British Isles (terminology)

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The various terms used to describe the different (and sometimes overlapping) geographical and political regions of the islands traditionally referred to collectively as the British Isles are often a source of confusion for people from other parts of the world, and even for the inhabitants of those islands themselves. The purpose of this article is to explain the meanings of and inter-relationships between those terms.

The terms with technical meanings are:

The word Britain is not a formal term, but is widely used in these senses:

  • Britain (as a geographical term) = Great Britain
  • Britain (as a political term) = the entire United Kingdom, though this is inaccurate
  • Great Britain is sometimes also used, inaccurately, for the entire United Kingdom.

Unfortunately, these various terms can not only be confusing in themselves (partly due to the similarity between some of the actual words used), but also because they are often used loosely or inaccurately. Furthermore, to some extent the choice of terminology, especially in relation to Ireland, is determined by political stance.


Contents

Terminology in detail

  • Great Britain (abbreviation: GB) = the largest of the British Isles and the political union of three nations, these being:
(NB: The use of England to refer to the whole of the United Kingdom or Great Britain is incorrect and may cause offence.)
On the history of the name, see Britain.
  • The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, usually shortened to the United Kingdom (abbreviation UK) = Great Britain + Northern Ireland since 1927. (The Partition of Ireland took place in 1922, but the consequent change in the official title of the UK was only made by Act of Parliament five years later.)
(NB: While "United Kingdom" is normally abbreviated UK, the official ISO 3166 two-letter country code is GB. The UK's internet top-level domain is .uk, a break from the normal practice of following ISO 3166.)
See also United Kingdom (disambiguation) for other united kingdoms and UK (disambiguation) for other meanings of the abbreviation.
  • Ireland or Éire refers to the island of Ireland, or to any of the following:
Historically:
Present:

See also List of United Kingdom-related topics.

Geographical distinctions

The British Isles

The British Isles is a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Continental Europe. It includes Ireland and Great Britain, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands Guernsey and Jersey. Also included are the thousands of small islands off the coast of both the larger islands such as the Shetlands and the Orkneys.

This is the oldest of any of the terms discussed here, being recorded in a Greek text of 325 BC in the form Pretanikai nesoi (Pretanic isles). As this term predates any known political conflict on the islands, many people feel they can use it neutrally. To others, however, especially in Ireland, it is seen as a misnomer because it implicitly favours (and could appear to be derived from) just one of the islands, namely Britain.

Since the traditional term British Isles is seen by some as having a political connotation and can give offence to people in Ireland, alternative forms are sometimes used. This was evidenced during the Irish Presidency of the European Union in 2004, when the United Kingdom's Foreign Office was reported to have advised its own diplomats to avoid using the term British Isles in public or in working sessions in order not to offend their Irish counterparts. One alternative often used is Great Britain and Ireland, but this has its own difficulties. See also below.

Since 1978, the term British Islands (as opposed to British Isles) has been used by the UK's governments and assemblies to define the United Kingdom, together with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. In Ireland the term "these islands" is used whenever it is useful to refer in aggregate to the islands in question. Another term proposed in the late 20th century, which has received mixed acceptance, is Islands of the North Atlantic.

Great Britain

Great Britain refers to the largest of the British Isles. The word "Great" simply means "larger" (so no connection with "greatness" is intended) in contrast to Brittany, a historical term for a peninsula in France that largely corresponds with the present day French province of Bretagne. This region was settled by Britons (from Cornwall) around 500, fleeing from the Anglo-Saxons, and named "Little Britain" by them. The French term "Bretagne" now refers to this French "Little Britain", not to the British "Great Britain".

Ireland

The second largest island in the British Isles is Ireland. Being part of the British Isles does not imply that Ireland is British, although the majority of the population of Northern Ireland consider themselves British by virtue of being part of the United Kingdom. Geographically Ireland is divided into four provinces — Leinster, Connacht, Munster and Ulster. Ireland is also poetically known as "the Emerald Isle".

Channel Islands

Although the Channel Islands are considered to be part of the British Isles politically, geographically they are clearly an outcrop of the nearby French geology, and are indeed the last remaining parts of the former Duchy of Normandy still under the crown of the United Kingdom.

Political distinctions

The United Kingdom

"United Kingdom" is short for The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which makes it self-explanatory. Great Britain is also widely, but incorrectly, used as a synonym for the UK. Great Britain is often shortened to Britain when used as a political term, but less often when used geographically. Confusingly, Britain may also be used when referring to the UK, for example in newspaper articles.

