British or what?

[gardener]

To quote Snoopysue off another thread

Just get a bit fed up of (nearly) all danes saying "Oh you mean England" when I say I'm from GB. I blame the telly "Storbrittanien" is apparently too much of a mouth full, so even the news gets lazy!
I may have been born in England, but I grew up in Wales, so I feel connected to both - I'm very definately British, not English.

I am just the opposite! When I am asked where I am from I always say that I am English. A childhood of holidaying in Scotland followed by three years living in Glasgow made that quite clear to me! And so far I have not found a drop of any blood other than English in my family tree. even the Wallace side turned out to Wallis from Leicestershire! My Mum's side was all from a square foot of Derbyshire and Dad's is contained in the Midlands so I'm about as English as they come (back as far as I've got at least).

I find it mildly annoying that Scotland and Wales can decide some stuff themselves but still get a vote on similar issues regarding England. Take university fees for example. I don't think MPs for Scotland should get to vote on that in Westminster.

[MarkCDodd]

I am English and British. No difference.

[gardener]

I am English and British. No difference.

There speaks a man who never lived in Glasgow

[MarkCDodd]

In Glasgow its "I'm human" or "I'm Glaswegian".

[peterd]

im English first then British if mr salmon has his way then the scottish wont be british either

[snoopysue]

I find it mildly annoying that Scotland and Wales can decide some stuff themselves but still get a vote on similar issues regarding England. Take university fees for example. I don't think MPs for Scotland should get to vote on that in Westminster.

I totally agree Gardener - I would have voted against home rule (or whatever it's called), had I been livng in Wales at the time - all I can see is that they've used a whole load of money building "parliament" buildings - I can't see that it's made much of a difference.
Maybe (just maybe) Scotland could use oil money to go it alone, but Wales - never, they haven't the resources. I mean it's either all or nothing - the saying "You can't have your cake and eat it" comes to mind!

It's like the Faroe Islands - they're Danish, but not part of Denmark (same as Greenland) - they want self rule, and keep the grants they get from the Danish State - it's one or the other.
Maybe my views are coloured by growing up in a predominantly "English" part of Wales, where even the Welsh can't speak the language (and in some cases I can speak more Welsh than the Welsh which is saying something).

Yes technically I'm English, but I grew up in Wales, and am aware that the English have for centuaries put the Welsh down. I like the Welsh, and their culture and feel part of it (Mainly due to a very good teacher at primary school who taught us a lot of Welsh history - yes Mr Roberts I mean you!),but I also have a great affection for the Black Country and hearing those accents always feels like coming home.
So ,I'm both English and Welsh or put another way I'm neither English or Welsh and therfore British.

[peterd]

Yes technically I'm English, but I grew up in Wales, and am aware that the English have for centuaries put the Welsh down. I like the Welsh, and their culture and feel part of it (Mainly due to a very good teacher at primary school who taught us a lot of Welsh history - yes Mr Roberts I mean you!),

i have famliy that was born in north wales and me and my dad visited them one day as we walk into the pub the welshmen were talking english as soon as we walked in they started to speak welsh think my dad understood what they were talking about and told them to speak there bloody secret language just the my my cousin recognised my dad voice as she was the landlady she spoke to them in welsh then they reverted back to english so it works both ways

[snoopysue]

i have famliy that was born in north wales and me and my dad visited them one day as we walk into the pub the welshmen were talking english as soon as we walked in they started to speak welsh think my dad understood what they were talking about and told them to speak there bloody secret language just the my my cousin recognised my dad voice as she was the landlady she spoke to them in welsh then they reverted back to english so it works both ways

I went to an english speaking school that was right smack bang next to a welsh speaking school (so close we shared some facilities) - there was always the language thing - just 'cos they were speaking in welsh we always thourght they were talking about us - I should just have payed more attention in welsh classes!
I grew up in North East Wales, the further west you go the more they understand welsh and the more they speak it - I had some friends for whom english was a second language but they were few and far between in our part of Wales.

[peterd]

but i know they were on about use cos me dad recognised certain words and my cousin told them of i think, why go from english to welsh when two english people walk in if nothing else high of ignorance but not just the welsh asia families do the same

[MarkCDodd]

I speak Strine first and English second

[dianel]

I speak Strine first and English second

Owyagoenmateorright?

[Antie Em]

I speak Strine first and English second

What's "strine" Mark

[Antie Em]

I was bought up with a dad from the "valleys" and a black country mom from Tipton - and although born in England - but living with a house full of Welsh people and a gran who was welsh speaking, had quite a strong welsh accent when I started school. The kids in school took the mickey out of my accent until I told them I was French and they believed it "respect". So - I didn't know whether to call a coat - a cort or a coot and I thought the words to Baa Baa Blacksheet were "ava wanna wool". Anyway - I think of myself as English - don't think I've ever used British unless I'm form filling.

[MarkCDodd]

Strine is the official term for Australian Dialect. For example:

Avagoodweegend! (Have a good weekend!)

Emma Chisit (How much is it?)

Jegoda the footy? (Did you go to the football?)

Nar dingo - sorten tv. (No, didn't go. Watched it on TV.)


And Aussie sayings such as.

G'Day.

Struth!

Fair Dinkum.

True Blue.

Chock a block.

Don't come the raw prawn!

Hoo-roo.

Dinky Di.


And the habit of using opposites.

Bluey is a common name for a red haired person.

Curley for bald people.


Aussie words for place of birth.

Banana bender (Queenslander)

Mexican (Victorian)

Taswegian (Tasmanian)

Sand Groper (Western Austalian)

Pommie (English)

Yank (American)

Wog (Greek or Italian)


Ending evrything with "ie"

Mossie (Mosquito)

Blowie (Blow Fly)

Barbie (Barbeque)

Sickie (Sick day from work).


Words derived from aboriginal dialects:

Billabong (Pond)

Yabbie (Fresh water crayfish)

etc etc

[Antie Em]

Brilliant !! I'll print it off and memorise for my Christmas visit