Terminology of the British Isles
In Irish, the term Oileáin Bhriotanacha is attested as a version of the English term British Isles.[42] In this sense, Briotanach refers to British people in the sense of the islands belonging to them. Another translation is Oileáin Bhreataineacha, which is used in a 1937 geography book translated into Irish from English.[43] In this instance, Breataineach refers to the people of the island of Great Britain, again in the sense of the islands belonging to them. Neither of these two terms is often used in Irish.[44]
Earlier dictionaries[45] give Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa as the translation, literally meaning West European Isles. Today the most common term Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór is used, meaning literally as Ireland and Great Britain, as provided by terminological dictionaries.[46]
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Slang
Blighty is a slang word for Britain derived from the Hindustani word bilāyatī ("foreign"). Depending on the user, it is meant either affectionately or archly. It was often used by British soldiers abroad in the First World War to refer to home.
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Europe
The term "Europe" may be used in one of several different contexts by British and Irish people; either to refer to the whole of the European continent, to refer to only to Mainland Europe, sometimes called "continental Europe" or simply "the Continent" by some people in the archipelago — as in the apocryphal newspaper headline "Fog shrouds Channel, continent cut off."
Europe and the adjective European may also be used in reference to the European Union, particularly in a derogative context such as "The new regulations handed out by Europe".
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Notes
- ^ "Britain", Oxford English Dictionary: "More fully Great Britain. As a geographical and political term: (the main island and smaller offshore islands making up) England, Scotland, and Wales, sometimes with the Isle of Man"
- ^ New Oxford American Dictionary: "Britain: an island that consists of England, Wales, and Scotland. The name is broadly synonymous with Great Britain, but the longer form is more usual for the political unit."
- ^ "Britain", Oxford English Dictionary (Online Edition): "Britain: 1a - The proper name of the whole island containing England, Wales, and Scotland, with their dependencies; more fully called Great Britain; now also used for the British state or empire as a whole."
- ^ Guardian Unlimited Style Guide, Guardian News and Media Limited, 2007
- ^ Guardian Unlimited Style Guide, Guardian News and Media Limited, 2007
- ^ Countries within a country
- ^ "Great Britain", New Oxford American Dictionary: "Great Britain: England, Wales, and Scotland considered as a unit. The name is also often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom."
- ^ "the term 'Britain' is used informally to mean the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" — quote from British Government website
- ^ UK Government's "Guide to Government"
- ^ Office for National Statistics
- ^ # ^ "When I refer to the composite Monarchy ruled over by James VI and I and by King Charles I, it is always described as Britain and Ireland, and I deliberately avoid the politically loaded phrase 'the British Isles' not least because this was not a normal usage in the political discourse of the time". Canny, Nicholas (2001). Making Ireland British:. New York: Oxford University Press, p. viii. ISBN-13:.
- ^ BBC News (2001-12-28). Flag day for patriotic drivers. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ BBC Press Office. BBC Nations & Regions.
- ^ CAIN: Democratic Dialogue: With all due respect - pluralism and parity of esteem (Report No. 7) by Tom Hennessey and Robin Wilson, Democratic Dialogue (1997)
- ^ States of Guernsey passports. Guernsey Government Website.
- ^ a b c d Snyder, Christopher A. (2003). The Britons. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 063122260X.
- ^ Entry for Albion a 1911 Encyclopedia.[1]
- ^ a b c d e Foster (editor), R F; Donnchadh O Corrain, Professor of Irish History at University College Cork: (Chapter 1: Prehistoric and Early Christian Ireland) (1 November 2001). The Oxford History of Ireland. Oxford University Press. ISBN 019280202X.
- ^ Encyclopedia of the Celts: Pretani
- ^ The earliest Celts in Europe |WalesPast
- ^ Translation by Roseman, op.cit.
- ^ Ptolemy's Geography
- ^ Britannia on Roman Coins, Roman coins in Britain
- ^ General survey of Lothian
- ^ Royal Styles and Titles in England and Great Britain, heraldica.org
- ^ "The majority of English people still behave as if 'English' and 'British' are synonymous", historian Norman Davies quoted in The English: Europe's lost tribe, BBC News Story, January 14, 1999
- ^ "[2] Website on Megalithic Monuments in the British Isles and Ireland. Ireland in this site includes Fermanagh, which is politically in Northern Ireland."
