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From: Lagru
Tif has called in reinforcements for this explanation....
England is a country
Wales is a Principality
Scotland is a country
Northern Ireland is a Province
Great Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland
The UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The whole of the UK has the pound sterling for its currency
Scotland prints its own unique banknotes but they are still pound sterling
Ireland is a separate country and nothing to do with us. Ireland has the Euro for its currency
England has its own Parliament at Westminster
Scotland has its own Parliament in Edinburgh but the English Parliament rules in matters of taxation
Scotland has its own legal system, separate from that of England and Wales
Wales has a sort of parliament in Cardiff called an Assembly. It has f*ck all power and is a sop to the Welsh from Westminster
The Isle of Man is part of the UK but not quite. It has the right to set its own taxation laws, the same as the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man still fall under the jurisdiction of the Britich government in terms of criminal law. Its the opposite way round to what prevails in Scotland.
Scotland has it's own language (not widely spoken) called Gaelic
Ireland has it's own language called Gaelic (not widely spoken) but it's a different Gaelic from the Scots Gaelic
Wales has its own language called Welsh which is widely spoken throughout mid-Wales and in North Wales - in fact it is the first language in these areas and all mid and north Wales children are educated in Welsh. All the signs are dual language with Welsh placed first. People in south wales do not speak Welsh widely at all.
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are split up into counties which several hundred years ago were called Shires. This is why most county names end in 'shire' like Shropshire and Yorkshire.
Counties have their own elected councils (a form of government) responsible for local matters. Counties are not like US states. US state senates can set their own laws and sales taxes etc; UK county councils cannot do this.
It's evolved over a period of 1500 years or more
Its simple really
England is a country
Wales is a Principality
Scotland is a country
Northern Ireland is a Province
Great Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland
The UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The whole of the UK has the pound sterling for its currency
Scotland prints its own unique banknotes but they are still pound sterling
Ireland is a separate country and nothing to do with us. Ireland has the Euro for its currency
England has its own Parliament at Westminster
Scotland has its own Parliament in Edinburgh but the English Parliament rules in matters of taxation
Scotland has its own legal system, separate from that of England and Wales
Wales has a sort of parliament in Cardiff called an Assembly. It has f*ck all power and is a sop to the Welsh from Westminster
The Isle of Man is part of the UK but not quite. It has the right to set its own taxation laws, the same as the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man still fall under the jurisdiction of the Britich government in terms of criminal law. Its the opposite way round to what prevails in Scotland.
Scotland has it's own language (not widely spoken) called Gaelic
Ireland has it's own language called Gaelic (not widely spoken) but it's a different Gaelic from the Scots Gaelic
Wales has its own language called Welsh which is widely spoken throughout mid-Wales and in North Wales - in fact it is the first language in these areas and all mid and north Wales children are educated in Welsh. All the signs are dual language with Welsh placed first. People in south wales do not speak Welsh widely at all.
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are split up into counties which several hundred years ago were called Shires. This is why most county names end in 'shire' like Shropshire and Yorkshire.
Counties have their own elected councils (a form of government) responsible for local matters. Counties are not like US states. US state senates can set their own laws and sales taxes etc; UK county councils cannot do this.
It's evolved over a period of 1500 years or more
Its simple really
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From: about
I think in old days (old old here, not fairly old) England Ireland Wales and Scotland were all seperate nations.
Then came along good old Elizabeth I who died leaving no heirs. Of course, the thought of England without a monarch was unheard of, and conveniantly, King James VI of Scotland was the closest relative (His mother having her head cut off by her darling relative Elizabeth I!) then became James Vi of Scotland and James I of England!
Confusing innit??
However, I suppose this united the two countries into being a United Kingdom.
So where does Wales come in?? I think (bit hazy here) that Edward I of England (before James, Elizabeth etc) just kind of wandered into Wales, built a whole load of castles and just stayed there. The Welsh put up no struggle at all.
I think United Kingdom is a fairly recent phrase. Great Britian was so named because of the great (as in huge) British Empire of at the begining of the century. I believe it controlled almost a 1/4 of the world (beat that you power hungry americans:P) . Then the monarchy lost almost all control of its empire, gave the countries their freedom to do as they please. This is now called The Commonwealth.
I have no idea where Ireland comes into this though.
I hope that explains something. Feel free to ask more, i'm enjoying this.
Then came along good old Elizabeth I who died leaving no heirs. Of course, the thought of England without a monarch was unheard of, and conveniantly, King James VI of Scotland was the closest relative (His mother having her head cut off by her darling relative Elizabeth I!) then became James Vi of Scotland and James I of England!
Confusing innit??
