Problems with use of terms Terminology of the British Isles

1 problems use of terms

1.1 british isles
1.2 england
1.3 europe
1.4 great britain
1.5 ireland
1.6 ulster

problems use of terms
british isles

the dictionary definition of british isles is geographical term refers whole of ireland , great britain surrounding islands. incorrectly used if identical uk; or refer great britain , surrounding islands, excluding island of ireland entirely. bbc , times have style guides mandate dictionary definition occasional misuse can found on web sites.

the term british isles can considered irritating or offensive on grounds modern association of term british united kingdom makes application ireland inappropriate.

the term british isles can considered imply proprietary title on entire archipelago.

the policy of government of ireland no branch of government should use term, , although on occasion used in geographical sense in irish parliamentary debates, done in way excludes republic of ireland. in october 2006, times quoted spokesman irish embassy in london saying discourage use.

during stop-over visit republic of ireland in 1989, leader of soviet union, mikhail gorbachev, indicated assumed ireland s head of state queen elizabeth ii, given british queen , officials said ireland part of british isles.

in northern ireland, nationalists reject term , instead use these islands, these isles or britain , ireland alternative.

there have been several suggestions replacements term british isles. although there no single accepted replacement, terms great britain , ireland, british isles , ireland , britain , ireland used.

england

a still 1943 propaganda film series why fight, suggests name england applies whole of great britain

the word england used synecdochically refer great britain—or united kingdom whole—which causes offence, particularly non-english parts of britain. in similar way, references england island, english passport , or scottish or welsh places being in england examples of usage of term england .

because of offence taken scots, welsh , irish @ usage, politicians , official figures have avoided usage since 20th century. however, there frequent examples of usage earlier times. long time common fans of england football team wave british union flag—with use of english st george s cross flag gaining popularity @ euro 96 tournament.

the colloquial usage of england synonym britain still widespread outside uk. in germany, term england used mean great britain or entire united kingdom. in many other languages, such chinese, japanese or korean, word english synonymous british —see article on alternative words british more detail.

europe

the term europe may used in 1 of several different contexts british , irish people: either refer whole of european continent, refer mainland europe, called continental europe or continent people in archipelago. europe may used in reference european union (or, historically, european economic community). comedic treatment of different uses of word appears in episode of bbc sitcom manor born. when tradesmen taking measurements in metric, , audrey fforbes-hamilton objects on grounds house built in feet , inches , tradesman says re in europe , referring european economic community. audrey fforbes-hamilton retorts may be, m staying here! - implying her, word europe referred mainland europe, excluding britain , ireland.

great britain

the word great means larger , in comparison brittany in modern-day france. 1 historical term peninsula in france largely corresponds modern french province lesser or little britain. region settled many british immigrants during period of anglo-saxon migration britain, , named little britain them. french term bretagne refers french little britain , not british great britain , in french called grande-bretagne. in classical times, graeco-roman geographer ptolemy in almagest called larger island megale brettania (great britain). @ time, in contrast smaller island of ireland, called mikra brettania (little britain). in later work geography, ptolemy refers great britain albion , ireland iwernia. these new names have been native names islands @ time. earlier names, in contrast, have been coined before direct contact local peoples made.

ireland

the word ireland has 2 meanings.

ulster

the traditional province of ulster on island of ireland, showing modern-day border between republic of ireland , northern ireland

the terminology , usage of name ulster in irish , british culture varies. many within unionist community , of uk press refer northern ireland ulster – whereas nationalist community refer traditional irish province of ulster, nine-county entity incorporates 3 counties of donegal, cavan , monaghan (which in republic) along counties of armagh, antrim, down, fermanagh, londonderry , tyrone in northern ireland.

thus, word ulster has 2 usages:

^ [1] website on megalithic monuments in british isles , ireland. ireland in site includes fermanagh, politically in northern ireland.
^ website uses term british isles in various ways, including ways use ireland of ireland, while simultaneously using term british isles , ireland , e.g. using genuki should remember name misleading — website covers british isles , ireland, rather united kingdom, , therefore includes information channel islands , isle of man, england, scotland, wales , ireland.
^ [2] guide narrow gauge rail in british isles , ireland includes belfast lines under section on ireland.
^ british weather (part one) bbc article referred small country such british isles between @ least april 2004 , january 2007 (checked using wayback machine @ https://web.archive.org. last accessed , checked 01/01/07. changed in february 2007 , reads small area such british isles
^ example, see google searches of bbc website.
^ marsh, david (2010-05-11). snooker , geography of british isles . london: guardian. retrieved 2011-08-23. 
^ trevor montague (2009). z of britain , ireland (a z series). little, brown book group. p. introduction. isbn 1-84744-087-8. 
^ written answers – official terms , dáil Éireann – volume 606 – 28 september 2005. in response, irish minister foreign affairs added our officials in embassy of ireland, london, continue monitor media in britain abuse of official terms set out in constitution of ireland , in legislation. these include name of state, president, taoiseach , others.
^ new atlas lets ireland slip shackles of britain spokesman irish embassy in london said: “the british isles has dated ring it, if still part of empire. independent, not part of britain, not in geographical terms. discourage useage. [sic]”
^ eamon delaney, 2001, accidental diplomat: years in irish foreign service, new island books, dublin, isbn 1-902602-39-0
^ guelke, adrian (2001). northern ireland , island status . in john mcgarry ed. northern ireland , divided world: northern ireland conflict , friday agreement in comparative perspective. oxford: oxford university press. p. 231. cs1 maint: text: editors list (link)
^ when people england, mean great britain, united kingdom, british isles — never england. — george mikes (1946), how alien, penguin  isbn 0-582-41686-8
^ in practice, many people outside of scotland, wales , northern ireland incorrectly use england mean britain... p. 208 – jean rose freedman (1998), whistling in dark: memory , culture in wartime london, university press of kentucky  isbn 0-8131-2076-4
^ charlotte augusta sneyd (1500). relation or rather true account of island of england. retrieved 2007-10-21. 
^ bbc news (1999-01-14). english: europe s lost tribe . retrieved 2007-10-21. 
^ learn english in edinburgh, england . esl language studies. archived original on 2007-01-19. retrieved 2007-10-21. 
^ england expects every man duty — horatio nelson, message british fleet 1805
^ english prime minister. mr. disraeli s elevation peerage (pdf). new york times. 1876-08-12. retrieved 2007-10-21. 
^ more formal use of great-britain , ireland , colloquial use of old england , old english spirit in description evidence of process of forging national identity... page 99 — margarette lincoln (1946), representing royal navy: british sea power, 1750–1815, ashgate publishing  isbn 0-7546-0830-1
^ claudius ptolemy (1898). Ἕκθεσις τῶν κατὰ παράλληλον ἰδιωμάτων: κβ , κε . in heiberg, j.l. claudii ptolemaei opera quae exstant omnia (pdf). vol.1 syntaxis mathematica. leipzig: in aedibus b.g.teubneri. pp. 112–113. 
^ philip freeman, ireland , classical world, university of texas press, 2001
^ glossary of terms related conflict . cain web service. ulster university. retrieved 12 january 2017.