Cause you all talk funny. So you must be English.
[quote]stoneysaxo wrote:
Why do Americans think my country is called England? It doesnt make sense, its like me calling the USA, “California”! California is just one of many states that make up the USA. Its the same here, England is just one state that makes up the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make up the rest of the UK. I live is Scotland (which should be independant!) which is in the UK. Thanks…[/quote]
So, are you trying to say that Scotland is one of the states that make up England? 
What a bizarre thread. Scottish geography is important to the Scottish. American geography is important to Americans. Moroccan geography is important to the Moroccans. It’s not difficult to make mistakes regarding countries that aren’t your own.
I’m willing to bet a majority of foreign posters don’t realize that the capitols of New York state and California are Albany and Sacramento, respectively (not New York city and L.A/San Francisco.) It’s an easy mistake that a very intellegent person can make.
[quote]Mr. Clean & Jerk wrote:
I’m willing to bet a majority of foreign posters don’t realize that the capitols of New York state and California are Albany and Sacremento, respectively (not New York city and L.A/San Francisco.) It’s an easy mistake that a very intellegent person can make.[/quote]
A good point.
Along with the romanticized “common man” and “noble savage”, now there is “enlightened foreigner” who has infinite knowledge about all things cultural and important, while dim Americans looks at a globe like a bunch of monkeys beating on a foreign object from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
And it is a shame more Americans don’t learn hard knowledge like geography like we used to - that is certainly something to improve on in education. However, there only so many hours in a day, and our curricula has to focus on things like “self-esteem” and “tolerance” in lieu of knowledge.
[quote]Chewie wrote:
stoneysaxo wrote:
Why do Americans think my country is called England? It doesnt make sense, its like me calling the USA, “California”! California is just one of many states that make up the USA. Its the same here, England is just one state that makes up the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make up the rest of the UK. I live is Scotland (which should be independant!) which is in the UK. Thanks…
So, are you trying to say that Scotland is one of the states that make up England?
[/quote]
Nah, it’s a territory of the U.K.
[quote]Nominal Prospect wrote:
stoneysaxo wrote:
sorry, but it really gets under my skin when im watching an American tv programme and hearing people speak about Edinburgh in ENGLAND… aaaah!
The Kingdom of Scotland was an independent state until 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union (despite widespread protest across Scotland)[5] resulted in a political union with the Kingdom of England to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.
They call it England for the same reason they call Hawaii the US.[/quote]
Very good point! I would never call Scotland a part of England, but would call it a part of Great Britain.
[quote]lixy wrote:
stoneysaxo wrote:
and its only the Americans that get mixed up and call our country England, UK if u dont mind…
They also think Morocco is in the Middle East (Hedo and some others consistently make that mistake).[/quote]
Isn’t Morocco those musical instrument things? I thought you were kidding about being from there! How could someone be from a musical instrument?
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
lixy wrote:
stoneysaxo wrote:
and its only the Americans that get mixed up and call our country England, UK if u dont mind…
They also think Morocco is in the Middle East (Hedo and some others consistently make that mistake).
Isn’t Morocco those musical instrument things? I thought you were kidding about being from there! How could someone be from a musical instrument?
[/quote]
It is spelled Moronocco.
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Headhunter wrote:
lixy wrote:
stoneysaxo wrote:
and its only the Americans that get mixed up and call our country England, UK if u dont mind…
They also think Morocco is in the Middle East (Hedo and some others consistently make that mistake).
Isn’t Morocco those musical instrument things? I thought you were kidding about being from there! How could someone be from a musical instrument?
It is spelled Moronocco.[/quote]
True, not even the middle east will claim them.
Britain is the name of the island that Scotland, Wales and England share. The United Kingdom (UK) is the name of the country, which also includes Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and a strange place called Isle of Man (Manx) - thats a place i really dont understand! Anyone here Manx?
Honestly in American terms it would be like Texans saying its a separate country because it has been said before and it was before annexed around 1851 or so( Im not exactly sure so please do not bag me on that) , but his is actually correct. Where we Texans wish it was true, we really could be our country my friends.
Just a thought and comparison fellow t-men.
Scotland, of course, is making rumblings about not being part of “England” or “Great Britain”. The SNP is getting some momentum.
Will Scotland leave?
[quote]stoneysaxo wrote:
dunno how the queen is… nobody really cares except the americans… you guys can have her… and watch your tax money pay for her upkeep! she costs us a fortune[/quote]
thats also an uneducated asumption, the queen does arguable bring a large amount of revenue into the contry through tourism, and she has no power to speak of, and all the castles and such like belong to the country. Add all that with the fact that she stays out of trouble much more than even your most clean cut celebrity and that equals a pretty good figure head for a country.
I’m no monarchist, but i dont live in a monarchy. its a parlementry government. a multipal party domocracy.
long live the free!
i agree the present queen is ok, but im concerned when prince charles takes over, he doesnt exactly keep out of trouble himself and does interfier with politics. if we are suppossed to be a democracy, how is it that we have the house of lords, which these uneleted people interfier with desicions made by our elected MP’s?
The thing is, we go around the world bombing countries and telling them they must do this and that, and telling them they must be democratic, when WE are not fully democratic ourselves. Is the only reason for keeping the royals, just for tourism?
[quote]stoneysaxo wrote:
Britain is the name of the island that Scotland, Wales and England share. The United Kingdom (UK) is the name of the country, which also includes Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and a strange place called Isle of Man (Manx) - thats a place i really dont understand! Anyone here Manx?[/quote]
Yeah but do the Scots refer to themselves as Brits?
What the Hell…
Seemed like a good place to put a Cool Pic!
Seriously, guys. As a lover of Cinema…I’ve always been curious what TRUE Scotsmen (those living in Scotland) thought about “BraveHeart”…
Just curious…!
Mufasa
[quote]holifila wrote:
stoneysaxo wrote:
Britain is the name of the island that Scotland, Wales and England share. The United Kingdom (UK) is the name of the country, which also includes Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and a strange place called Isle of Man (Manx) - thats a place i really dont understand! Anyone here Manx?
Yeah but do the Scots refer to themselves as Brits?[/quote]
As far as I know the Scots do refer to themselves as ‘British’, (being as they are in fact part of Britain)… and I think the problem lies in the fact that many Americans do not make the distinction that the term ‘British’ does not automatically equal… ‘English’.
My fiance is from the Republic of Ireland, (Cork)… I do not refer to him as ‘British’…since it is only Northern Ireland that would call themselves such.
Gets a bit sticky here and there, but I’ve seen plenty of Scots and Welsh get their knickers in a twist over being mistakenly referred to as ‘English’, alot of history and left over bad blood…but to Joe Schmoe American, who aren’t involved in your particular patriotism, it would be difficult to leave a widespread impression.
How many foreigners call southerners Yankees?
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
How many foreigners call southerners Yankees?[/quote]
Ha, that’s a pretty good point…and the answer is, everyone I’ve ever known from the UK refers to all Americans as Yanks. Regardless of Northern or Southern upbringing.
They don’t seem to really give a toss that during the American Civil War, the term took on a derogatory note, if you were a southerner. I’m sure southern ‘pride’ is alive and well and there would be some left who would take offense (the kind with confederate flags still ablazin’), but mostly since the United States has become one under the same flag, I doubt many would consider the term inflammatory.
Meh, I don’t consider it negative, but I’m not the barometer of these things, I’m a northern bird :o)
(Also, I do realize the term originated long before the Civil War and why… I’m merely focusing on how it evolved inside the U.S. .and that nobody expects it to be internationally taken into account)