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state. Its four component parts, whilst having equal rights to elect Members of Parliament on (nominally) the same terms (see West Lothian Question) are sometimes considered to be of different status. This view may be supported by the existence of devolved governments with different levels of power in Scotland and Wales. Due to historical precedence, England, Scotland, and Wales are considered to be countries and nations in their own right (although none of these is sovereign today) (see also Constituent Countries). Wales is also a principality of the United Kingdom (the Prince of Wales is usually the heir to the British throne). Northern Ireland is considered the "junior" partner of the United Kingdom, but ironically, until 1972, enjoyed a far greater degree of self-government than the other constituent parts.

These four are also known to some as Home Nations; sporting contests between them are known as "Home internationals" (for example in football, see the British Home Championship). However, in Rugby Union, the four Home Nations are England, Ireland (the whole island, i.e. the Republic of Ireland plus Northern Ireland), Scotland, and Wales. Culturally, many consider the Cornish to be distinct from the English, but, politically, Cornwall is considered by the UK government to have the same status as any other county in England. However some have raised questions concerning the constitutional status of Cornwall.

Thus, Britain is both a geographical and a political entity. Geographically, it is one island, but politically it also contains the islands that belong to its constituent nations — England, Wales and Scotland (most notably Scotland's Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands). However, the abbreviation GB is sometimes officially used for the UK (for example in the Olympics — where athletes from Northern Ireland may choose whether to represent the UK or the Republic of Ireland — and as the vehicle registration plate), however the internet code ".gb", although allocated to the UK, is unused (the UK uses ".uk"). UK teams in the Olympics have competed under several different names — most recently in Athens the athletes were presented at the Opening Ceremony under a banner which said simply Great Britain, rather than the full Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Since the Good Friday Agreement, and the subsequent implementation legislation, sporting organisation (and several other organisations, e.g. tourism, and Irish Gaelic and Ulster Scots language boards) on the island of Ireland has increasingly been "cross-border".

Citizens of the UK are called British, Britons, or Brits (colloquial); whether these terms include residents of Northern Ireland depends on the speaker's political stance (Unionist or Republican). Brits may sometimes used pejoratively, for example by supporters of Scottish independence. Some rather dated slang names for Britons are Tommy (for British soldiers), Pom, Anglo and Limey. Anglo properly refers only to England; but it is sometimes, incorrectly, used as a broader reference as an element in compound adjectives: "Anglo-French relations" may be used in newspaper articles when referring to relations between the political entities France and the United Kingdom, however the correct term is "British-French relations". Anglo-Saxon may be used when referring to the whole English-speaking world, the (correctly named, as it refers to the English language, not a "British language") Anglosphere, although culturally or ethnically very few of the world's one billion English-speakers are of Anglo-Saxon origin (e.g. the Scots, Irish, Welsh and Cornish are largely of Celtic origin).

Ireland

Ireland is the name since 1937 of the independent state which covers the island of Ireland apart from Northern Ireland. Since 1949, the "description" "Republic of Ireland" has been widely used, but the official name is Ireland, or, in the Irish language, Éire. Naming in Ireland is often a political issue. The Republic of Ireland is often referred to by Irish republicans (and non-political people) as "the Twenty-six Counties". Until 1937, it was officially known as the Irish Free State. Many people in the Republic of Ireland object to these two terms, as they are seen to imply that the Republic of Ireland is not a fully independent country. Similarly, republicans (and non-political people) also refer to Northern Ireland as "the Six Counties" (in reference to the province's six counties of the 32 of the whole island) a name that avoids the disputed link with Great Britain. Some even call it "the occupied six counties". (Additionally, some criticise the name "Republic of Ireland", believing that it is not appropriate for a country that does not encompass all of Ireland.) Some moderate nationalists use "the North of Ireland" or "the North" instead of Northern Ireland, including the Irish national broadcaster RTE.

Many unionists refer to Northern Ireland as Ulster, even though the province of Ulster also includes three counties of the Republic of Ireland. This name and "the Province" are preferred by Unionists because they suggest an origin older than 1922. The idea that it existed as an entity a long time ago, in the minds of some, lends it additional legitimacy. Some local place names are also in dispute: see Derry/Londonderry name dispute.

Historical aspects

The Greeks called the British Isles Pretaniké and the Romans initially called Great Britain Britannias or Alba, and they called Ireland and other smaller islands Britanniae. After the successful invasion of AD 41 they called their province on the island of Great Britain Britannia (this province eventually covered roughly the same area as present-day England and Wales). The Romans then named Scotland Caledonia and Ireland Hibernia to differentiate them from the land that had been conquered — they never conquered either.

