Where do you say you are from!
Sep 26th 2008, 9:19 am
#46
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: CHELTENHAM, Gloucestershire, England
Posts: 1,494
Re: Where do you say you are from!
WRONG! It IS Great Britain and it will always remain Great Britain (Grande Bretagne) as long as it physically exists as an island separate from, and as distinct from the smaller entity of Brittany (Bretagne) just across the narrow English Channel (La Manche).
The "Great" in Great Britain has absolutely, positively nothing whatsoever to do with military, industrail or economic power or political status whatsoever. It has existed down the ages simply as a reference to what the Romans called Britannia and its size in relation to the much smaller region of what is now Brittany, France (which the French call Bretagne).
Great Briain (Grande Bretagne) as opposed to the much smaller Bretagne (Brittany).
You are, of course, perfectly at liberty to have your own opinion on the "Great" in terms of the United Kingdom's current political, military, social and, even more relevant in view of the present global situation, economic status. That is your right. As far as the latter issue is concerned, Great Britain - sorry, I mean Britain - can hardly be described as being in more of a mess of utter $hite and disarray than is the so called self styled "greatest powerbase the world has ever seen in the history of mankind "- the United States of America ...... can it? After all, that is where all the present global financial troubles all started in the first place is it not, clearly demonstrating the chronic weaknesses in the extremes of a wholesale capitalistic system gone mad - all due to the excesses of greed, to put it in basic terms.
As I type this I can hear a BBC reporter on BBC Radio 4 say that the days of the American Empire are now definitely numbered and that the ascendant Chinese Empire is merely waiting in the wings as it grows, just waiting to step in and ultimately take over. Who with any sense can argue with that?
The "Great" in Great Britain has absolutely, positively nothing whatsoever to do with military, industrail or economic power or political status whatsoever. It has existed down the ages simply as a reference to what the Romans called Britannia and its size in relation to the much smaller region of what is now Brittany, France (which the French call Bretagne).
Great Briain (Grande Bretagne) as opposed to the much smaller Bretagne (Brittany).
You are, of course, perfectly at liberty to have your own opinion on the "Great" in terms of the United Kingdom's current political, military, social and, even more relevant in view of the present global situation, economic status. That is your right. As far as the latter issue is concerned, Great Britain - sorry, I mean Britain - can hardly be described as being in more of a mess of utter $hite and disarray than is the so called self styled "greatest powerbase the world has ever seen in the history of mankind "- the United States of America ...... can it? After all, that is where all the present global financial troubles all started in the first place is it not, clearly demonstrating the chronic weaknesses in the extremes of a wholesale capitalistic system gone mad - all due to the excesses of greed, to put it in basic terms.
As I type this I can hear a BBC reporter on BBC Radio 4 say that the days of the American Empire are now definitely numbered and that the ascendant Chinese Empire is merely waiting in the wings as it grows, just waiting to step in and ultimately take over. Who with any sense can argue with that?
Last edited by Lothianlad; Sep 26th 2008 at 9:25 am.
Sep 26th 2008, 10:24 am
#47
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: CHELTENHAM, Gloucestershire, England
Posts: 1,494
Re: Where do you say you are from!
This is the gospel truth - an American woman tourist was looking out over the city of Edinburgh from the ramparts of the Castle along with a grouo of other Americans and she then asked the guide where the Eiffel Tower was as she couldn't see it.
Sep 26th 2008, 10:28 am
#48
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 9,977
Re: Where do you say you are from!
I say Milwaukie, because that's where I came from to get to wherever I'm being asked.
The next question is "Where is your accent from?" I usually say that came from England
The next question is "Where is your accent from?" I usually say that came from England
Sep 26th 2008, 11:29 am
#49
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,043
Re: Where do you say you are from!
My wife's from Maine, and Brits are just as bad. At best, people know where Boston is, and she says "well, about a 5 hour drive North of that". At worst, people only know where NY is, so she has to explain she's about a 10 hour drive North of that, which in the mind of an English person is basically saying it's the same as the drive from Lands End to John O'Groats!
I never know quite what to answer when people ask me where I'm from. If I say the UK they say 'Oh I can tell that, but where in the UK?' If I say Manchester they say 'But which country?' So I usually tell them I'm from about a mile up the road...
Sep 26th 2008, 11:53 am
#50
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,019
Re: Where do you say you are from!
WRONG! It IS Great Britain and it will always remain Great Britain (Grande Bretagne) as long as it physically exists as an island separate from, and as distinct from the smaller entity of Brittany (Bretagne) just across the narrow English Channel (La Manche).
The "Great" in Great Britain has absolutely, positively nothing whatsoever to do with military, industrail or economic power or political status whatsoever. It has existed down the ages simply as a reference to what the Romans called Britannia and its size in relation to the much smaller region of what is now Brittany, France (which the French call Bretagne).
Great Briain (Grande Bretagne) as opposed to the much smaller Bretagne (Brittany).
You are, of course, perfectly at liberty to have your own opinion on the "Great" in terms of the United Kingdom's current political, military, social and, even more relevant in view of the present global situation, economic status. That is your right. As far as the latter issue is concerned, Great Britain - sorry, I mean Britain - can hardly be described as being in more of a mess of utter $hite and disarray than is the so called self styled "greatest powerbase the world has ever seen in the history of mankind "- the United States of America ...... can it? After all, that is where all the present global financial troubles all started in the first place is it not, clearly demonstrating the chronic weaknesses in the extremes of a wholesale capitalistic system gone mad - all due to the excesses of greed, to put it in basic terms.
