Brit thread.

[English Lady]

*mutual lower down nibblings with Lou*

oooooh yum yum yum and more yum!


I personally have no preference mckenna. I am british and I am english. to me English sounds more stuff than british..I don't know why though*L*


I was born and bred near to manchester and I am quite proud of my close to mancunian roots. However my nanna would have a funny turn if you told her she was mancunian. She lives in cheshire she'd inform you. Nothing to do with that scummy manchester place.


I wonder if that kind of attitude on a bigger scale makes you prefer one term over the other.

"I live in england therefore i am english..don't put me in with all those other bits of the british Isles..good god no!"

 

[Guest]

So I know it's way past bedtime for most of you Brits, but I thought I'd leave a question for you to ponder over breakfast in the morning.

A few months ago I was talking with a man who was born, raised, and lives in England, (Birmingham, I think he said, but I'm not certain.) At any rate, I called him "British." He kindly informed me that he prefers to be referred to as "English."

Since I study linguistics and sociolinguistics, I was intrigued by his preference. I mean, I had heard of the Scottish preferring to be called "Scottish" over "British," but I had never heard of a person from England preferring to be called "English" over "British." I asked him why he liked "English" over "British," as obviously both hold different connotative meanings for him.

He said that "British" sounded too stuffy and overdone, whereas "English" sounded more down to earth. This was the first time I had run across this kind of thing, so it made me very curious.

So my question is, do you consider yourself British or English, and why?

Hi McKenna,

First of all, great to see you in the Brit Thread, and thanks for posing a question for us Brits!

Notice I use the word "Brit".

I don't really have any preference between British and English, because I am both. But, I do think I consider myself a Brit, rather than an English person. I'm with EL on this, I think British sounds less stuffy than English.

I'm a Brit and proud. However, I'm also a Bournemouthian and proud (I wish that wasn't such a mouthful!). The only time I consider myself English really is if a big football tournament going on. Then you'll hear me chant "Eng-er-land" with the best of 'em. I even display the cross of St George in the biggest window of my house.

That reminds me, during the last World Cup it was interesting. We had the St George cross in one window of our house and the Japanese flag (the Rising Sun) in another. The World Cup was in Japan and Korea, and my hubby can be a very proud Japanese person, when the mood takes him.

Lou

 

[oggbashan]

I'm British.

I was born in Wales which made me eligible to represent Wales in a sport - not that I was good enough.

My parents were both born in the City of London as their ancestors had been for hundreds of years. I did have a Welsh grandmother. Doesn't every Brit?

At one time I had a Gibraltarian passport and later I was a legal immigrant with right of residence in Australia.

Now I'm UK resident and British but if the City of London ever declared independence I'd be a Londoner. That's where the money is.

Og

 

[McKenna]

.

 

[pop_54]

I'm English, always have been and always will be, British no longer applies anyway, the Scot's have their own local government, as do the Welsh and Irish, they don't wish to be British, neither do I.

British is a system imposed on the UK and the rest of the world by a bunch of war mongering slave traders years ago, I'd rather not be associated with them thank you very much. Before anyone claims that was the English who did that, it was a mixture of, English, Welsh, Scot's, and a few Irish, who got together to rule the waves.

We have a bit of a problem with official forms here because there's a tick box for every nationality except English on most of them. You can be Scottish, Wesh, Irish, or a multitude of others, but only a British subject if you're English, I always scrub out the British and pen in English. Often they send the form back telling me I can't do that, I scrub out British and pen in English, they often leave it there and accept it. If it comes back a third time, it goes in the waste bin.

I can never understand some peoples shame at being classed as English either, as if it were a racist statement of some kind, be proud of your country I say. Funny thing is a lot of these 'Brit's' immediately claim to be English where the world's main international language is concerned, Oh yes English that's my language, that's me. Not having a dig at anyone on here by the way, just having a dig at a couple of people I know in real life.

British is only relevant to the bogus refugees dropping off trucks by the hundreds each day, if they wait about three weeks they're allowed to be British.

pops...........English and proud of it...... also quite merry, damn fine stuff that Sainsbury's mature classic Cider.


PS: Fuck the European Union as well... and their funny money.

 

[pussy chaser]

I'm English, always have been and always will be, British no longer applies anyway, the Scot's have their own local government, as do the Welsh and Irish, they don't wish to be British, neither do I.

British is a system imposed on the UK and the rest of the world by a bunch of war mongering slave traders years ago, I'd rather not be associated with them thank you very much. Before anyone claims that was the English who did that, it was a mixture of, English, Welsh, Scot's, and a few Irish, who got together to rule the waves.

We have a bit of a problem with official forms here because there's a tick box for every nationality except English on most of them. You can be Scottish, Wesh, Irish, or a multitude of others, but only a British subject if you're English, I always scrub out the British and pen in English. Often they send the form back telling me I can't do that, I scrub out British and pen in English, they often leave it there and accept it. If it comes back a third time, it goes in the waste bin.

I can never understand some peoples shame at being classed as English either, as if it were a racist statement of some kind, be proud of your country I say. Funny thing is a lot of these 'Brit's' immediately claim to be English where the world's main international language is concerned, Oh yes English that's my language, that's me. Not having a dig at anyone on here by the way, just having a dig at a couple of people I know in real life.

