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In your opinion, how do you define someone who is or isn’t British??

Poll

How would you, in your opinion, define somebody who is or isn’t British?

Hi all, I’m just curious about how you, in your opinion, would consider somebody who is or isn’t British?

As we all know, we are living in a more and more globalised world, with increasing mobility and transport meaning more movement between people, more immigration within the world meaning what defines a person’s nationality is becoming more complex now. A lot of people however are opposed to this globalisation, fearing loss of British cultural identity and would take the more traditional view that in order to be British is not only to born and bred in the UK, but to be primarily of British origin/have British ancestry as well. Whether we like it or not history and heritage are an important part of a persons identity.

For example take me I’m born and raised in England to Irish parents and I personally would find it quite difficult to call myself British/english given I have no British ancestry (mum is from NI however). However FWIW I actually moved to NI at 14, moving during school, still have an English accent today, and known to everyone as the “English guy” so by that token, given I don’t have an Irish accent, never played Gaelic games (Irelands no.1 sport), never learned Irish, never went to catholic schools, I don’t feel Irish and I wouldn't be accepted as properly Irish by the locals either. So I’ve come to conclusion I don’t have a proper nationality in actual fact, but not having British heritage I feel prohibits me from calling myself a true Brit.

However, I do want to make it clear that if a Black or an Asian person considers themselves British/English, I will too, I’ll consider people what they consider themselves to be, I just personally wouldn't feel comfortable being in that situation calling myself British (hence why I don't).

So who in your opinion, do consider a British person to be? (I've decided to poll this :biggrin:)

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I have had a bit of an identity crisis too and don't think that I fully belong anywhere but that's OK, I accept that now. If I was asked identify as something though, it would be British. I was born and mostly raised here and my accent is that of a West Londoner. My mannerisms and culture come from here primarily. However, I have lived abroad for a number of years in countries that I wouldn't call my own and speak a couple of other languages as a result, so that has had an influence on me too. My family don't adhere to any cultural practices; we eat a mixture of cuisines, don't wear any sort of "traditional" clothing and are unfamiliar with the culture of our grandparent's countries of origin.

So yeah, it's confusing :s-smilie:
Anyone and everyone who holds British Citizenship

Spoiler

Reply 3
Ahh! This is so hard for me. I am British by birth but my childhood was spent in Bangladesh and the BVI... So am I British? Now an international student living in Albania.
anyone prepared to die for our country.
Someone who says 'sorry' when someone else treads on their foot.
Reply 6
Original post by Sharpshooter
Hi all, I’m just curious about how you, in your opinion, would consider somebody who is or isn’t British?

As we all know, we are living in a more and more globalised world, with increasing mobility and transport meaning more movement between people, more immigration within the world meaning what defines a person’s nationality is becoming more complex now. A lot of people however are opposed to this globalisation, fearing loss of British cultural identity and would take the more traditional view that in order to be British is not only to born and bred in the UK, but to be primarily of British origin/have British ancestry as well. Whether we like it or not history and heritage are an important part of a persons identity.

For example take me I’m born and raised in England to Irish parents and I personally would find it quite difficult to call myself British/english given I have no British ancestry (mum is from NI however). However FWIW I actually moved to NI at 14, moving during school, still have an English accent today, and known to everyone as the “English guy” so by that token, given I don’t have an Irish accent, never played Gaelic games (Irelands no.1 sport), never learned Irish, never went to catholic schools, I don’t feel Irish and I wouldn't be accepted as properly Irish by the locals either. So I’ve come to conclusion I don’t have a proper nationality in actual fact, but not having British heritage I feel prohibits me from calling myself a true Brit.

However, I do want to make it clear that if a Black or an Asian person considers themselves British/English, I will too, I’ll consider people what they consider themselves to be, I just personally wouldn't feel comfortable being in that situation calling myself British (hence why I don't).

So who in your opinion, do consider a British person to be? (I've decided to poll this :biggrin:)


My parents are both from Nigeria (however my Dad was born in the UK) and I was born in London. Since the official country we are in is the United Kingdom/ Great Britain and according to my passport I am British. To be English means to be of English heritage and origin and therefore I am British but not English.

For your situation you could be considered as British of Irish heritage.


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I would say the first three are British, I think the last option depends.
Original post by Reality Check
Someone who says 'sorry' when someone else treads on their foot.


:rofl:
People born in the UK
Original post by BabyLadDarren
People born in the UK


Raheem Sterling
Wilfried Zaha
Rita Ora
Louis Theroux
Mo Farah
Joanna Lumley
John Barnes

These are not Brits in your opinion?
Original post by BabyLadDarren
People born in the UK


I'd still consider people born overseas to British parents as being British as well.
Original post by Wilfred Little
Raheem Sterling
Wilfried Zaha
Rita Ora
Louis Theroux
Mo Farah
Joanna Lumley
John Barnes

These are not Brits in your opinion?


Nope
Original post by Wilfred Little
I would say the first three are British, I think the last option depends.


The reason why I put the last option was because Nick Griffin once claimed that when (ethnic) British people go abroad and have children, they don't become Australian/American, they will always stay British.

It wouldn't be a surprise that someone like Nick Griffin views the whole world in terms of ethnicity, but I put that option there anyway for the White nationalist/Stormfront fanboys, because obviously some people do ignore the worlds borders and see humanity in terms of just ethnic heritage.
It's obviously A. For the people who talk about British origin are we talking about the Ancient Britons or the more modern Anglos Saxons? Every group after were more or less migrants.
Original post by BabyLadDarren
Nope


Very odd definition of British then.
Red gems! :ahee:

Spoiler

Original post by Eternalflames
Red gems! :ahee:

Spoiler



Sounds like a plan, good luck :smile:. I would love to live in some more countries as well because there is such a vast world out there and it feels like there is so much to learn about it and so many adventures to have. I feel a connection with the Middle East after living there and do miss it sometimes but there isn't that sense of homesickness that I get after leaving the UK for a while. So I would probably have to come back here after a few years or so.
Original post by JamesN88
I'd still consider people born overseas to British parents as being British as well.


basically...as far as being British


but as far as specifically English, Irish, Scottish...

that culture....nah..

but British, sure join the queue ini
I would consider someone British if they're born here or have British folks but born elsewhere, and raised here. That's how citizenship works lol.

I wouldn't automatically consider someone English even if they're born here but if they are not to ethnically English parents. Because that's now about culture and stuff and lets be honest 90% of immigrants here no matter the number of generations do not assimilate.

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