As I type this I can hear a BBC reporter on BBC Radio 4 say that the days of the American Empire are now definitely numbered and that the ascendant Chinese Empire is merely waiting in the wings as it grows, just waiting to step in and ultimately take over. Who with any sense can argue with that?
The "Great" in Great Britain has absolutely, positively nothing whatsoever to do with military, industrail or economic power or political status whatsoever. It has existed down the ages simply as a reference to what the Romans called Britannia and its size in relation to the much smaller region of what is now Brittany, France (which the French call Bretagne).
Great Briain (Grande Bretagne) as opposed to the much smaller Bretagne (Brittany).
You are, of course, perfectly at liberty to have your own opinion on the "Great" in terms of the United Kingdom's current political, military, social and, even more relevant in view of the present global situation, economic status. That is your right. As far as the latter issue is concerned, Great Britain - sorry, I mean Britain - can hardly be described as being in more of a mess of utter $hite and disarray than is the so called self styled "greatest powerbase the world has ever seen in the history of mankind "- the United States of America ...... can it? After all, that is where all the present global financial troubles all started in the first place is it not, clearly demonstrating the chronic weaknesses in the extremes of a wholesale capitalistic system gone mad - all due to the excesses of greed, to put it in basic terms.
As I type this I can hear a BBC reporter on BBC Radio 4 say that the days of the American Empire are now definitely numbered and that the ascendant Chinese Empire is merely waiting in the wings as it grows, just waiting to step in and ultimately take over. Who with any sense can argue with that?
good post and one i wont argue with
and yes i do have a lot of sense ~ thought i'd just get that in
Sep 26th 2008, 12:01 pm
#51
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 4,913
Re: Where do you say you are from!
I trust that the guide pointed her in the direction of the Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens ...
Sep 26th 2008, 12:09 pm
#52
Dis-Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: In my house
Posts: 3,560
Re: Where do you say you are from!
WRONG! It IS Great Britain and it will always remain Great Britain (Grande Bretagne) as long as it physically exists as an island separate from, and as distinct from the smaller entity of Brittany (Bretagne) just across the narrow English Channel (La Manche).
The "Great" in Great Britain has absolutely, positively nothing whatsoever to do with military, industrail or economic power or political status whatsoever. It has existed down the ages simply as a reference to what the Romans called Britannia and its size in relation to the much smaller region of what is now Brittany, France (which the French call Bretagne).
Great Briain (Grande Bretagne) as opposed to the much smaller Bretagne (Brittany).
The "Great" in Great Britain has absolutely, positively nothing whatsoever to do with military, industrail or economic power or political status whatsoever. It has existed down the ages simply as a reference to what the Romans called Britannia and its size in relation to the much smaller region of what is now Brittany, France (which the French call Bretagne).
Great Briain (Grande Bretagne) as opposed to the much smaller Bretagne (Brittany).
...and by a bloody Scotsman at that
Sep 26th 2008, 12:27 pm
#54
Sleepless In Chicago
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Chicago.
Posts: 3,601
Re: Where do you say you are from!
I say I'm from 'Just up the road' or 'A few blocks from here'
Most people leave it at that. If any one say's "ooo you're English" I say, 'yes I am'.
Then most of the people who say that, tend to say 'how cool' and walk away...
Anyone one who wants to stand and talk gets the whole,,, Fourth largest City in the UK London is over rated get on the motorway, head up north or west to wales and somerset etc etc.
Most people leave it at that. If any one say's "ooo you're English" I say, 'yes I am'.
Then most of the people who say that, tend to say 'how cool' and walk away...
Anyone one who wants to stand and talk gets the whole,,, Fourth largest City in the UK London is over rated get on the motorway, head up north or west to wales and somerset etc etc.
Sep 26th 2008, 12:40 pm
#55
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Sep 26th 2008, 12:58 pm
#56
Are we there yet?
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: 31 miles from Cool (California)
Posts: 2,467
Re: Where do you say you are from!
I say generally say the UK or England. To which they reply, Oh I knew you had an accent, but I thought you were Australian, I can't tell the difference between English or Australian or South African Accents, they all sound alike.
Really? I respond, Yawn and get back to whatever I was doing before they annoyed me.....
Really? I respond, Yawn and get back to whatever I was doing before they annoyed me.....
Sep 26th 2008, 4:37 pm
#57
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 9,845
Re: Where do you say you are from!
I always say that I'm from Spain originally but lived in England for many years...
Sep 26th 2008, 7:46 pm
#58
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 15,917
Re: Where do you say you are from!
I say generally say the UK or England. To which they reply, Oh I knew you had an accent, but I thought you were Australian, I can't tell the difference between English or Australian or South African Accents, they all sound alike.
Really? I respond, Yawn and get back to whatever I was doing before they annoyed me.....
Really? I respond, Yawn and get back to whatever I was doing before they annoyed me.....
ie what ever boring.
Sep 26th 2008, 8:45 pm
#59
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,605
Re: Where do you say you are from!
You know, I just realised - I was more upset about the cat food than about the milk!
Sep 27th 2008, 12:41 am
#60
You aint seen me, right?
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: US of A, TN
Posts: 3,573
Re: Where do you say you are from!
I say England. On our son's forms for his registration when he was born my wife put United Kingdom, 2 weeks out of the hospital and we were waiting on the forms to apply for his birth certificate and they arrive and under father's place of birth it said United Arab Emirates. we rang them up thinking it was just a typo and they had no idea where the United Kingdom was so just chose the nearest thing so we told them England instead and that seemed to fix it. I've told the wife to say England from now on too.