British is only relevant to the bogus refugees dropping off trucks by the hundreds each day, if they wait about three weeks they're allowed to be British.

pops...........English and proud of it...... also quite merry, damn fine stuff that Sainsbury's mature classic Cider.


PS: Fuck the European Union as well... and their funny money.

POPS love the way you just sit on the fence you should say it as you feel mate!!

 

[McKenna]

.

 

[oggbashan]

The English can feel like foreigners in their own country because they are not allowed to be English. There are so many minorities spread through England that the majority are overlooked.

In my local city there are:

A Welsh Society; A Scots Society; An Irish Club - note the difference; A Hugenot Society for those descended from French Hugenots etc., etc, but an ENGLISH Society? No.

There are British Indians, British West Indians, British Pakistanis, but no British English.

There used to be a tendency to be a "Little Englander" - someone who believed that everything in England was so much better than anywhere else could be, but the age of package holidays has changed that. When people travel they realise that there are places with better weather, cleaner streets, better health services but not necessarily in the same place.

Being 'English' has been hijacked by extreme parties who want to send anyone who isn't pink and white back where they came from even if they, their parents and grandparents were born in England. Those parties make me ashamed to be English.

Yet I will sing "Land of Hope and Glory" at the Last Night of the Proms even when we end with "Old Lang Syne" which is Scottish.

Og

Edited for PS: I love Mckenna's current AV

 

[NoJo]

Oy.

I think I'm more confused than ever!

I will say the consensus seems to be "British" above "English." I may need more data.

The Scots and Welsh are understandably prickly about this issue, prefering to call themselves Scottish or Welsh than British.

The "British versus English" debate is pretty small potatoes compared with the far more pressing issue of "British/Indian", "British/Pakistani", "British/Nigerian", etc national identies.

We had a right-wing Conservative politician here, Norman Tebbit, who was accused of racism by the Left in the 1980's. Tebbit coined the famous "cricket test": Ask a British Asian who they'd support if England were playing India in the test match. All my Indian aquantances would "fail" that test.

My father, a Labour supporter and a communist in the 1930's who hated the Conservative Party with a vengeance, supported the far-right Norman Tebbit on this issue. In my father's words: "If they won't f***ing call themsleves British they shouldn't have f***ing Bristish passports."

My father's parents were poor Russian Jewish immigrants. My father was very proud to call himself British, which he frequently did in his impeccable cockney accent.

My father was a football fanatic, drank tea and required roast beef and Yorkshire pudding every Sunday. I was raised Church of England -- which was his declared religion when he joined the Royal Air Force in 1938. We celebrated Easter and Passover, Christmas and Hannukah, all in the same spirit of light-hearted atheistic affection for tradition.

He was very British, very Jewish, very clever. I wish the new sons of immigrants to my country had his attitude.

 

[English Lady]

erm.....


tell me when the politics is over.


I want to erm...fuck!



*grins*

 

[McKenna]

.

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Before the subject is changed back forever, allow me my tuppence worth.

For ever, I regarded myself as British/English.

On my car I always flew the Union flag and GB as living overseas it was felt to be a requirement.

Suddenly, some years ago, I realised that the Scottish and Welsh among our number did differently.
Neither EVER flew the Union flag on their cars, but the Scots had the Flag of St Andrew, and the Welsh the dragon of Wales.

I decided for myself that what was good for them is good for me, and I now have TWO George crosses (England flags) on my car, and TWO george cross flags draped in my office.

Like Pops, I refer to myself more strongly as English, because as he and Og have referred, it's almost not allowed to be English in our own country.

Indeed, there are places in ENGLAND, where the flying of an ENGLISH flag has been outlawed, in case it causes offence to those of other ethnic backgrounds, yet in the same streets fly the flags of of the FORMER countries of those people.

I'm not racist in any way, but when I'm discriminated against in my own country, it makes me mad!

 

[Guest]

Very good points, Lew. Couldn't agree more!!!

Now, back to EL's point...





Wanna fuck???







Lou

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Oh, go on then!

 

[Guest]

Took a bit of persuading, eh?

LOL!!!!

Get 'em off!!

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Um....

OK!

 

[Guest]

RESULT!!!

Phwooaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr!

 

[The_Fool]

Fool...

Is wondering if Lou is crazy enough to lose that flower....

Yet....

 

[Guest]

Fool...

Is wondering if Lou is crazy enough to lose that flower....

Yet....

Well, I might be a bit crazy, but still not quite crazy enough.

You'll be the first to know when that happens.

Lou

 

[English Lady]

Oh Lou..you have such a way with words



yes please!!!!!

 

[NoJo]

Can't we talk a bit more politics to get me in the mood

 

[Guest]

Can't we talk a bit more politics to get me in the mood

I can do a good Maggie Thatcher impression. How does that grab ya?

Lou

 

[pop_54]

I can do a good Maggie Thatcher impression. How does that grab ya?

Lou

By the balls love.

 

[Guest]

By the balls love.

Yeah, with my iron fist.

Lou

 

[pop_54]

Yeah, with my iron fist.

Lou

Ouch!!!!!!!!!