish Protestant Loyalist most Irish would be extremely offended by the term 'brit'

Hope this helps

thebroadmoorpsychologist

Do not refer to us as "Brits". This is derogatory. It's like using the "N" word to refer to African Americans.
The British Isles consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is known as the United Kingdom (U.K.) Great Britain is usually the term for the mainland of England, Scotland and Wales.
Scotland. Northern Ireland and Wales have their own identities and a form of self government but are utimately "ruled" by Parliament in London.
You will find that the Scots prefer to be called Scots - not "Scottish". the same with the Welsh, Northern Irish and likewise the English.
Again - please do not use the term "Brits".....

nick s

lots of "brits" prefer to be called by their actual nationality
i.e english, scottish, welsh etc.
and from that you get englishmen, scotsmen, and welshmen etc
britain itself covers england, wales, scotland and northern ireland. the rest of ireland is called the republic of ireland, and is totally seperate.

many people in scotland wales and northern ireland consider the brits ro english to be foreigners and will only speak their own language when near them. they dont like being called brits, but think its superiour to be called a scot, they are a strange bunch and best left alone in their cold wet countries that would be nothing without the english people and ecconomy keeping them running.

The Tank

Britain is England, Wales and Scotland but not Ireland.

If you are from England, Wales or Scotland you may be called English, Welsh or Scottish. Alternatively, you may be called British.

Ireland is divided into two separate countries: The Republic of Ireland (Eire) and Northern Ireland (Ulster).

If you are from Ireland then you are Irish. Some people from Northern Ireland call themselves British but this is not technically accurate.

The combination of Northern Ireland and Britain is collectively known as the United Kingdom. Gordon Brown is the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Local national government:
Scotland has its own parliament and can make local legislation. Wales has an Assembly with more limited legislative powers. England is governed by the European Union.

Richard701

Interesting question, and I'm sure you're not the only person who has wondered something similar.

The full title of the United Kingdom is 'the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland', therefore Great Britain is just the mainland covering England Scotland and Wales.

One thing you haven't asked but is worth a mention is that there are two elements to Ireland. There is Northern Ireland which is part of and fully governed by the British Parliament, and Southern Ireland (often called Eire) which is a fully independent and self governing country with a different currency (Euro) and is one of the 27 member states of the European Union.

Gordon Brown (who is Scottish) is the Prime Minister of the whole of the UK, and Scotland, Ireland and Wales do have their own national assemblies where they are able to influence local policy and set their own budgets and local laws. These assemblies do have their own leaders although they tend to lead from within their own country and have very little nfluence on a global scale.

We are all Brits, although a lot of us prefer to be called English, Scots, Welsh etc rather than British, but that is basically personal choice rather than being either correct or incorrect. Don't ever call a Scotsman Scotch, that probably would cause offence.

Nothing offensive at all in the question, good on you for asking and wanting to know!

pedro b

FOR GOD SAKE MAN WE ARE BRITISH NOT BRITS
We live in England we are English
Nationality British
County of birth England

andflors

Just a note on the Irish thing, It is only the province of Northern Ireland that has anything to do with the UK. I have met folk from there who get really cross about being referred to as Irish. Where as those on the other side hate the term British.
The whole of Ireland is however part of the British Isles. This is purely geographical not political.

old know all

Don't worry too much. The people of Great Britain and Ireland get it wrong.

The British Isles are Great Britain (the biggest island), Ireland and a number of smaller islands. Most of England, Scotland and Wales are on Great Britain.

The United Kingdom is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Irish Republic is a separate country that makes up most of the island of Ireland. For political reasons, they do not like being described as British. Both the United Kingdom and Ireland are members of the EC.

The head of state of the United Kingdom is the queen. Gordon Brown is head of government. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own regional parliaments but they are part of the United Kingdom. The national parliament in London makes laws for the whole of the United Kingdom. There are political movements for independence for Scotland and Wales, and for a united independent Ireland.

Generally it's best not to describe people as Brits. Most consider themselves to be Englishmen, Scots, or Welshmen. The situation in Northern Ireland is more complicated and it's safest not to call them anything at all.

England is the most populated part of the British Isles and the terms England (the nation), Great Britain (geographic entity) and United Kingdom (political entity) are often confused. There are more people of Scottish origins living in England than there are in Scotland.

Bum Gravy.

The term Brit is an Americanism, I've never heard anyone here refer to themselves as a Brit.
We are either English Welsh or Scottish.
Not sure what people from Northern Ireland call themselves, and I don't care to know.
When it come to filling out forms and stating your nationality, I suspect most people would just put British, unless they were some militant Welsh or Scottish seperatist lunatic.
Yep Gordon lords it over all of us.
Not sure the average person living here would know the difference between "UK" and "GB" without looking it up on Wikipedia first.

dels replies

The British Isles is the largest comprising all the many islands that make up the mainland and Ireland and the many smaller islands... This is a geographical not a political demarcation....... Britain is the mainland comprising England, Wales and Scotland and associated islands.. The United Kingdom is the area under the rule of the soverieign (England, Wales ,Scotland and Nothern Ireland,,) but not the Republic of Ireland.... Also is the area governed by parliament based in London... Gordon Brown is the leader of the ruling political party so is therefore termed a Prime Minister... Overall the people consider themelves British but equally they also have a national identity and call themselves English. Welsh, Scottish. or Irish.... They even define this even more to a county level,, i.e. Cornish, or Yorkshire or similar.....and even more to their cities...a Londoner, or a Liverpudlian or Mancunian or Leeds or Newcastle or wherever. As you say the regions of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are being allowed far more control over their own areas but it is not independence assuch, London maintaining overall control.

