Questions for those on the left side of the pond dealing with Country names ?

[PTsideshow]

Must be the morning for me to be pummeled by an anti colonialists. And that brings up this series of questions?

When a publisher states on the fly leaf "available from XYZ book publishers/dealers in the U K or United Kingdom" What exactly are they referring to?

The total of all the islands and counties that make up the United Kingdom?

England, refers to just the country?

Britain, refers to island or the whole country?

Great Britain refers to all parts ?

The British Empire refers to the group of Countries, as Canada, Australia, the Caribbean ones and the rest of the remaining ones that have some association with the home country?

The British Isle is referring to the island England and Scotland and Wales share?

The British Isles is referring to all of the above, plus Ireland?

Other than the derivatives of " The Empire" and the other ones ?

I tried explaining that I wasn't arbitrarily making up the titles or tying to exclude any parts of the country. But as with some things, and people they are set in their ideas or ways and not willing to listen!

[ieezitin]

PT.

You have opened a can of worms on this one my old cock sparrow!. As a ex-pat living here in the states for 20 years I would like a dollar for every time I have explained this subject to people not from England / Britain / United Kingdom / British Isles / Blighty / Land of Hope & Glory / the rock / the mother land / green pasture heaven / Etc.

Ill sit right back here and await responses.

Other than that, your questions are valid.



Smiling                            Anthony.

[Bluechip]

One Version   

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1038758.stm



Dave BC

[PTsideshow]

Ok that is basically what I thought, about the area it covers when the terms United Kingdom is used.  Ok so since the only time he seems to post is about my books reviews and some that are only available in the US or Canada. And mostly complains about my use of the UK or EU moniker. I will chalk it up to somebody that could be come a separatist terrorist type! At the drop of a pamphlet. 
And not let it put a damper on things. And I also will immediately start a campaign, by email that all book publishers spell out each country or area that they have service in. 
Thanks for the link

[Bluechip]

PT - S ..

While we are on the subject of Geo-Political confusion, is it not true that Texas is not technically a State, but a Commonwealth or similar?

Or maybe some other part of USA ??

Dave BC

[andyf]

As I understand it:
Full title: "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", which implies that Northern Ireland is part of the UK, but not of Great Britain.
There are other anomalies, though. The Isle of Man, which lies between the mainland and Northern Ireland, and the Channel Isles, lying just off the northern coast of France, are not part of the UK but self governing "British Crown Dependencies" though for nationality and foreign policy purposes they are treated as part of the UK.

So, strictly speaking, Great Britain comprises the three countries of England, Scotland (which has always had its own legal system, and now has its own Parliament giving it autonomy over much of its own affairs) and Wales (uses the English legal system, but now with its own Welsh Assembly giving a markedly lesser degree of autonomy than Scotland).
The UK comprises Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) plus Northern Ireland, which has its own Assembly known as "Stormont" with powers similar to the Scottish Parliament, but which has in the past run into difficulties * because of Irish Nationalist v Loyalist and closely allied Roman Catholic v Protestant differences. NI has in the past, and may in the future, be subject to direct rule from the mainland. I hope that makes it all crystal clear; there will be a short test tomorrow  

Andy

* I am being as objective as I can in these remarks about NI; I don't want to stir up any controversy on the subject, and hope there won't be any on this board.

[PTsideshow]

PT - S ..

While we are on the subject of Geo-Political confusion, is it not true that Texas is not technically a State, but a Commonwealth or similar?

Or maybe some other part of USA ??

Dave BC

I don't know about Texas, at one time it was a Republic. Republic of Texas There are a number of states that are Commonwealth's Massachusetts, Virgina, Maryland,and Pennsylvania are the ones that come to mind or I can remember.
They then became states. They don't teach much of any US history in schools here for the last 25 years or so and it seems like less and less each year.

Having did the last 13 years in an elementary school it always amazed me that the science teachers knew only the science in the text books they were currently using. Or the Social Studies/History/Government. Didn't know any current events let alone recent or past history.
Of the US let alone England or Canada.

 

[mklotz]

According to my understanding, and Wikipedia's...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_%28U.S._state%29

Maryland is not a commonwealth and Kentucky is.

