Great Britain or United Kingdom
Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Regional History or Period History
Forum Name: Modern History
Forum Discription: World History from 1918 to the 21st century.
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22944
Printed Date: 24-Apr-2024 at 09:58
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.56a - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Great Britain or United Kingdom
Posted By: Windemere
Subject: Great Britain or United Kingdom
Date Posted: 22-Dec-2007 at 23:02
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I've used the term 'Great Britain' for many years. It's a historical term and high-school students are familiar with it from their history classes thus they know what country is being referred to. Previously I used 'England' but that's not correct anymore, since it leaves out Scotland and Wales. Recently I was informed that 'United Kingdom' is the official correct term. However most high-school students will be lost, they won't know what nation is being referred to, if that term is used. At least that's been my experience. I'm wondering which term people in this forum prefer to use, "Great Britain" or "United Kingdom" ? ------------- Windemere |
Replies:
Posted By: Zagros
Date Posted: 22-Dec-2007 at 23:04
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Both are correct and together constitute the official name of the country, which is: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The united kingdom part refers to the union of Scotland and England (including Wales). I either say UK or Britain. Great Britain, United Kingdom and Britain as well as their relative acronyms can be used interchangeably. ------------- |
Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 22-Dec-2007 at 23:44
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Wow so complex even a scotchman gets it wrong.
GB is Scotland, England and Wales
UK is Northern Ireland as well ------------- Light blue touch paper and stand well back http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk - http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk - http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk |
Posted By: Zagros
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 00:11
A minor technicality.  ------------- |
Posted By: Aster Thrax Eupator
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 00:29
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I was always under the impression that "Great Britain" reffered to England, Scotland and Wales (notice how in offical documents and stuff they often put "...and Northern Ireland" to the end of this) and that "The united Kingdom" reffered to Great Britain and all of the areas in the world that are administered by her. ------------- |
Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 00:47
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Other areas are generally not part of either GB or UK, but the Crown, which basically means a stuffy room full of civil servants in the Foriegn Office. ------------- Light blue touch paper and stand well back http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk - http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk - http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk |
Posted By: Aster Thrax Eupator
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 01:19
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That's true - and I can confirm that the foreign office is more or less the same, except with slightly more pompous crown employees and the room is even stuffier ------------- |
Posted By: Panther
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 07:47
| Hmmm... it has always been easier for me too refer to your country as the United Kingdom (Abreviation) U.K. and it's citizen's as simply British! |
Posted By: Constantine XI
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 10:17
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Great Britain refers to the island of Britain itself, Europe's largest.
It is called "Great" to distinguish it from the the French region of
the Bretons. So Great Britain simply refers to the one big island, not
including Northern Ireland as this is not a land of the
Britons/Bretons. UK is inclusive of Northern Ireland.
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Posted By: pikeshot1600
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 14:50
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Great Britain in a geographical context; United Kingdom in a political context(?). Just a suggestion.
I am not sure when the term "Great Britain" became common. It may have been in the combination of the two thrones under James VI & I, although the two were politically separate until like 1707.
I don't think there was a UK until then.
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Posted By: Zagros
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 16:21
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Yes, there was th union of the crowns in 1603 under James VI\I and the treaty of union in 1707 which united the parliaments. Great Britain refers to the territory which constitutes the main island so Pikeshot is right in that the UK can be considered a more political name. ------------- |
Posted By: jacobtowne
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 16:43
My impression as well. Where do the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands fit into this? JT |
Posted By: Zagros
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 16:57
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They are separate entities which fall under the Crown but are not considered part of the UK, IIRC.
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Posted By: Poppy
Date Posted: 23-Dec-2007 at 21:24
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Coming from a Scot, I would say either is acceptable. To me, UK and GB boast a feeling of pride. Four nations united together despite past conflicts and hostile politics. The question of the island is a difficult one, I have to say. I have never thought about it before. When I stayed on the Isle of Cumbrae for a very short time, there was a feeling of isolation, like you were cut off from what was happening on the mainland, hence why we moved back. I wonder if the Manx and those from the Channel feel like they are actually a part of the "grand design". Can anyone here comment? |
Posted By: elenos
Date Posted: 24-Dec-2007 at 06:38
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The Channel Islanders consider themselves as British - when they feel like it, for they do travel on a British passport, but are known to poke fun at "the English". They speak English but also have their own language said to be an ancient form of French, but in my opinion is closer to the original Celtic. Guernsey, Jersey, Jethou, Sark, Herm and Alderney are the islands in question but few can name them. They were the only British possesion occupied by the Germans during WWII. I must say I love the islands because living there is like taking a step back in time. ------------- elenos |
Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 24-Dec-2007 at 07:39
And after the Act of Union the terms England, Scotland and Wales fell out of use and only reemerged again in the 20th century as the government throughout the 18th and 19th century tried to discourage their use. ------------- Light blue touch paper and stand well back http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk - http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk - http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk |
Posted By: Poppy
Date Posted: 24-Dec-2007 at 10:46
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Thanks for clearing that up for me elenos. I have often wondered what the islanders thoughts on nationality were. Island life did not suit me, due to the isolation from the "rest of the world" but the community spirit and closeness was a wonderful thing. |
Posted By: Patch
Date Posted: 24-Dec-2007 at 18:31
The term 'Great Britain' was first offically used by James I when he became king of England in 1603, though the term wasn't used much until the union of Parliments in 1707.
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Posted By: HaloChanter
Date Posted: 29-Dec-2007 at 17:05
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Politically, there was no union between the kingdoms under either James or Charles I. The only time before 1707 when political union was at hand was under the Commonwealth when Ireland and Scotland were utterly defeated, however this was also ultimately out of reach.
I think prior to 1707 we must continue to refer to England, Scotland and Ireland as seperate. After 1707 and 1801 respectively we must of course call it the United Kingdom, but I prefer Britain all the same =) ------------- Kind regards, HaloChanter |
Posted By: gcle2003
Date Posted: 30-Dec-2007 at 12:17
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It never occurred to me before, but isn't it significant that the titles are the 'United Kingdom' (singular) but the 'United States' (plural)? ------------- |
Posted By: elenos
Date Posted: 30-Dec-2007 at 12:27
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The name of the United States was designed to deliberately show the country is not a kingdom and the people of those states had rejected monarchy. ------------- elenos |
Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 30-Dec-2007 at 12:40
It is interesting, the states unified into a state, but continue to refer to the pre-unfication status. The kingdoms unified into a kingdom and refer to the post unification status.
The Emirates refer to pre-unification status too.
the one that confuses me is why it's not called the UQ.
------------- Light blue touch paper and stand well back http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk - http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk - http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk |
Posted By: HEROI
Date Posted: 30-Dec-2007 at 14:53
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United States is plural because there are many states that have united,thats why.
United Kingdom is singular because there are 4 Nations united under one Kingdom.
Great Britain refers only to the countries that lay in the island of Britain,therefore we can not call Northern Ireland as part of Great Britain because is just not in the Island of Britain geographicaly,therefore it can only be part of the United Kingdom,which is made up by the island of Great Britain and the north of the island of Ireland.
United Kingdom ( England,Scotland,Wells,Northern Ireland) of Great Britain (the Island of great britain) and Northern Ireland,(like this we do not include any other indipendent country still conected to the crown since they are not part of the United Kingdom such as Australia,Canada etc).
------------- Me pune,me perpjekje. |
Posted By: longshanks31
Date Posted: 02-Jan-2008 at 01:00
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Britain or brits for our people does for me, adding great is just stating the obvious lol ------------- long live the king of bhutan |