The UK...For Our US Members

[SalixIncendium]

What is the difference between the UK, Great Britain, and England?

I don't recall learning this school, but I slept through much of the first 10 grades and may have been "distracted" in the last two years.

In my experience, some of us on this side of the pond conflate these, but there is a difference.

The UK consists of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each is its own country, but part of the Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland is not a part of the UK.

Great Britain consists of all of these except Northern Ireland.

England is a country that is a part of Great Britain and the UK.

If you guys already knew this, I'll gladly accept that I'm the one that remained in ignorance as a result of my own doing and move on. But if there are others out there like me, it's a PSA.

 

[Eddi]

Great Britain is the big island that contains England, Wales and Scotland

Ireland is the smaller island to the West of Great Britain where The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are

The United Kingdom spans both these islands, but not all of Ireland due to The Republic being a separate and independent country

 

[SalixIncendium]

Great Britain is the big island that contains England, Wales and Scotland

Ireland is the smaller island to the West of Great Britain where The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are

The United Kingdom spans both these islands, but not all of Ireland due to The Republic being a separate and independent country

Thanks for confirming. I'm not sure if the specifics are not taught here or if I just missed them.

 

[Eddi]

Thanks for confirming. I'm not sure if the specifics are not taught here or if I just missed them.

The actual state is called The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Before Ireland broke away and became independent it was called The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

If you look at the flag it contains the flag of England, the flag of Scotland, and one of the flags traditionally used to represent Ireland

But Wales is not represented on the flag of the UK

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

comprehension would have at the time required me paying attention to a map of an area of the world that I did not particularly care about, except in as much as parts of it were key to defeating the Nazi's during WWII. I'm sure that for a test I learned the difference, but I'm not sure how long it stayed with me. I rather think I had to rediscover these facts at intervals throughout my life...

 

[rocala]

OK, Salix time for lesson 2.
A fact that many are unaware of is that the island of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes the islands of Herm, Sark, and Alderney along with Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are not part of the U.K. although their people are British citizens. They are Crown dependencies. These islands along with the U.K. are known collectively as the British Islands. Not to be confused with the British Isles.

 

[sun rise]

Having been the guest of a Welsh patriot during a visit and been treated to seeing a castle where the "valiant Welsh" sadly lost to the English invaders, the lesson that England is not the UK was emphasized. "Great Britain" did not come up but if it had, I would have been treated to a discourse on how the Welsh were NOT "British".

 

[rocala]

I would have been treated to a discourse on how the Welsh were NOT "British".

One of my pleasures is that I have English, Irish, Scots and Welsh ancestry. I can dwell on their individual histories and their collective merit. I would not have it any other way.

 

[England my lionheart]

Having been the guest of a Welsh patriot during a visit and been treated to seeing a castle where the "valiant Welsh" sadly lost to the English invaders, the lesson that England is not the UK. "Great Britain" did not come up but if it had, I would have been treated to a discourse on how the Welsh were NOT "British".

It has been said that the Welsh were the original Brits,I like Britain though,my neighbour was in the Black watch,my Rugby coach was Welsh and I’ve I’ve shared the crack in both parts of paddy land.

 

[Eddi]

Another fact about the UK - although the currency of the UK comes in pounds and pence with there being one-hundred pence in a pound the actual currency is called Sterling

A pound (£) is a measurement of Sterling

Although the currency is often referred to as "Pound Sterling" or as "GBP" it is actually called "Sterling"

Most people don't know that and think it's simply called "the pound"

Before 1971 the currency wasn't decimal

Decimal Day - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Rival]

Britain.​

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Another fact about the UK - although the currency of the UK comes in pounds and pence with there being one-hundred pence in a pound the actual currency is called Sterling

A pound (£) is a measurement of Sterling

Although the currency is often referred to as "Pound Sterling" or as "GBP" it is actually called "Sterling"

Most people don't know that and think it's simply called "the pound"

Before 1971 the currency wasn't decimal

Decimal Day - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Speaking of UK currency... I'm reminded of something I learned in England (and still makes me laugh): The expression "spend a penny" means to go to the toilet. The expression came about because in the old-timey days it cost a penny to use a public toilet.

(I figure you already know this, @Eddi, but I thought I'd share it with others here. )

 

[HonestJoe]

If you guys already knew this, I'll gladly accept that I'm the one that remained in ignorance as a result of my own doing and move on. But if there are others out there like me, it's a PSA.

Don't feel bad. In my experience, many Americans are ignorant of this kind of thing (often about the US, let alone anywhere else) and plenty of Brits don't know (or care) about the specifics regarding the UK.

 

[SalixIncendium]

View attachment 85495

Britain.​

Please elaborate.

 

[Rival]

Please elaborate.

It was on all the tins back in the day...

 

[Eddi]

View attachment 85495

Britain.​

"wider still and wider, shall thy bounds be set"

 

[SalixIncendium]

It was on all the tins back in the day...

Yes, and I was aware of England's conquests, either by my formal education or my own study, but it's becoming increasingly clear that students in the US were, for whatever reason, kept in ignorance of the present day environment.

It disappoints me that I even had to create this thread.

 

[Rival]

Yes, and I was aware of England's conquests, either by my formal education or my own study, but it's becoming increasingly clear that students in the US were, for whatever reason, kept in ignorance of the present day environment.

It disappoints me that I even had to create this thread.

My biggest peeve is when people conflate Europe and the European Union.

 

[PureX]

I admit I tend to conflate Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Though I think the former is more of a cultural term and the latter is more about actual political boundaries.

 

[Eddi]

I admit I tend to conflate Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Though I think the former is more of a cultural term and the latter is more about actual political boundaries.

A lot of people do and I think you are right

I think such a confusion is in part due to a thing that is of the United Kingdom being said to be "British"

Many find this confusing and don't know that the full name of the UK is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which is why a thing from there is said to be "British" even though the UK is more than just Britain