What is someone from the UK called?

[Dravin]

Besides bloody brilliant! (Okay, to much Harry Potter may has just been evidenced)

Random question that popped into my mind:

What do you call somebody from the UK? If they are from Great Britain its British, Ireland is Irish, Scotland is Scottish, Wales is Welsh. Is there a term the covers everyone? UKer? United Kingdomite?

I seem to recall in the dim passages of my memory somebody getting offended at being called British because their location displayed on a message board (don't recall which one) said UK. So is there a correct term to refer to somebody from the UK of indiscriminate kingdom origin?

[Elgama]

Besides bloody brilliant! (Okay, to much Harry Potter may has just been evidenced)

Random question that popped into my mind:

What do you call somebody from the UK? If they are from Great Britain its British, Ireland is Irish, Scotland is Scottish, Wales is Welsh. Is there a term the covers everyone? UKer? United Kingdomite?

I seem to recall in the dim passages of my memory somebody getting offended at being called British because their location displayed on a message board (don't recall which one) said UK. So is there a correct term to refer to somebody from the UK of indiscriminate kingdom origin?

British it is^_^ its the least offensive of terms to use and less likely to cause problems than calling someone English:mellow:

-Charley

[Canuck Mormon]

That's easy:

"Practically Perfect in every way"~Mary Poppins (famous Brit.)

[Dravin]

British it is its the least offensive of terms to use and less likely to cause problems than calling someone English

So I just may be remembering somebody with a chip on their shoulder or twisted panties in their britches. Gotcha.

That's easy:

"Practically Perfect in every way"~Mary Poppins (famous Brit.)

Does that mean us Aussies, Canucks and Yanks share in some degree of that perfection? Practically Perfect in at least one way?

[WillowTheWhisp]

The UK is actually "The United Kindom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" - now some people from Northern Ireland dont mind being called British but some certainly do, and some (like my cousin's friends) object to being called Irish! So it is a bit of a minefield. For the rest of us in Scotland, England and Wales we are British but some Welsh and Scots are more keen on their Celtic lineage than being lumped togther with us English!

[Just_A_Guy]

Don't British subjects from Northern Ireland prefer the term "Ulstermen"?

[Canuck Mormon]

Does that mean us Aussies, Canucks and Yanks share in some degree of that perfection? Practically Perfect in at least one way?

YES!!!!!!

Of course, I was born there, so I'm more perfect.

[Wingnut]

How about United Kings?

[Dravin]

How about United Kings?

I dunno, might offend the Marxists, speaking personally though if people started calling me, "Your Highness." or "M'Lord." I could live with it.

[pam]

Since I live in the US...they are called foreigners.

[Moksha]

Yeah, Brits sounds okay. Probably could not get away with UooKers or Queensmen.

[Jamie123]

A person from Britain is properly called a "Briton". (Americans sometimes shortened this to "Brit".)

Other countries have different names for us: The French call us - amongst other less complimentary things - "Les Rosbifs" because of our liking for roast beef. (We have no cause to complain, as we often refer to them as "The Frogs".)

One of the most peculiar names for is "The Poms", used by people from Australia, Zimbabwe and a few other southern countries. I've heard two theories about this:

1. POM stands for "Prisoner Of Mother (England)", referring to the fact that British immigrants were largely convicted felons, transported there for penal servitude.

2. "Pom" is short for "pomegranate". The locals named us after this fruit because of our (supposedly) red faces. (I've never thought we had particularly red skin: Maybe we turned red quickly because we weren't used to their fierce sun.

BTW, "Briton" applies to everyone from mainland Britain, though (as Willow points out) not necessarily from Northern Ireland.

[Jamie123]

Since I live in the US...they are called foreigners.

The same to you with bells on!

[WillowTheWhisp]

Don't British subjects from Northern Ireland prefer the term "Ulstermen"?

Ah but there you open another minefield. Ulster geographically and historically covers more than the counties in the Province of Northern Ireland. Even the term "Northern Ireland" is a misnomer as the northern most county of Ireland (Donegal) which is part of Ulster is also part of the Irish Republic and not part of the UK. Some people from the Province would not accept the name "Ulsterman" or even "Ulsterwoman";) as it would have more meaning to them than simply denoting where they live. It implies a political alleigance which they might not embrace.

[Soul_Searcher]

Whenever I have to fill in a form and it says Nationality I ALWAYS put English, not British. I'm proud to be British, But to me thats like a Frenchman or German saying they're 'European'. The countries in our Kingdom may be 'United' geographically, but certainly not in other ways. Its almost a given that you hate England if you are Scottish or Welsh! So I am proud of my English nationality, particularly as I was born on the most English day there is, St Georges Day, our national day and Shakespeares birthday!

[Churchmouse]

Allies.

[Guest HEthePrimate]

How about "Euchre" (for UKer)?

HEP

[Dravin]

Whenever I have to fill in a form and it says Nationality I ALWAYS put English, not British. I'm proud to be British, But to me thats like a Frenchman or German saying they're 'European'. The countries in our Kingdom may be 'United' geographically, but certainly not in other ways. Its almost a given that you hate England if you are Scottish or Welsh! So I am proud of my English nationality, particularly as I was born on the most English day there is, St Georges Day, our national day and Shakespeares birthday!

You know, that brings up a good point. If I don't actually stop and think about it I tend to think of the various kingdoms as states, which obviously isn't the case but its what I'm used to being a Yank. So on some level when somebody identifies with Wales or what have you I tend to put it on par with say somebody letting everyone know they are from Texas, which isn't really the case.