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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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First off, I KNOW the difference between the two, so no need for a geography lesson...my question is, how comes sometimes the nation is called 'Great Britain' and sometimes 'the United Kingdom'? Is it just me or did it seem more popular to call it GB in the 90s? Is it simply done interchangeable, or when GB is used, it specifically excludes Northern Ireland? Just as England competes as it's own country in sporting events?
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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No as I indicated I'm just wondering why it's sometimes called the UK and sometimes GB. Is it because they deliberate want to exclude Northern Ireland or do many view the terms as interchangeable?
Great Britain is used by the ignorant (or British-bashers) who don't know (or don't accept) that Northern Ireland is part of the country, as well as the Channel islands, Isle of Man, and the British overseas territories (Gibraltar, Akrotiri-Dekhelia in Cyprus, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos islands, Cayman islands, British Virgin islands, Montserrat, Anguilla, Ascension/St Helen/Tristan Da Cunha, Falkland islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich islands, Chagos archipelago, Oeno/Ducie/Pitcairn).
Great Britain is used by the ignorant (or British-bashers) who don't know (or don't accept) that Northern Ireland is part of the country, as well as the Channel islands, Isle of Man, and the British overseas territories (Gibraltar, Akrotiri-Dekhelia in Cyprus, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos islands, Cayman islands, British Virgin islands, Montserrat, Anguilla, Ascension/St Helen/Tristan Da Cunha, Falkland islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich islands, Chagos archipelago, Oeno/Ducie/Pitcairn).
Ignorant seems to be your favorite word on this site! It is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland So people cut it down to Great Britain, the United Kingdom or the UK just like the United States of America cuts it down to the USA, the US, America or the United States.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,068,476 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paull805
Ignorant seems to be your favorite word on this site! It is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland So people cut it down to Great Britain, the United Kingdom or the UK just like the United States of America cuts it down to the USA, the US, America or the United States.
Thanks Paul, most logical answer so far! Although Great Britain technically does exclude Northern Ireland, which I'm sure is usually not their intention.
Nowadays 'United Kingdom' sounds a wee bit more official.
First off, I KNOW the difference between the two, so no need for a geography lesson...my question is, how comes sometimes the nation is called 'Great Britain' and sometimes 'the United Kingdom'? Is it just me or did it seem more popular to call it GB in the 90s? Is it simply done interchangeable, or when GB is used, it specifically excludes Northern Ireland? Just as England competes as it's own country in sporting events?
I rarely hear it called Great Britain. I think Jezer and Paul's comments are most applicable. A lot of people don't differentiate and it has nothing to do with maliciousness (e.g. intentionally wanting to exclude NI). They just use the terms interchangeably (albeit incorrectly).
A lot of people just aren't great on geography. The other night Graham Norton introduced Salma Hayek as a "sexy South American" - last time I checked Mexico was still in North America (and yes he knew she was from Mexico). And you wouldn't believe how many people think Bermuda is a Caribbean island.
Geographical knowledge is simply not what it should be. IMHO it's nothing more sinister than that.
Thanks Paul, most logical answer so far! Although Great Britain technically does exclude Northern Ireland, which I'm sure is usually not their intention.
Nowadays 'United Kingdom' sounds a wee bit more official.
Most people will refer to it as the 'UK" although the country sticker is 'GB'. Also, people will refer to themselves as 'British' (yep, including many in N. Ireland) rather than 'UKish'. No real reason why people use one or the other. Its more force of habit than anything else.
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