Does the term "British Isles" exist officially?

[Mick Mac]

In the "Scotland" thread there was reference made to the British Isles. Some people still use the term although of course Republic of Ireland is clearly not "British". Is it correct to still use the term when referring to Great Britain and Ireland? I think the term implies British ownership or British rule, some think its purely a geographical name, but I suspect Republic of Ireland people are not comfortable with it.

[i'd put this in the Drawing Room but I suspect the Lounge debate will be more fun]

[Tony.London Suburbs]

I dunno Micksy but wot I DO know is that at The Notting Hill Carnival that I attended yesterday I didn't think it was the greatest idea to sing "Rule Brittannia" which continually came into my head ( along with The Steptoe theme tune) for some bizarre reason.

So I stuck to listening to the Soca and superb it was too at 135 Decibels....>:D<

[Brendan]

Technically the British Isles is a geographical not a political term same as Great Britain. Colloquially however it has other implications.

[bignumber5]

On the one hand, valid question - Ireland is not Britain - on the other hand, issue-y question - there are several variations on the names of a lot of land masses, including one in which the entire of Australia, New Zealand and the surrounding South Pacific Islands as a single continent is referred to as either Oceania, Australasia or just Australia.

In terms of political mapping, Great Britain is England, Wales and Scotland, The UK is adding N.Ireland, and Ireland/Eire is a separate place. Apparently the preferred term in politics for the whole Geographical she-bang is Britain and Ireland, which, based on the political definitions, technically omits Northern Ireland... argh! Is there a right answer?

I think that certain terms have been thrown around for so long that it can be difficult to make changes (as an Englishman and, therefore, the subject of none that have recent, painful memories, this is a very easy standpoint to champion), or next we'll be changing the name of London because it harks back to Londinium and we are no longer under the yoke of Roman rule etc where does the madness end etc etc... That said, The British Lions officially changed to British and Irish Lions in 2001, despite a long line of Irish players over it's previous history of not having Irish in the title. I think the exercising of a little lattitude and "it's ok, we know what you mean, we know you don't think you rule us" has greased the wheels, but we were imperialist basterds for a very long time, it's on maps and old documents all over the place, and getting round to apologising for it all and putting all of it right is taking a while.

[macroban]

European Community Offshore Islands covers it.

[Mick Mac]

In terms of political mapping, Great Britain is England, Wales and Scotland, The UK is adding N.Ireland, and Ireland/Eire is a separate place. Apparently the preferred term in politics for the whole she-bang is Britain and Ireland, which technically omits Northern Ireland...

Ireland is also a goegraphical land mass, so the term "Great Britain and Ireland" does not omit Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is a country/state within Ireland, don't think anyone could argue with that.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

macroban Wrote:

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> European Community Offshore Islands covers it.

Does that include The Isle Of Wight?

[Brendan]

The East Americas and Ireland.

[Brendan]

Or the East American Archipelago.

[????]

I thought you said this was going to be fun Mick?

[Mick Mac]

Just waiting for Declan to enter the debate Quids.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

I've brought me illuminated whistle and party hat from last nites carnival.

When's the fun start?

I'm in the mood to keep partying:)-D

[EDKiwi]

Brendan Wrote:

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> Or the East American Archipelago.

lol.

Just to show my ignorance, I always thought the British Isles referred to the land mass that is England, Wales and Scotland and all the other islands around it such as Isle of Man, Jersey, etc :-$

I now stand corrected :)

As for Australasia, personally (and I think most kiwis) I've never had a problem with the name (even though New Zealand isn't part of the name, probably because AustraZealand just sounds dumb), however if you refer to NZ as Australia that's another matter...

[Brendan]

I?ve never been able to figure out exactly which part of Australia New Zealand is in.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

?250,000 question on Milionaire.

Which Country owns Zealand?

I bally knew..you wait 'til I get on that show, I'll show St, Christopher Of Tarrant....

