Britain

[Lace Neil Singer]

As an umbrella term to cover everything English. You know, the Scots would have your head for that. As would the Irish and Welsh. They don't like being lumped in with us any more than we like being lumped in with them. Oh yeah, and there is no such thing as a "British accent".

It's not only Americans who do this, I know, but I've noticed it more among Americans. They seem to confuse England for the whole of Great Britain far too much; that would be like us calling Canadians Americans. Or ignoring the zillions of different American accents and saying you all have a Texan accent.

I understand that our little island is titchy compared to the USA, but try to understand that it's actually comprised of four countries; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Island. Oh yeah, and Eire is a different country altogether, much like Canada is in relation to America. People from Eire will rip your eyeballs out if you call them British; it's kind of a touchy subject.

[HYHYBT]

Ah. My understanding had been that, far from there being no such thing as a British accent, there were hundreds of them

[AdminAssistant]

There are many English/Irish/Scottish/Welsh accents, just as there are many American accents, but both have a "generic" dialect used for stage and screen. I mean, there's no "Southern" accent either, but I've come to terms with the fact that Yankees think we all sound like either Steel Magnolias or The Beverly Hillbillies.

[blas87]

And people from Jersey think that Wisconsinite sound like backwoods hillbillies.

[telecom_goddess]

And people from Jersey think that Wisconsinite sound like backwoods hillbillies.

They do? Never realized that.

I'm confused over the "british" thing. I've heard people refer to themselves as british and get upset over being called anything else. By the same token I've heard of people hating being called british.

To me Great Britain means England, and Ireland, Scotland are separate, and I always thought Wales was part of England, especially with Princess Di being from Wales and then becoming the wife of the Prince of England or whatever the formal title actually is.

The title naming process confuses me too.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Wikipedia says that the term "Great Britain" refers to the largest island in the UK only, encompassing England, Scotland and Wales excluding Northern Ireland. However, the term "British" refers to any resident of the UK as a whole.

It's not therefore a fundamentally flawed connection that "British Accent" refers to any accent from any part of the UK.

It's like when a member of the Air Force get's all uppity when you call them a soldier, and vehemently correct you airman. Technically all Military personnel are soldiers, with airman, seaman, infantryman, artilleryman and so on and such forth being specific positions within the whole. All artilleryman are soldiers but not all soldiers are artilleryman.

This goes too for 'British'. Everything Welsh is also British, but not all that is British is also Welsh. If you're talking about England, the work you're looking for is English.

[linguist]

It's not only Americans who do this, I know, but I've noticed it more among Americans. They seem to confuse England for the whole of Great Britain far too much; that would be like us calling Canadians Americans. Or ignoring the zillions of different American accents and saying you all have a Texan accent.
.

there's also no such thing as a "texas" accent. my central texas accent is vastly different from my best friend's rio grande valley accent, which is different from my mom's west texas accent, which is different from my dad's gulf coast accent, etc., etc., etc.

[Lace Neil Singer]

That's a nitpick; my point still stands. In some counties, there are different dialects and nuances of accent; however, I didn't see the point of going into so much detail.

Yes, some people do like to be called British; however, not everyone from the UK does and it's the height of ignorance to assume that. Most Scots I know dislike the term intensely if applied to them; not really surprising, seeing as they've been our enemies for a long time and don't want to be lumped in with us. XD

[linguist]

That's a nitpick; my point still stands. In some counties, there are different dialects and nuances of accent; however, I didn't see the point of going into so much detail.

i'm just pointing out that in referring to a non-existent "texas" accent, you're doing exactly what you're complaining about others doing when they refer to a non-existent "british" accent. or maybe they just don't see the point in going into so much detail.

[Lace Neil Singer]

It's hardly the same. Britain is composed of countries; Texas is a state. It's the same thing, in a way, as a county. And I just pointed out that your argument was a strawman.

If you don't agree with me, then fine; you don't have to. I simply posted this as something I hate. Here's it in more simple terms; say you live in Canada. I refuse to recognise that you're a Canadian and insist on calling you an American, just cuz your country is next door to America and I can't be bothered to check my geography to find out that it's a separate country. You would, in all likelihood, be pissed off. Do you get why I'm mad, now?

[Hobbs]

It's like when a member of the Air Force get's all uppity when you call them a soldier, and vehemently correct you airman. Technically all Military personnel are soldiers, with airman, seaman, infantryman, artilleryman and so on and such forth being specific positions within the whole. All artilleryman are soldiers but not all soldiers are artilleryman.

Wow are you wrong. The blanket term for someone serving in the Armed Forces is *serviceman.

sol·dier (sljr)
n.
1. One who serves in an army

I have taken an oath to serve in the Air Force, so the term does not apply to me.

*Also, service-woman. Hyphen b/c I don't know if it's a combined word.

[linguist]

It's hardly the same. Britain is composed of countries; Texas is a state. It's the same thing, in a way, as a county. And I just pointed out that your argument was a strawman.

except political divisions, which you are complaining about, and linguistic divisions, which you brought into your political argument, are two different things. there can be dozens of linguistic divisions within a single political division, and bringing them into an argument about political divisions makes the argument inconsistent. just as there's no single coherent "english," "welsh," or "scottish" accent, there is no single coherent "texas" accent.

If you don't agree with me, then fine; you don't have to. I simply posted this as something I hate. Here's it in more simple terms; say you live in Canada. I refuse to recognise that you're a Canadian and insist on calling you an American, just cuz your country is next door to America and I can't be bothered to check my geography to find out that it's a separate country. You would, in all likelihood, be pissed off. Do you get why I'm mad, now?

not really. canada is part of north america, and as such they are technically american as well. if you'd said united states instead, that'd be different, but i still don't see it as something to get terribly worked up over.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I believe I did say USA; and I'm not bringing politics into this, you are. I hate politics.

Also, Eire IS a different country to Britain. Much like Canada is to the United States. But people from the US still lump Eire in with Britain. A friend of mine gets that on message boards; she's from Eire, and gets very tired of people saying, "Oh, British, right?"

[linguist]

I believe I did say USA; and I'm not bringing politics into this, you are. I hate politics.

not politics; political divisions. i.e., country lines. geographical divisions, if that terminology makes you more comfortable. in any case, imaginary lines drawn on a map separating one country (or county, or city, etc.) from another. still different from linguistic divisions.

and you're exact quote was:

I refuse to recognise that you're a Canadian and insist on calling you an American, ust cuz your country is next door to America

no mention of the united states.

[telecom_goddess]

I believe I did say USA; and I'm not bringing politics into this, you are. I hate politics.

Also, Eire IS a different country to Britain. Much like Canada is to the United States. But people from the US still lump Eire in with Britain. A friend of mine gets that on message boards; she's from Eire, and gets very tired of people saying, "Oh, British, right?"

I never even HEARD of Eire.....

I can understand lumping all mentioned countries under the UK umbrella, THAT makes sense. But including Scotland and whatnot in Great Britain doesn't.

So we know Scotland, Ireland (however it's divided up), Wales and England, and I guess Eire are countries. The United Kingdom is considered what? Not a country but not the continent either. and in turn what is Britain considered? a country? but a country that encompasses other countries?

I'm lost lol.