Both Texas and California (and perhaps others?) were republics before they became states of the union.  In fact, California's *state* flag still bears the words "California Republic".

http://www.50states.com/flag/caflag.htm

[PTsideshow]

Yep wouldn't surprise me to find out we don't have a legal government. It seems that there is such a checkered past with the Republic's,Territories, District and Commonwealth's.
 

[John Hill]

The British Empire refers to the group of Countries, as Canada, Australia, the Caribbean ones and the rest of the remaining ones that have some association with the home country?

I am sorry but I can not let that go uncorrected!

The British Empire has ceased to exist and the few remaining posessions are termed "British Overseas Territories", most of the  countries of the former British Empire which left under friendly terms joined the British Commonwealth and later when countries that had never been in the British Empire wanted to join it became the Commonwealth Of Nations.

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India for example are members of the Commonwealth and many such countries out-source their position of soverign by selecting Betty Windsor (aka Queen Elizabeth II) as their queen.  This does not make such countries sub-serviant to England but it does give the image of a living person to put on our currency and also someone to pin on medals and open hospitals etc.  Not to forget of course the other members of the Royal Family who provide a never ending real-life soap opera for our entertainment.

The US, which includes former Brithish colonies could conceivably petition to join the Commonwealth, but you would have to ask very nicely.

[mklotz]

out-source their position of soverign by selecting Betty Windsor (aka Queen Elizabeth II) as their queen.  This does not make such countries sub-serviant to England

I was under the impression that the Queen has the power to dissolve Parliament in Oz (and possibly Canada?).  Certainly that would imply a modicum of subservience, no?

The US, which includes former Brithish colonies could conceivably petition to join the Commonwealth, but you would have to ask very nicely.

Don't hold your breath.

[andyf]

Marv: I was under the impression that the Queen has the power to dissolve Parliament in Oz (and possibly Canada?).  Certainly that would imply a modicum of subservience, no?

Not sure about Canada, but it can happen in Oz, and did 35 years ago. But that's only because the Aussies haven't as yet seen fit to deprive her of that prerogative by altering their constitution, which under both their own and UK law, they can opt to do at any time. The "power", if you can call it that, certainly doesn't apply to many Commonwealth nations, like Mozambique, which was a Portuguese colony until 1975.

John Hill: The US, which includes former British colonies could conceivably petition to join the Commonwealth, but you would have to ask very nicely.


Marv: Don't hold your breath.

Is this a case of (understandably) "Once bitten, twice shy" or, to quote the immortal Groucho "I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member"  ?




Andy 

[John Hill]

out-source their position of soverign by selecting Betty Windsor (aka Queen Elizabeth II) as their queen.  This does not make such countries sub-serviant to England

I was under the impression that the Queen has the power to dissolve Parliament in Oz (and possibly Canada?).  Certainly that would imply a modicum of subservience, no?

She would do that as Queen of Australia, not Queen of England.

BTW, the head of state in some Commonwealth countries is the Governor General and was traditionally a Britisher but countries such as NZ who keep Betty on as Queen now appoint their own GGs.

[PTsideshow]

BTW, the head of state in some Commonwealth countries is the Governor General and was traditionally a Britisher but countries such as NZ who keep Betty on as Queen now appoint their own GGs.

Currently in Canada they just said that the GG is From Haiti 

[tinkerer]

I wouldn't worry about it, soon it will be the New Roman Empire, as prophesied.  Won't be confusing at all then.

[flint]

As a Canadian, I'll jump in and state that the GG is "originally" from Haiti she is, to the best of my knowledge, now a Canadian Cit.  She was appointed as the Queen's representative in Canada, but this is the type of thing that the Prime Minister of Canada says, "We'd like Ms. Jean for our GG" and the Queen's rubber stamp comes out. As in other countries the Queen is the Queen of Canada, the fact that she also is the Queen of England saves us the trouble of finding our own unique Queen.
As far as dissolving parliment, the PM goes to the GG and "requests" that s/he dissolve parliment, or in some cases progue parliment(a temporary method of shutting down parliment usually used to avoid passing legislation that the government is not too happy about, or to shut down committes to avoid embarassing questions).
The response is not really in doubt.