In 1536 and 1543 England (which had conquered Wales during the 13th century) formally united with Wales through two Acts of Union to form the still existing legal entity England and Wales.

In 1603 the Scottish King James VI inherited the English throne as James I of England (he styled himself as James I of Great Britain, even though there was not a state called the Kingdom of Great Britain until 1707), although both countries retained their independent parliaments and sovereignty. Scottish histories often refer to this monarch as James VI and I (James the Sixth and First), while conversely English historians may refer to the same monarch as James I and VI (James the First and Sixth). Many Scots (and not just nationalists) were upset in 1953, when at the coronation of the present monarch, Elizabeth Windsor, she gained the title Elizabeth II, when in fact neither the former Kingdom of Great Britain (1707-1801), nor the current United Kingdom (1801–present day), have ever had an Elizabeth I. The former Kingdom of England (927–1707), however, had a monarch titled Elizabeth I.

In 1707 the Kingdom of England (including Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland concluded negotiations of the Treaty of Union. When the treaty was implemented via the passage of the twin Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland, the two countries nominally ceased to exist and were united into the (United) Kingdom of Great Britain.

In 1801 the Kingdom of Ireland (the throne of which was already held by the British monarch) was added to the Union via the Act of Union, 1800, passed by the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of Ireland, changing the name to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

In 1922 most of the island of Ireland split off again to form first the Irish Free State (a constitutional monarchy) and, then, in 1949, the Republic of Ireland. To reflect this fissure, the United Kingdom's name was changed to the (still current) United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927.

British overseas territories such as Bermuda, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, the Falkland Islands, and the British Antarctic Territory have (or have had) various relationships with the UK. The Commonwealth of Nations (formerly the British Commonwealth) is a loose confederation of nations roughly corresponding to the former British Empire, mostly for economic co-operation, formalised in 1931. (The Commonwealth of England and the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland have nothing to do with this and were temporary republics (or, sometimes known as "countries without a King"), replacing the previous kingdoms during the Interregnum (1649–1660).)

Furthermore

Celtic names

The Celtic languages in the region — Cornish, Irish, Scots Gaelic and Welsh each have names for the various subdivisions of the British Isles.

Some of the above are:

England
Cornish: Pow Sows
Irish: Sasana ('Saxon')
Scottish Gaelic: Sasainn
Welsh: Lloegr ('The Lost Country')
Scotland
Cornish: Alban
Irish: Alba/Albain
Scottish Gaelic: Alba
Welsh: Yr Alban
Wales
Cornish: Kembra
Irish: An Bhreatain Bheag ('Little Britain')
Scottish Gaelic: a' Chuimrigh
Welsh: Cymru ('The People')
Cornwall
Cornish: Kernow
Irish: Corn na Breataine
Scottish Gaelic: a' Chòrn
Welsh: Cernyw
Ireland
Cornish: Ynys Iwerdhon
Irish: Éire
Scottish Gaelic: Èirinn
Welsh: Iwreddon
Republic of Ireland
Cornish: Repoblek Iwerdhon
Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann
Scottish Gaelic: Poblachd na h-Èirinn
Welsh: Gweriniaeth Iwerddon
Northern Ireland 
In Irish there are several terms: An Tuaisceart, meaning "the North", is usually used, but a more recent term for official use is Tuaisceart Éireann. Ulaidh, the Irish word for Ulster, is also sometimes used, though the geographical region of Ulster also includes 3 counties which are not included in the political region of Northern Ireland. As well as this, the term Ulster is generally used only by Unionists, who would tend to refrain from using the Irish word.

The English word Welsh is from a Germanic root meaning "foreigner" (almost the same word was used in Mediaeval German to refer to the French and Italians). The English names Albion and Albany are related to Alba and used poetically for either England or Scotland, or the whole island of Great Britain. English Erin is a poetic name for Ireland derived from Éire.

Rockall

The island of Rockall is a disputed territory in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a small, uninhabited island lying some 301.4 km (187.3 miles) west of St Kilda (Outer Hebrides) and 424 km (229.1 miles) north-west of Ireland. It is claimed by the United Kingdom, whilst its surrounding contiental shelf (but not the island itself) is claimed by the Republic of Ireland, Iceland and Denmark (through the Faroe Islands). Its remote position, however, means that it is open to question whether or not, geographically, it belongs to the British Isles.

Europe

Finally, it should be noted that while the term "Europe" includes the British Isles, it may be used to refer only to Mainland Europe, sometimes called "continental Europe" or simply "the continent" by some people in the British Isles.

See also

External links

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