On 21/08/06, Robert N Bryett <rbryett@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Holland is the same place as the Netherlands in the same way that
England is the same place as Britain...
Sorry Rob, but England is not the same place as Britain, but don't worry, this is a common mistake made by not Brits, let me explain (though it gets a tad complicated...)
Technically there is no country called Britain. The Nations actual name is the United Kingdom. The UK consists of the territories encompassed by the geographical term of Great Britain, which are England, Scotland, Wales and Ulster (Northern Ireland). Britain is a geographical term for the main landmass of the British isles, on which are found England, Wales and Scotland.
The UK as created early in the eighteenth century with the creation of the United Kingdom of England and Wales, at which point the nations of England and Wales ceased to exists, superseded in law by the UK. In the early 1800's Scotland joined (or was forced at gun point) into the act of Union, the UK expanded across the whole of Britain. I'm not too clear on Ireland, but however it was incorporated it never got much choice in the matter, at least not until 1922 when southern Ireland achieved independence and became the nation known as Eire.
Now, just to muddy things further, in the last decade Scotland, Wales and Ulster have all gained regional assemblies and a limited form of home rule, and therefore are effectively their own nations within the nation of the UK. England meanwhile has not received any form of home rule and indeed is still solely ruled by the government of the UK (the one in London). So the current UK is made up of three nations, Scotland, Wales, and Ulster, and the Territorial area known as England but which in fact is not a nation in either international or domestic law. So technically the English international football, cricket or rugby union teams are illegal as they represent a nation that does not actually exist.
If this doesn't make sense, then please bear in mind that calling a citizen of the UK British is liable not to cause too much offence, but calling a Scot English is liable to get your nose broken. Repeatedly.
The Scots are sore losers...
Cheers,
Matt Tope (A self proclaimed Devonian as England doesn't actually exist).