Ellis

Great Britain includes Scotland, Wales, and England. The British Isles includes Ireland as well (along with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man)
Only the Americans call us Brits. We tend to accept being called Brits but don't really appreciate it (at least those of us of more mature years aren't used to it and although we don't take offence on balance we would rather you called us British or English, Welsh, Scottish, or Irish as the case may be)
Gordon Brown is the Prime Minister of the UK which includes England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland
The UK's official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain AND Northern Ireland.
The Irish Republic (Southern Ireland) is an independent country and has its own government which is nothing to do with the UK. Scotland and Northern Ireland are to a large extent self governing within the United Kingdom and therefore have their own Parliaments. Wales has limited autonomy and rather than a Parliament has an Assembly with reduced legislative powers. The poor people of England have no representation of their own but are governed by the UK Parliament.

Jo&Adi

Britain & UK covers England,Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (I think!!)

England - English/Englishman
Scotland - Scottish/Scots
Wales - Welsh/welshman
Ireland - Irish/irishman

The Prime Minister is Gordon Brown.

Laws etc are discussed and passed in parliament by the government. There is parliament in London that governs England Wales, Not sure what goes on in Ireland, But Scotland has it's own parliament in Edinburgh.

Scottish Law is slightly different from English Law.

Would't bother addressing anyone as a brit!!

fengirl2

You are right to have identified this as a minefield!
Great Britian covers England, Scotland and Wales, the UK includes all of those plus Northern Ireland (the full title is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.)
Some British people are ok with being called British, but some prefer to be known as English, Scots (NOT Scottish), Welsh or Irish, according to where they are from. There is no easy way with this, you just need to find out!
The Prime Minister governs the whole of the UK.
Scotland has a Parliament which can make laws, but Wales only has an Assembly which (as far as I can tell) only makes policy. But, at the same time, MP's are elected from those two countries to the UK parliament. Ireland did have an assembly, but it was closed due to the IRA fighting for the rights of Ireland to be independent.
I think you need a good book on basic British constitution!

Lord_Darkclaw

Britain is England, Scotland and Wales. Technically Britain is a collection of Countries but I've always thought of it as a single Country.

Gordon Brown is now the Prime Minister of Britain.. sort of. The job was handed over to him last year when Tony Blair retired but so far he's been an embarrassment in front of the cameras; he looks completely overwhelmed.

Most of Ireland (the South) is a separate Country from Britain; only Northern Ireland is part of the UK and has essentially always been self-governing so people from Northern Ireland are called Irish, not British.

Scotland and Wales have been given their own Parliaments, at huge cost. England does not have it's own Parliament so it's a contentious issue (incidentally, half the politicians in the UK seem to come from Scotland or Wales.. a bit suspicious that).

sarah h

Great Britain = England, Scotland and Wales.

United Kingdom = England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland

British Isles = England, Scotland, Wales, N.Ireland and Eire (Southern Ireland).

People tend to be referred to as English, Welsh etc, some people preferred to be called British.

Gordon Brown governs the United Kingdom. Eire has its own leadership.

angel.lady

Yes the word Britain does cover England,Ireland, Scotland and Wales........But if you address someone from Wales then they are proud to be called Welsh and have their own language, the same goes for Scotland and Ireland.
You can tell us apart by our strong accents. If you were to address someone wrongly they would soon advise you where they came from.

We dont say Great Britain anymore we tend to say the U.K. and I think that sounds better. As far as I know Gordon Brown is our Prime Minister and does govern the U.K.

david b

i prefer to be called english. but i wouldnt loose sleep over it. on forms here when you have to state your nationality there is no option for English only british.
I think the uk is the british mainland england scotland and wales.
and GB includes offshore territories such as northern ireland, the falklands ect. gordon brown is priminister of GB

Naked Rider

i usually just say "hey you"

priscilla b

address them as human beings....or ladies and gentlemen...you cant go wrong that way.

B-Man

Hey mate, I know sounds Australian but not necessarily

Can't Stop Smiling

No the word Britain does not cover all, but England does. But it does not cover south Ireland.
No, we are not, I'm a Brit, in Britain, the Scots are from Scotland. Walsh are from wales and Irish are from Ireland.
I like the way you call us folk, but us FOLKS like to be called "hay mate". (i think?)
No the greedy basted does not, thank god!
No the Scots and the Irish do not.
Do not be afraid, you well not offend anyone if you act your self.

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