Australia is not a country???

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

It appears that one learned academic still has a lot to learn.

I heard this on the local news yesterday **LINK**

It's just as bad when I sometime hear Britain referred to as a country, usually by people from the U.S of A.

* Danny M *

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 12/02/2018 00:16:47:

It's just as bad when I sometime hear Britain referred to as a country, usually by people from the U.S of A.

OTOH I imagine that Americans feel equally as bad when they see such statements as (appearing in these forums):

"We have x inches to a foot, which is OK if you are familiar with inches and feet. But such folk are dying out, and only ever existed in the Empire"

No harm, no foul?

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 12/02/2018 00:16:47:

It appears that one learned academic still has a lot to learn.

I heard this on the local news yesterday **LINK**

It's just as bad when I sometime hear Britain referred to as a country, usually by people from the U.S of A.

* Danny M *

But Britain is a country, innit?

But what would I know, living in a continent and all.

Not surprised by the news item from the US of A. Many people there are almost universally unaware of anything outside their own borders. In the ten years I lived their, I simply gave up telling people that no, as an Australian, I was not from the same country as Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[Joseph Noci 1Participant @josephnoci1]

Well, as a Southern African, and a Namibian, I thought Britain, or rather, Great Britain, is actually an Island and contains three Countries..England, Wales and Northern Ireland – But what do I know, being from the deep South..

Joe

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

I think we'd better wait for the Poms to get out of bed and set us straight. Pretty sure Nth. Ireland is not part of Great Britain but Scotland is. But what do I know, coming from an upside down continent that apparently is not always a country.

Anyhow, the Prime Minister of Australia telephones the Queen and asks: "Can you make Australia an independent kingdom and make me the king?"

The Queen replies "No."

So Prime Minister says, "Well can you make Australia an independent principality and make me the prince?"

The Queen replies "No."

"Well," the PM says, "Can you make Australia an independent dukedom and make the the duke?"

"No," replies Her Majesty, "Australia may remain a country and you may be the. . . "

Edited By Hopper on 12/02/2018 08:48:16

Edited By Hopper on 12/02/2018 08:48:45

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

Posted by Bandersnatch on 12/02/2018 00:58:54:

Posted by Danny M2Z on 12/02/2018 00:16:47:

It's just as bad when I sometime hear Britain referred to as a country, usually by people from the U.S of A.

OTOH I imagine that Americans feel equally as bad when they see such statements as (appearing in these forums):

"We have x inches to a foot, which is OK if you are familiar with inches and feet. But such folk are dying out, and only ever existed in the Empire"

No harm, no foul?

Not to mention how Mexicans, Canadians, Argentinians, Chileans and many others feel about being lumped in with citizens of the USA. As far as "in the Empire" is concerned, it depends on the Empire in question. Portugal adopted the metric system before the founding of the Empire of Brazil, whilst the German, Austrian and Ottoman Empires all adopted the metric system in the 19th Century.

Brian

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by Joseph Noci 1 on 12/02/2018 08:33:21:

Well, as a Southern African, and a Namibian, I thought Britain, or rather, Great Britain, is actually an Island and contains three Countries..England, Wales and Northern Ireland – But what do I know, being from the deep South..

Joe

G'day Joe. Anticipate a bit of inbound flak from irate Scots and people who insist that Ireland is an island just a bit west of the mainland

* Danny M *

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

As a Scot I should point out that Britain is made up of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. I get fed up when people use the name England to mean all of Britain. That's the morning moan over and the sun is shining so must go out for my morning walk, even if the temperature is 0 degrees Celsius.

Doug

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I'd always thought that;

Great Britain comprises of England, Scotland, and Wales. i.e. the mainland.

The UK, i.e. "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", by definition and name, obviously follows on and includes NI.

The British Isles, is more of a geographic than sovereign/political description, and includes all of the above, plus Eire, The Isle of Man, The Channel islands etc.

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 12/02/2018 10:04:41

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Posted by peak4 on 12/02/2018 10:04:16:

I'd always thought that;

Great Britain comprises of England, Scotland, and Wales. i.e. the mainland.

The UK, i.e. "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", by definition and name, obviously follows on and includes NI.

The British Isles, is more of a geographic than sovereign/political description, and includes all of the above, plus Eire, The Isle of Man, The Channel islands etc.

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 12/02/2018 10:04:41

That works for me!

Note: 'England, Scotland and Wales' – in alphabetic order, diplomatically avoiding implications of alleged merit!

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

Edited By Swarf, Mostly! on 12/02/2018 10:39:48

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

You must also remember that "America" is not a country either.

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 12/02/2018 00:16:47:

It's just as bad when I sometime hear Britain referred to as a country, usually by people from the U.S of A.

* Danny M *

You can hardly blame them, the name doesn't mean anything anymore.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

And then we have the Six Nations Rugby championship, which is played by England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. The UK province of Northern Ireland/Ulster is part of Ireland/Eire for these purposes…

[Brian Sweeting 2Participant @briansweeting2]

My head hurts. ​

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Posted by Mark Rand on 12/02/2018 14:35:35:

And then we have the Six Nations Rugby championship, which is played by England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. The UK province of Northern Ireland/Ulster is part of Ireland/Eire for these purposes…

And Wales

Mike

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Flanders and Swann have it all summed up in this song **LINK**

Mike

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

As far as most internet searches are concerned, none of England, Scotland, Wales or N Ireland are included as countries. We seem to have no choice other than the UK. I am English, nothing else. I may be a citizen of the UK but my nationality is English.

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

Oh!, I thought we were an autonomous collective!

[Dod MoleParticipant @georgeclarihew]

I think them in charge and us what live in these hallowed isles of consisting Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England have not yet sorted out whether we are a United Kingdom (without a King) or 4 countries separate or together with Cornwall and Shetland claiming to be separate areas to be considered independent entities.

So what chance has an American knowing our status.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Douglas Johnston on 12/02/2018 09:34:04:

As a Scot I should point out that Britain is made up of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. I get fed up when people use the name England to mean all of Britain. That's the morning moan over and the sun is shining so must go out for my morning walk, even if the temperature is 0 degrees Celsius.

Doug

Douglas!

Ireland and Great Britain, plus numerous smaller islands are the 'British Isles'.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland comprise the United Kingdom.

Ireland is split between the republic of Ireland (Eire) and Northern Ireland (part of the UK).

Great Britain is the big island with Wales, Scotland and the other bit, but also used for the big island + all the little ones that are part of England Wales and Scotland.

England annexed Wales in the 16th century but it always kept its identity and over the twentieth century it was gradually and more consistently identified as a separate country rather than 'the principality'.

Don't forget the isle of Man and the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) which are three separate countries not in the United Kingdom but UK dependencies.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by KWIL on 12/02/2018 10:39:32:

You must also remember that "America" is not a country either.

50 states plus Costa Rica and Washington DC…

Approximately.

Neil

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Posted by Mike Poole on 12/02/2018 14:59:06:

Posted by Mark Rand on 12/02/2018 14:35:35:

And then we have the Six Nations Rugby championship, which is played by England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. The UK province of Northern Ireland/Ulster is part of Ireland/Eire for these purposes…

And Wales

Mike

Oops, Sorry! It wasn't intentional.

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

50 states plus Costa Rica and Washington DC…

Approximately.

Neil

Uh, Costa Rica is not part of the USA. Maybe you were thinking of Puerto Rico, which is an "Unincorporated US Territory".

The continent that the USA, Canada and Mexico are on is commonly called North America.

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Australia is a country and a continent with no pesky land borders.

[Author]

Posts