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English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish people who call themselves British

I call myself Welsh all the time, but when you're the only Welshman in your group of friends in Aberystwyth, of all places, it's a habit you start kicking into. I don't particularly have anything against the English; any jokes I might make are purely jokes, and usually the Englishman starts it (seriously, I'm not being childish, it's true).

Reply 121

username458263

9

As someone else brought up earlier, I think a lot of the problem for Scots in identifying themselves as British is that to a lot of Americans "British" conjures up images of London and posh English accents, and Scots don't want that image. Even mainstream American TV like Friends referred to Emily's (Helen Baxendale's) "British accent" on more than one occasion, and people I know don't want to be thought of like that.

As I've said before, I have nothing against the English at all; I just think that people in Scotland, perhaps even just out of habit, are more Scottish than British. Go to the Scottish Qualifications forum in Study Help (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=41) and count how many people have Scottish flags and how many have Union Jacks. I'm not necessarily saying I agree with it, I'm just saying that, in my experience, that's how it is.

I almost think it is a good thing, actually, to identify yourself as Scottish, English, Northern Irish, Welsh. People from London are unlikely to understand Scottish culture very well (no offence intended, and I'm sure some do - I'm talking about the majority who don't). Equally, I would never claim to have a proper understanding of English culture. I think it is very possible to be proud of the country you're from without being anti-British or anti-unionist.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 122

Perplexingly_Jaded

7

I usually call myself British :h:

Reply 123

username402722

19

All people born in these islands have two identities and should be proud of both- in my case English and British. The only thing I object to is the use of English to describe something that applies to all of Britain.

Reply 124

L i b

19

Dream Weaver

Scotland is a country within the sovereign state of Britain.

Are you trying to deny Britain is a country? Because that is, quite frankly, ludicrous in every single way.

Reply 125

Curzon

10

L i b

The Royal Family are less English than they are, say, Canadian. They have never chosen to emphasise an English identity at any point. Indeed, when they're in Scotland they're more Scottish than most of the folk who live here the year 'round.

I think you're making the rather odd mistake of confusing upper class with English.

The Royal Family are English. They were born in England, they have English accents, they can call themselves British but they aren't Welsh, Scottish or Irish.

Reply 126

Curzon

10

L i b

Are you trying to deny Britain is a country? Because that is, quite frankly, ludicrous in every single way.

Well what is a country? It's a very private thing to people.

Reply 127

Cool Cat

17

medbh4805

' to describe myself as British would be for me turning my back on my cultural background'.

same for me with Irish. I feel British through and through :yes:

Reply 128

L i b

19

Curzon

The Royal Family are English. They were born in England

Being born in a stable does not make you a horse. There are probably millions of people who were born in England but do not identify with being English.

they have English accents

No they don't. The Royal Family, the Queen particularly, actually have fairly unique accents rather than regional ones. If anything, they approximate the mainstream RP accent - which is very much British rather than English.

they can call themselves British but they aren't Welsh, Scottish or Irish.

Nor English. Neither am I - when it comes to nationality, I am British. I am not any of the four home nations identities - and I know plenty of people who take the same line.

There is no need to shoehorn every British person into one or the other local identities. Plenty of people are just British.

Reply 129

Ultimate_Geek

15

Aren't Northern Ireland part of the U.K. - not Britain?

Reply 130

Helenia

20

I call myself British most of the time tbh - I was born and live in England, but have plenty of Scottish and Welsh connections on both sides of my family (and I believe Irish if you go back far enough). So I don't think it would be fair to ignore those parts of my background.

When it comes to sports, especially rugby, England are my favourite team, but unlike plenty of Scottish and Welsh people I know, I don't actively wish for other teams to lose regardless of opponents.

Reply 131

Left Hand Drive

18

L i b

From the 'yes', I can only assume you admit you were wrong. If not, feel free to actually address some of the points made.

Well, you're the one who's a member of a Nationalist party.