[bigbadwolf]

I, as part of the landed gentry, only ever refer to the shires outside the capital as the provinces where provincials live. The so called break away nations such as Scotland should be treated with a heavy hand like what the Russians did to Chechnya.

So, from here on out we shall refer to the collection of islands as Britannia, and just to keep the mick Irish happy it will sometimes be refered to as Bogtannia.

England

England is a beautiful and majestic land that invented the ironing board and was once the seat of an empire where the sun never set. It's home to the most prestigeous universities where our glorious literature flourishes and sets the trend. Our mathmaticians and engineers have taken the world by the hand and shown them how it's done. The world speaks English, the world is England.

Scotland

A bunch of foul mouthed, uncouth barbarians who are constantly whinging to Brussels about their claim to our oil. The question the Scots should ask themselves is where would they be if it wasn't for the gratuitous colonisation of the English. Their tribal government would still be run by village elders and they'd still be sacrificing their young to their pagan gods.

Wales

Insignificantly under populated retirement home where you can still get away with buggering farm yard animals.

Ireland (Republic and North)

A priest infested backwater full of wandering half wits who are more than happy to live up to their under achieving stereotype by singing for beer.

[Narnia]

Half-wits you say.......begorrah we're not the only one's:

A man owned a small farm in outback Australia.

The Tax Office claimed he was not paying proper wages to his staff and sent a representative out to interview him.

?I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,? demanded the rep.

?Well,? replied the farmer, "there?s my farm hand who?s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $500 a week plus free room and board. He also gets triple time for working on a Sunday and a slab of beer for a Happy Hour every Friday"

?The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $400 per week plus free room and board. She doesn?t work on Sundays and I provide paid satellite television for free in her room.

?Then there?s the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $40 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of whiskey every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally.?

?That?s the guy I want to talk to...the half-wit,? says the agent.

?That would be me,? replied the farmer.

[bigbadwolf]

That's colonials for you Declan.

Bloody convicts.

[Narnia]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Just waiting for Declan to enter the debate Quids.

Not sure what you're implying there Mick. I did after all start the 'Is there a God' thread in the Drawing Room so this is quite easy really. Of course there isn't a 'British Isles'. You may as well call them the Irish Isles. Once the lads here have returned what they borrowed i.e the 6 counties, shure we can come to some agreement as to what to call the little place. What about the Western European Islands for starters? Who decides what's 'official' anyway? I never agreed to it.

[bigbadwolf]

"Of course there isn't a 'British Isles'. You may as well call them the Irish Isles."

Is that some sort of sick joke Declan? You might as well call it The Isle Of Bog.

[Mick Mac]

Declan Wrote:

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> Mick Mac Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Just waiting for Declan to enter the debate

> Quids.

>

> Not sure what you're implying there Mick. I did

> after all start the 'Is there a God' thread in the

> Drawing Room so this is quite easy really. Of

> course there isn't a 'British Isles'. You may as

> well call them the Irish Isles. Once the lads here

> have returned what they borrowed i.e the 6

> counties, shure we can come to some agreement as

> to what to call the little place. What about the

> Western European Islands for starters? Who decides

> what's 'official' anyway? I never agreed to it.

What Declan said - I knew he would spice things up and stick up to that nasty wolf.

[EDKiwi]

Brendan Wrote:

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> I?ve never been able to figure out exactly which

> part of Australia New Zealand is in.

ppffftt....you're confused, Australia is the West Island (to complement the North and South Islands) of New Zealand where we put all undesirables the idiots at customs let into the country, namely people who can't pronounce the word 'six', refer to a can of beer as a tinnie and sing songs about tying down their kangaroos. Oh and any stray South Africans that wander in.

[macroban]

Th' Dudes had a pretty good song about the inhabitants of the West Island.

The East Island is the whole of the Americas.

[bigbadwolf]

This is exactly the sort of carry on you'd expect to find in Scotland.

An Irish pastime that the whole family can enjoy.

The Welsh behaving themselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=271TpdpI8DE&feature=related

[Mick Mac]