al dente

I feel more British, the longer we live here. I have English, Welsh and Irish blood. Being brought up as an expat in Africa made me feel much more African but now my cultural references are more UK centric. We also took Aussie passports before we came here but, despite our home being there, I'm now unsure if we'll go back to live.

Norm_uk

Born and raised in England and consider myself nothing less than English first and British second. I am pro-union so British is what I usually tell people.

I have English blood and can trace that side back to the 13th century. I also have other blood too and am racially mixed. Blood and soil nationalism isn't so important to me because I know too many people who have adopted our culture completely, fought for us and are far more patriotic than many pedigree types.

On the subject of the article, I suspected most of these people who call themselves British do so because they do not identify with any of the cultures or ethnicities that comprise the settled populations of the UK. Post Imperial subjects who have never been invited to fully integrate and buy into the myth that the Briton has always been a nation of immigrants more so than anywhere else.

My thoughts anyway hehe.

N.

weasel decentral

People want to be Irish, and who can blame them.

Describing yourself as proud to be British often had connotations of jingoist, chest beating, oi oi groups with union jack shorts and tattoos which probably made people reluctant to be associated with that image.

I thought the Olympic opening ceremony for example was a good advertisement for being proud to be British, in a much more positive light. imo of course

scrubbedexpat141

That's my main problem with some Irish folk, but that's a whole different discussion.

Good point, that connotation seems to have been taken on by the St George's Cross nowadays, if you have that or wave it about it gets all a little EDL....

scot47

Let's see. This is a forum called "BritishExpatForum". How do you expect most of the posters to reply ?

Just for the record I am a dissident and never describe myself as British. I was born in the British Empire but that went down the tubes some time ago. Has no one else noticed ?

scrubbedexpat141

scot47

When I was born, Palestine was still a British Mandate and George V! was Emperor of India. I am really the only one here that has noticed the End of Empire ?

Meow

Are you channelling Phil Lynott?

"Do you have any Irish in you?"

"Do you want some?"

talulamercedes

This is always a difficult one to answer for both me and my husband!

I have a British passport - my Mum was English and Scottish and my Dad has English, French and German in him. I was born and brought up in Portugal but kept my British nationality.

My husband is half French (north African origin) and half Irish, but grew up in the US (he has dual French and US passports).

"Where are you from?" is officially our least favourite question - especially when some bore at a party is asking it just to make small talk!

OriginalSunshine

wow - chip on your shoulder or what?! why not just answer as you have? that so called "bore" was making an effort to talk with you. Least you can do is be polite back and make an effort back. otherwise it's you coming across as the bore/tosser.

Shard

That is such a naf saying. Naf naf naf. I should know, I used to say it in my youth, and it is descriptive, but now with the internet you hear so many people use it, that it's just naf.

Even if you do feel that way, make up a one-liner than incorporates some of your rugby clubs and/or passports or even desired domicile and explain it that way. Far more interesting.

scrubbedexpat141

So that makes me a British-Scottish-English-Southampton-South-West-Londoner based in the Middle East.

If I were to still believe my late Grandfather then I'd claim to be part Viking too. Pretty impressive to hear that when you're 7 or 8.

Shard

Well if you're of English and Scottish stock, there's a good chance you are part Viking!

scrubbedexpat141

Well, try telling that to your school buddies at a young age and convincing them that it's possible.

talulamercedes

Haha fair enough - I should have expressed it better, as the image I was thinking of is the many people who, when I give the answer as I have done here, roll their eyes at me and made some snide comment...

Still, always a good day when you get called a tosser