- ^ "The website uses the term "British Isles" in various ways, including ways that use Ireland as all of Ireland, while simultaneously using the term "The British Isles and Ireland", e.g. "Anyone using GENUKI should remember that its name is somewhat misleading — the website actually covers the British Isles and Ireland, rather than just the United Kingdom, and therefore includes information about the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland."
- ^ "[3] Guide to Narrow Gauge rail in the British Isles and Ireland which includes Belfast lines under the section on Ireland."
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/understanding/britain_01.shtml British Weather (Part One)] This BBC article referred to 'a small country such as the British Isles' between at least April 2004 and January 2007 (checked using the Wayback Machine at http://web.archive.org. Last accessed and checked 01/01/07. It was changed in February 2007 and now reads 'a small area such as the British Isles'
- ^ For example, see Google searches of the BBC website.
- ^ "Written Answers - Official Terms", Dáil Éireann - Volume 606 - 28 September, 2005. In his response, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs added that "Our officials in the Embassy of Ireland, London, continue to monitor the media in Britain for any abuse of the official terms as set out in the Constitution of Ireland and in legislation. These include the name of the State, the President, Taoiseach and others."
- ^ "New atlas lets Ireland slip shackles of Britain"A spokesman for the Irish Embassy in London said: “The British Isles has a dated ring to it, as if we are still part of the Empire. We are independent, we are not part of Britain, not even in geographical terms. We would discourage its useage.[sic]”
- ^ Eamon Delaney, 2001, An Accidental Diplomat: My Years in the Irish Foreign Service, New Island Books, Dublin, ISBN 1902602390
- ^ Guelke, Adrian (2001). "Northern Ireland and Island Status", in John McGarry ed.: Northern Ireland and the Divided World: The Northern Ireland Conflict and the Good Friday Agreement in Comparative Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 231.
- ^ wiktionary:England
- ^ Charlotte Augusta Sneyd (1500). A Relation or rather a True Account of the Island of England. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
- ^ a b c BBC News (1999-01-14). The English: Europe's lost tribe. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
- ^ Learn English in Edinburgh, England. ESL Language Studies. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
- ^ England expects that every man will do his duty - Horatio Nelson, message to the British Fleet 1805
- ^ "The English Prime Minister. Mr. Disraeli's Elevation To The Peerage" (PDF), New York Times, 1876-08-12. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
- ^ For example on english-irishdictionary.com.
- ^ Tír-Eóluíocht na h-Éireann ('The Geography of Ireland') by T. J. Dunne, translated by Toirdhealbhach Ó Raithbheartaigh, Government Publications Office, Dublin
Tá Éire ar cheann de na h-oileáin a dtugar na h-Oileáin Bhreataineacha ortha agus atá ar an taobh Thiar-Thuaidh de'n Eóraip. Tá siad tuairim a's ar chúig mhíle oileán ar fad ann. (Oileánradh an t-ainm a bheirtear ar áit ar bith i n-a bhfuil a lán oileán agus iad i n-aice a chéile mar seo.) Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór (Sasain, an Bhreatain Bheag, agus Alba) an dá oileán is mó de na h-Oileáin Bhreataineacha.
Ireland is one of the islands which are called the British Isles and which are on the North-Western side of Europe. It is thought that there are five thousand islands in total there. (Archipelago is the name which is borne by a place in which there are many islands next to each other like these.) Ireland and Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland) are the two largest islands of the British Isles.
- ^ See for example Google searches for Oileáin Bhriotanacha (less references to the British Virgin Isles) or Oileáin Bhreataineacha, which produces only mirrors of Wikipedia.
- ^ Patrick S. Dineen, Foclóir Gaeilge Béarla, Irish-English Dictionary, Dublin, 1927
- ^ focail.ie, "The British Isles", Foras na Gaeilge, 2006
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See also
- Alternative words for British
- Subdivisions of the United Kingdom
- British-Irish Council
- British Lions and British and Irish Lions
- British Overseas Territory
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