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British or English ?
What is the difference?

This is a very interesting question and one which has been discussed in our forum.

Below you can read the replies of many people of different nationalities and ages.
Topic: British or english?, What is the difference?  
John
  Posted: Feb. 24 2004,03:26  
Hi,

I'm from the U.S. and I was wondering what is the difference between Britain, England, and the UK. Second, what do ya'll call yourselves, British or English(...U.K.ish...LOL ;))?

Please Help!
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Sally
  Posted: Feb. 24 2004,12:02  
This is an easy question to answer. I am British and English although I will refer to myself as english first.

I am english because I was born in England.

I am British because I live in one of the countries which form Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)

The United Kingdom official title is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Check out this page
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/nationality.htm
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stevie
  Posted: Feb. 25 2004,01:46  
Yes, on the surface it's an easy question to answer.  But have a look at this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/thinkofengland/feedback.shtml

for some interesting comments on the question of whether to call oneself 'English' or 'British'.

Also see the thread on this site called 'English customs and traditions - information on titles and such'.

Hope it helps!
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Mark
  Posted: Mar. 07 2004,16:59  
Right, everyone has said what they think so I'm gonna tell them what I think -

I'm English and proud due to the fact that i was born in England i would only class myself as British if i had all the other countries in UK in my blood but i only have english in me therefore I'm classing myself as english only.

Thanks Mark....
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G-unit
  Posted: Mar. 16 2004,21:41  
Quote (Guest @ Feb. 24 2004,00:26)
Hi,

I'm from the U.s. and I was wondering what is the difference between Britain, England, and the UK. Second, what do ya'll call yourselves, British or English(...U.K.ish...LOL ;))?

Please Help!

There is a big difference because there are english people, people who want to be english, and people who hate to have anything to do with british. I think it's old fashioned to call it Britain when it's different countries who are different.
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TomPhil
  Posted: Mar. 17 2004,23:22  
What's actually quite strange is that someone who comes from the UK is deemed to be British, even though Britain and the UK are not the same thing. Presumably someone from Northern Ireland is British, because that is the term to refer to someone who is a United Kingdom citizen, yet Northern Ireland is not in British.
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PJ
  Posted: Mar. 18 2004,04:43  
I'm English and British, English because I was born in England (which forms part of Britain), and British because England forms part of Britain, I normally refer to myself as English, or as an Englander
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Kool ade
  Posted: Mar. 30 2004,22:40  
I'm pretty sure there the same.:)
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morgan
  Posted: April 07 2004,00:32  
i call my self english, though i wasn't born in England...i was born in germany, though because i father was in the army, though both parents were born in england and because i have lived here all my life I class my self as English..
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sue
  Posted: April 07 2004,20:22  
well then, you sound British to me and I am sure you would be classed as such if your Dad was away serving his country abroad.
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Young Irelander
  Posted: April 10 2004,23:41  
TomPhil

"Presumably someone from Northern Ireland is British,because that is the term to refer to someone who is a United Kingdom citizen."

Actually,under the Good Friday Agreement,people can classify themselves as Irish citizens or British citizens.
As for the debate on nationality,there is more to an identity that legal technicalities.Last century,Britain told Irish people they were British ONLY but Irish people refused to listen to that and because of that Irish citizenship exists.It's called self-determination.
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Emma English
  Posted: April 21 2004,16:26  
Quote (Guest @ Mar. 07 2004,13:59)
Right, everyone has said what they think so I'm gonna tell them what I think -

I'm English and proud due to the fact that i was born in England i would only class myself as British if i had all the other countries in UK in my blood but i only have english in me therefore I'm classing myself as english only.

Thanks Mark....

Hurrah to you Mark

I have countless arguments about this.  I am English and proud but unfortunately some people class this as being racist - keep being proud of being English.

Happy St Georges Day for the 23rd!!!!
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stevie boy
  Posted: April 22 2004,14:12  
its not a hard question to answer IF YOUR BORN IN ENGLAND YOURE ENGLISH, not british, the scottish, irish, or welsh don't call themselves British. there seems to be no recognition of the english male / female anymore, and if anyone calls us european

.... england forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Cathy
  Posted: April 23 2004,11:15  
I agree with Emma, we have so many immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers etc. If someone is Irish, they say Iris, they don't say they are British, same with Wales and Scotland. English means the generally your heritage is in England and not in another country. I also agree that it can sometimes be mistaken as racism but the point is, I am proud to be English, I live in the British Isles in England.[/QUOTE]
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scales67
  Posted: June 24 2004,02:50  
WRONG I'm from Northern Ireland so I'm BRITISH ok lets make this easy for everyone

you are BRITISH IF YOU ARE BORN AND ARE FROM :
ENGLAND
SCOTLAND
WALES
NORTHERN IRELAND = the UK

AS WELL as being English welsh Scottish or Northern Irish
if you met me and asked me my nationality i would say British but my regional Identity is Northern Irish
like being an American and being from California that makes you a Californian as well as a American .....so I'm British but I'm also Northern irish and proud of both I hate it when people tell me that I'm not British excuse me I have a British passport with the words "British Citizen " inside ! of course I'm British !!!
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cd
  Posted: July 27 2004,  
True, I'm from Texas and from the US (Texas being a country on its own once, we are now a state). England, Scotland, Wales, they were and still are countries, with their own languages, culture and histories. Together with NI, the make up Britain. I can't think of a simpler way to put it....
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