Are we British or English?

Mundu said:
Apparenly I'm British Indian but that's my ethnicity is it not because I have not personal connections to India so it just refers to where one of my parents originates from?

I see myself as English and British because British is on my passport and I've been bought up in England I'm as English as anyone else who was raised in this country or went to school with me or grew up with me regardless of wether their parents or grandparents lived here aswell.

As for you're only English if generations of you family lived in England how many generations does your family have to live in England to become English? What if a family whos heritage can be traced back so many years but then they live in another country for a generation or two then move back?

In my eyes if you feel like England is your home, you contribute to the country and abide by the laws of the land that's all.

We can all be traced back to the Evolution of man so techinally we're all Pangeans right?

As you rightly stated your ethnicity is Indian.
I was thinking about this earlier and the UK has a very long standing history of defining differences between Welsh, Irish, Scots and English.
Thre is far more common history between an Englishman and a Scotsman and far more intertwined genetic history than between you a British Indian and an Englishman or Scotsman.
English is an ethnicity, a defined tribe with much history and ancestory. An Englishman is an Englishman regardless of where he is born even though he may gain citizenship of another country.

Other European countries used to make such similar distinctions as well. I doubt the original Normans would consider themselves to be French. They were Normans but that term seems to have been lost in time. Perhaps eventually English, Scots, Welsh and Irish will be lost in time but I douby many here would be happy to see those terms go or be overly redefined.
 
me227 said:
If you're born in Britian you would be British. Whats so hard to comprehend about that?

It's like some german guy putting Bavarian down as his nationality, it isn't his nationality it's the area he is from in German. So more specificly he'd be a German/Bavarian.

Just like you'd be British/English. And you live in England which is an area(province) of Britian.

I was born in England, hence i am English, Britain is not a place for me, great britain finished when the empire was dissolved. It's not the UK.

I'm English
 
Thesnipergecko said:
As title, bit of a random thread i know but it got me thinking.

Is there such a thing as an English person? isn't English a language?

The country is England yes? We speak the English language yes?

Does that make us English? or are we Britains / Britons (sp)? :p

Paul ...

Who cares? In seriousness, this is a ridiculous question ... Are you from the UK?

You see American English as a language ... yes? But its true, some of the less educated foreigners do describe UK/Britain as England, I usually smile when I see this :cool: Its kinda cute.

We are all flesh and bone last time I checked, this whole England being the centre of the Universe is rather pompous if you ask me.

Britannia used to be magnificent, not anymore.

IMHO
 
I am ENGLISH, same as welsh are welsh, and scottish are scottish etc...

ive even had forms asking nationality with options "welsh", "scottish" "british" i always add a box saying "english" and tick that :D
 
Thesnipergecko said:
Some very different opinions on the matter. I personally see myself as British, (thats whats on my passport anyway). I live in England and i see the word English as a Language :p

Therefore I am British and speak the English language in England :p

Thanks for all the replies.

Paul ...

So if you were born in Germany I guess you wouldn't call yourself German (or Deutsche if you're trying to be pedantic), as that's how they refer to their language? Same goes with Italy, Spain, France... ad infinum.
 
Bracco said:
So if you were born in Germany I guess you wouldn't call yourself German (or Deutsche if you're trying to be pedantic), as that's how they refer to their language? Same goes with Italy, Spain, France... ad infinum.

He would, because his passport would say "German Citizen" :p
 
Marshmule said:
Well im certainly not English, i love the assumption that everyone on the forums is English,

But Im British then Welsh

Same as I'm British and then Scottish ... And that about sums it up.

6 pages of nonsense to arrive to this conclusion :p

Oh ... how I wish an Alien would land on our simple planet, and basically give the message we all need as a species to get on ...

Grow up
 
Mr Bulbous said:
The Japanese are quite more advanced than that, talk about pigeon_holing people ... LOL

Its funny, i was speaking to one of my friends about it the other day...I always wondered why they only said english...she couldnt explain it and said that if you say great britain youre seen as trying to show off and act smart :o
 
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