Does that mean I hate every English person?

Nope. Every English person I have met I have liked.

Reply 132

90pies an hour

8

Yorkshire> Britain

One day we'll be free from British tyranny and the White Rose wil fly high above York Minister

Y.R.A.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 133

Curzon

10

L i b

Being born in a stable does not make you a horse. There are probably millions of people who were born in England but do not identify with being English.

No they don't. The Royal Family, the Queen particularly, actually have fairly unique accents rather than regional ones. If anything, they approximate the mainstream RP accent - which is very much British rather than English.

Nor English. Neither am I - when it comes to nationality, I am British. I am not any of the four home nations identities - and I know plenty of people who take the same line.

There is no need to shoehorn every British person into one or the other local identities. Plenty of people are just British.

True many people would probably choose not to identify as English if their parents were not English, however the Royal Family has pretty much naturalised to England after generations of living there. If you mean people who choose to identify as British and not English well they still must be English on some level, even if it is just as a local identity such as Liverpudlian for example.

RP is English. It has always been English, and it is based on English accents.

I think it's fine that people choose to identify as being British. For some reason though I just don't feel British and there's not much to be done about that! Maybe a nice world war would sort it or something.

Reply 134

perrytheplatypus

14

Most people I know would refer to themselves as british before english.

I've also noticed that non-white people born in england seem to be more comfortable calling themselves british than english.
:iiam:

I wish Ireland was part of Britain...

Reply 135

shadow99

14

We are all British in the end, despite having regional loyalties.

Reply 136

Psyk

16

Jackthevillain

Yes because I was born and raised in England only.

I was born and raised in Berkshire only. I only have a connection to a few other parts of England (like where I went to uni and where I live now). Saying that you're English and not British would be like me saying I'm Berkshirish and not English.

Broderss

Although I dislike the Welsh and Scottish, we are alone on this planet on a tiny island so we need as many friends as we can get. Scotland and Wales are pretty much us anyway.

As I pointed out earlier, GB is actually quite a big island, and it's the third most populated island.

Reply 137

Psyk

16

derangedyoshi

I almost think it is a good thing, actually, to identify yourself as Scottish, English, Northern Irish, Welsh. People from London are unlikely to understand Scottish culture very well (no offence intended, and I'm sure some do - I'm talking about the majority who don't). Equally, I would never claim to have a proper understanding of English culture. I think it is very possible to be proud of the country you're from without being anti-British or anti-unionist.

True. But also someone from London is unlikely to understand the culture in rural Somerset. The fact is there is a continuous variation in culture, there isn't just a sharp, sudden change as soon as you step over the English-Scottish or English-Welsh border. There is just as much cultural variation within England and Scotland and Wales.

Reply 138

The Bagel Guy

10

Enjoy while it lasts... Soon being "British" won't be PC, we'll instead be called "European Citizens".
I'd rather have the choice of writing English, Welsh, Scottish or British on all my forms, instead of having "YOU ARE BRITISH" rammed down my throat. It makes little difference to my life either way, but I'd prefer to have the choice.

Reply 139

L i b

19

Ultimate_Geek

Aren't Northern Ireland part of the U.K. - not Britain?

Nope. Britain is generally used as a short-form way of saying the UK. It's Great Britain that's just the island.

perrytheplatypus

I've also noticed that non-white people born in england seem to be more comfortable calling themselves british than english.
:iiam:

I really dislike that. There seems to be a presumption that Englishness is a ethnic or racial thing: of course it isn't, it is a national identity. Someone is English because they choose to be, not because of the colour of their skin. There are plenty of white people who are more than willing to push this rather narrow-minded version of what it means to be English.

Oddly enough, this distinction has never arisen - to my mind - in Scotland. Most non-white people here seem comfortable to call themselves both Scottish and British equally.

I wish Ireland was part of Britain...

Me too.

(edited 13 years ago)

English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish people who call themselves British

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