by Keith Redfern

Created on: July 04, 2008

Confusing, isn't it? The box on the form says - nationality? So do I put English, British or something else?

Being something of a pedant I like to get things right. So on a British form, I put English. Whereas on a non-British form I put British.

How can this be correct? In fact I was born in the United Kingdom, but there is no word to describe that, hence my dilemma.

Let us begin with the geography of the thing. Westwards across the North Sea from Holland, Germany and Denmark, and northwards across the English Channel from France lies a group of islands. They are called the British Isles.

The British Isles is (or should that be are?) made up of the island of Great Britain, the island of Ireland and a host of smaller islands. The smaller islands form part of either England, Scotland or Wales, depending which is nearest.

Great Britain is the largest island and comprises England, Scotland and Wales - in no particular order save that of the alphabet.

The island of Ireland is divided politically into the Republic of Ireland (Eire) and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland forms part of the United Kingdom, along with England, Scotland and Wales.

So there we have it. Some of the names are islands, some are parts of islands and others are political units. What could be simpler? Well almost anything, I suppose.

Politically the British Isles is divided into the United Kingdom, with its seat of government in London, and the Republic of Ireland (Eire) with its seat of government in Dublin.

As I was born in England, I am entitled to call myself English. But England is part of the island of Great Britain, so I am also entitled to call myself British.

A Scot and a Welshman would have a similar problem as they are both also British. However an Irishman is just that, not British in a geographical sense, although perhaps he might call himself British if he is Northern Irish, but that brings us into religious issues which I would rather avoid.

Are you following this, so far?

History plays a large part in the confusion. In the beginning there were England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but then England and Wales became a political unit, and then Scotland joined the group, and meanwhile a settlement of mainly Scots in the northern part of Ireland led to that island's political division.

Cars registered in the United Kingdom carry the letters GB, not UK. Why? I don't know.

In sports it is even worse. There will be a Great Britain team at the Olympic Games - not a United Kingdom team. In soccer England, Eire, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have national teams, but in rugby there are only national teams for England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

For those of us brought up in the British Isles things are fairly clear, but for others it must be a nightmare of incomprehension, so let us return, finally, to the topic heading to ensure clarity.

The United Kingdom (UK) is a political unit governed from Westminster in London and comprises England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Britain as an entity doesn't really exist, although Great Britain does and British describes anyone from that large island.

England is just one smallish part of the island of Great Britain and an equally smallish part of the political unit of the UK.

Have you realised the flaw in the logic which causes most confusion? This is that the word British is used to describe people from the United Kingdom. So, at the Olympic Games, the British team is representing the United Kingdom, not just Great Britain. At least I think that's right.

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