However, I suppose this united the two countries into being a United Kingdom.
So where does Wales come in?? I think (bit hazy here) that Edward I of England (before James, Elizabeth etc) just kind of wandered into Wales, built a whole load of castles and just stayed there. The Welsh put up no struggle at all.
I think United Kingdom is a fairly recent phrase. Great Britian was so named because of the great (as in huge) British Empire of at the begining of the century. I believe it controlled almost a 1/4 of the world (beat that you power hungry americans:P) . Then the monarchy lost almost all control of its empire, gave the countries their freedom to do as they please. This is now called The Commonwealth.
I have no idea where Ireland comes into this though.
I hope that explains something. Feel free to ask more, i'm enjoying this.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 463
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From: London
Pete that is awesome! very impressed...
glad yorkshire got a mention with shropshire (two beautiful counties) but i must confess i am amazed at you knowledge of the welsh language system... you know so much and yet still need various speed detection devices in favour of interpreting the road-painted "ARAF" which (for those who dont speak welsh) is "SLOW"
glad yorkshire got a mention with shropshire (two beautiful counties) but i must confess i am amazed at you knowledge of the welsh language system... you know so much and yet still need various speed detection devices in favour of interpreting the road-painted "ARAF" which (for those who dont speak welsh) is "SLOW"
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Posts: 367
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From: about
[QUOTE]Originally posted by PWE 896
Tif has called in reinforcements for this explanation....
England is a country
Wales is a Principality
Scotland is a country damn right
Northern Ireland is a Province
Great Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland
The UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The whole of the UK has the pound sterling for its currency
Scotland prints its own unique banknotes but they are still pound sterling but are worth less in england than English notes are in scotland. f'ing ripoff
Ireland is a separate country and nothing to do with us. Ireland has the Euro for its currency
England has its own Parliament at Westminster
Scotland has its own Parliament in Edinburgh and its f'ing useless but the English Parliament rules in matters of taxation
Scotland has its own legal system, separate from that of England and Wales not that different
Wales has a sort of parliament in Cardiff called an Assembly. It has f*ck all power and is a sop to the Welsh
Tif has called in reinforcements for this explanation....
England is a country
Wales is a Principality
Scotland is a country damn right
Northern Ireland is a Province
Great Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland
The UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The whole of the UK has the pound sterling for its currency
Scotland prints its own unique banknotes but they are still pound sterling but are worth less in england than English notes are in scotland. f'ing ripoff
Ireland is a separate country and nothing to do with us. Ireland has the Euro for its currency
England has its own Parliament at Westminster
Scotland has its own Parliament in Edinburgh and its f'ing useless but the English Parliament rules in matters of taxation
Scotland has its own legal system, separate from that of England and Wales not that different
Wales has a sort of parliament in Cardiff called an Assembly. It has f*ck all power and is a sop to the Welsh
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,373
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From: Lagru
Originally posted by Nelson
So where does Wales come in?? I think (bit hazy here) that Edward I of England (before James, Elizabeth etc) just kind of wandered into Wales, built a whole load of castles and just stayed there. The Welsh put up no struggle at all.
So where does Wales come in?? I think (bit hazy here) that Edward I of England (before James, Elizabeth etc) just kind of wandered into Wales, built a whole load of castles and just stayed there. The Welsh put up no struggle at all.
Pete
PS
If you read the post above this and look at the BOLD additions, you will see that Nelson is Scottish (or Scots). You must never call a Scot Scotch or he will do you up a treat. Scotch is a whisky distilled in Scotland. Irish whisky is spelled whiskey. Wales doesn't distill whisky. They eat leeks.
I told you its simple and we all live together happily, don't we Nelson?
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 367
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From: about
Originally posted by PWE 896
If you read the post above this and look at the BOLD additions, you will see that Nelson is Scottish (or Scots). You must never call a Scot Scotch or he will do you up a treat. Scotch is a whisky distilled in Scotland. Irish whisky is spelled whiskey. Wales doesn't distill whisky. They eat leeks.
I told you its simple and we all live together happily, don't we Nelson?
If you read the post above this and look at the BOLD additions, you will see that Nelson is Scottish (or Scots). You must never call a Scot Scotch or he will do you up a treat. Scotch is a whisky distilled in Scotland. Irish whisky is spelled whiskey. Wales doesn't distill whisky. They eat leeks.
I told you its simple and we all live together happily, don't we Nelson?
A leek is a sort of vegetable that only the welsh would eat. The rest of us have more sense. But I suppose that Scots are daft too, with kilts and all that, but at least we have something. England is just plain boring.
We all love each other really. Example: We all team up to take the piss from the inhabitants of the USA
