Just an observation from one of last night's threads. Leaving alone the subjective offensiveness or affection of national nicknames I noticed the following.

Within the UK you get nicknames for Jocks, Taffs and Paddies but you don't really get a nickname for the English. I know some of you will suggest Saseanach or Saesneg but these are just the words for English like Anglais is the French word for English. You obviously get nicknames for people from various bits of England like Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, etc. but I can't think of anything for the English as a whole.

However outside the UK there are many nicknames for the English (and/or Brits) such as Limey, Rosbif, Pom, Bife, Tommy, Ang Moh, etc.

It's a curious phenomenon.

Well in my part of Wales we call them Sais or Henry's, Charlies, Pip Pip's, Hoorah's amongst other more colourfull ones

Sais just means English so that's a bit like the French Anglaise and not like Rosbif.

Being welsh i think i know what it means lol

It actualy means englishman not english, although it is a translation it is used in a more nickname kind of way in general conversation, you did not comment on the other names?

Yeah I know. I was just highlighting the point made in the opener.

With the other names I would say that they were local rather than general. None of them would be associated with English peeps where I come from in Wales although some would be used for posh people rather than specifically English.

I'm wondering whether the lack of a generalised nickname within the UK is why quite a few react badly when they're suddenly confronted with one here.

Maybe, or they could just be over-sensitive little petals

Well there is always that. They've not been hardened on a surfeit of sheep shagging jokes.

Id disagree on the Henry's nickname, i have met people from all around the uk who refer to the english as Henry's, the others maybe local

whiners............mm

Lizzie lovers

How about a new one for Removalists... perhaps Thickunts?