GREAT BRITAIN

[p4pedro]

When did Britain become great britain ? and when do you think it will return to just plain Britain


peter

[motco]

It is 'great' only as Greater London or Greater Manchester are, not as any statement of superiority. The 'other' Britain is Brittany - in France. Okay?

[siscar]

Great Britain is the name of the largest island in the British Isles. It is called Great in the context of size it being larger than Brittany.

Great Britain was also the name of the Kingdom that was formed in 1707 by the union of England, Scotland and Wales.

So since the 'Great' has no relation to 'wonderfulness' it is perfectly correct and should stay.

[AndrewW-G]

p4pedro said:

When did Britain become great britain ? and when do you think it will return to just plain Britain


peter

What did you think the Letter G & B stuck to most UK cars heading off into Europe stood for?

[motco]

siscar said:

So since the 'Great' has no relation to 'wonderfulness' it is perfectly correct and should stay.

Anyway, it IS great!

[Saddle bum]

p4pedro said:

When did Britain become great britain ? and when do you think it will return to just plain Britain


peter

1707.

[Andy_stook_2k]

For all its faults its still great, thats why half the world wants to live here.

[s2art]

Saddle bum said:

p4pedro said:

When did Britain become great britain ? and when do you think it will return to just plain Britain


peter

1707.

I would have guessed somewhere around Roman times. Island of Great Britain. Wasnt 1707 the date for the UK?

[motco]

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has to include Northern Ireland, obviously, which didn't come into existence as such until Britain gave parial independence to Ireland sometime a lot after 1707.

[T89 Callan]

motco said:

siscar said:

So since the 'Great' has no relation to 'wonderfulness' it is perfectly correct and should stay.

Anyway, it WAS great!

Edited by New Labour.

[Silver993tt]

Andy_stook_2k said:

For all its faults its still great, thats why half the world wants to live here.

er, no not really. The only reason "half the world" wants to live in the UK is because it has the easiest social system to a) get into and b) abuse. That's the reason why the "other half of the world" who have something to offer UK soceity keep well away.

[madala]

p4pedro said:

When did Britain become great britain ? and when do you think it will return to just plain Britain


peter

...oh dear...please get a life...sorry....but really....it is just too much.

[DSM2]

Silver993tt said:

Andy_stook_2k said:

For all its faults its still great, thats why half the world wants to live here.

er, no not really. The only reason "half the world" wants to live in the UK is because it has the easiest social system to a) get into and b) abuse. That's the reason why the "other half of the world" who have something to offer UK soceity keep well away.

Spot on...................

[Silver993tt]

yep, it's really GREAT:

Binge drinking:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambrid...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3121440.stm

Teenage pregnancies:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and...

Illegal immigration:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jun/30/immigrati...

Knife crime:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/art...

Gun crime:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385843/Gun...

[OnTheOverrun]

Silver993tt said:

yep, it's really GREAT:

Binge drinking:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambrid...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3121440.stm

Teenage pregnancies:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and...

Illegal immigration:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jun/30/immigrati...

Knife crime:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/art...

Gun crime:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385843/Gun...

You've got a real chip on your shoulder about Britain haven't you? Not uncommon I suppose in ex-pats in Spain I suppose.

You should however note that Spain has more gun murders than Britain:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_wit_fir_...

More than eight times as many robberies per person as Britain. More than anywhere else in fact:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_rob_percap-c...

And of course when it comes to illegal immigration we really could learn from Spain, ie have largely unguarded borders and then just surrender and let all your illegals stay:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4242411.st...

But I'm sure you won't let a few facts get in the way of your hating!

[Silver993tt]

I don't live in Spain. I've lived in quite a few other EU countries though, so base my opinions on real life experience in those countries. Using this experience to point out a few home truths about the UK brings out the inevitable "patriotism" in some.

Edited by Silver993tt on Monday 31st August 21:34

[ewenm]

I love the way people lump the whole of the country together when complaining about it - I don't think anyone is saying the UK doesn't have its problems, but it certainly isn't homogenous across the country. Picking where you live is one of the key things to enjoying whatever country you decide to call home.

[turbobloke]

ewenm said:

Picking where you live is one of the key things to enjoying whatever country you decide to call home.

So true, and still applicable even if one is more home than others.

However the national situation still impinges to varying degrees, as per the influence of one Winky McFnut here.

[mrmarcus]

Shouldnt the term "Briitish Isles" be withdrawn as a collective term for GB + Ireland as the Republic of Ireland is not British.

[Gedon]

Interesting about Great Britain and "Little Britain". Even more interesting that the Cornish language shares 80% of it's vocab with "Little British" whilst only 70% with Welsh.

Anyway, as a Cornishman, I am proud to be British.