> [snip]
> > It's the kind of thing you tend to pick up once you learn when the terms "Britain", "Great Britain", "The British Isles" and "The United Kingdom" apply.
> [snip]
>
> OK, can someone tell me when exactly each of these should be used? Also, what about the term "England"? I have wondered for years about when each of these terms is correct for use, but have never been able to discern it on my own, and have never been told directly. I do know that sometimes I use the wrong term around someone who knows better, and get the cold shoulder or at least a stern reprimand, but that hasn't helped me, since it doesn't happen often enough.
>
> A detailed description of all the relevant political/geographical/historical reasons would be nice, if someone has the time and desire to post one.

Well, I'll try. I must admit I'm not entirely sure I remember it properly after all these years, though.

"England" is a country formed in the 8th Century or so by the amalgamation of Wessex and Albion that then went on to conquer a lot of other terretory.

"Britain" is an island consisting of the mainlands of England, Wales and Scotland.

"Great Britain" is Britain plus a few nearby islands without their own partial governance, so it includes the Isle of Wight, the Scilly Isles and the Hebridies (among others), but not the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or the Faroe Islands. I believe it also includes Northern Ireland.

"The British Isles" includes Great Britain, all of the islands excluded above plus the Republic of Ireland.

"The United Kingdom" was formed in 1700 by the Act of Union of England and Scotland, and modified in 1801 by the Act of Union of England, Scotland and Ireland. It applies to these three countries (plus Wales as a political, rather than a geographical block, but since the Rupublic of Ireland was granted independance in the early part of the 20th century, "Ireland" here refers only to Northern Ireland.

> Don "I want to sort this out once and for all. Then I'll probably print the post off and keep it in my wallet forever. :-)" Monkey

winter"Anything the British do well is English; Anything the English do badly is British"mute