Monday, 16 July 2012

Great Britain versus United Kingdom ..... eh?!

I got asked a bloody good question today by Veronica from 'OF MICE and raMEN'. By a 'good question' I mean one that I couldn't answer off the top of my head.

The question was: 'Why is the British Olympic team called Team GB and not Team UK?'

And there was very good reason why I couldn't answer the question immediately; it's because I got an 'U' (stands for unclassified, which is worse than a Fail) in my geography and history exams at school. I couldn't see the point in learning about 'old stuff', and 'where places were'.

As you can imagine, I was subsequently very relieved when Sat Navs were invented. But I still remain resolutely disinterested in 'old stuff', and I never watch 'Time Team' much to the chagrin of one of my best chums who is a History teacher.

Anyway, I digress. I had to do a bit of research, but what I found was quite interesting. But if you already know the answer, I have included this picture of Jessica Ennis for you to splodge over instead of reading on.

Pic.No.1. She's got a 4-pack. I look like that with just my skids on too

Strap yourself in ........ basically, the full name of our nation is 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'.

The 'United Kingdom' bit refers to the political union of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

The 'Great Britain' bit, is a geographical term that refers to the largest island within a group comprising the 'British Isles'. 

 Pic.No.2 The British Isles. As you can see it is made up of many individual islands where it rains a lot

So as you can see from looking at the picture above, Great Britain being the biggest island in the British Isles, comprises three separate (but united) countries: England, Wales and Scotland.

But now we reach the crux of the matter. After seeing the above, you would be forgiven for assuming that Team GB only included England, Scotland and Wales. But it doesn't. It also includes Irish athletes.

Conclusion: Our Olympic athletes should be called Team UK. Quite simply because being called Team GB implies that the Irish are not involved. 

If I was Irish, I would be well pissed off and probably run amok with a catapult and conkers. 

When I looked into it, I found out that Team GB was the name assigned by the International Olympic Committee in 1908 ......... Blooper. They were probably named by someone who got a 'U' in history and geography.

Anyway, I hope that clears things up. 

Other things in the news today. Naughty George has been his usual self since summer started. Whenever the rain stops, he spends his days in the garden woofing blankly at every passer-by. The git.

Pic.No.3 Naughty George with a comedy tongue configuration

Pic.No.4 Naughty George with a comedy ear configuration

Pic.No.5 Naughty George with a comedy 'other ear' configuration

So dahlink ..... what did you get up to last weekend?

P.S. Did you know the difference between the UK and GB ...... fess up now!

38 comments:

  1. thank you - thank you - thank you. For posting that pic of Jen... crivvens..... :-)

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  2. Bodaciousboomer16 July 2012 20:49

    I have no idea what the differences are. When speaking of where you are I just say "Over there."

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  3. I did know that - I can't remember what prompted me to find out, but it was something just as trivial. I did wonder whether Northern Ireland might not have been a part of the UK in 1908, so I looked it up. In fact all of Ireland was part of the UK at that time, but it was hotly debated. Maybe someone on the Olympic Committee was not ignorant, but very political!

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  4. My pleasure. Enjoy the splodge!



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  5. LOL! I just call people 'Oi!' when I don't know their name ;-)



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  6. Ahh! I suspect you are one of the few who knew that you brainy git! And I have to say .... you have added to my education - I didn't know that all of Ireland was part of the UK in 1908. Thanks for the top information!



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  7. Yes, that Jessica Ennis is quite splodgable, isn't she? And almost as fit as me, too.
    Thanks for that.

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  8. Being an upright citizen of the Commonwealth formally known as the British Commonwealth (of which Canada is a member), I did know that Ms.Annie!
    And I questioned that Ireland was part of the British Olympic Team.....it is of course Northern Ireland that is part of this team. Ireland Ireland (southern I guess) has it's own team. History geography was ALWAYS my favourite subject in school! Come on...give me a question!! lol

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  9. I did know the differene between the UK and GB but I didn't realize the Olympic team was called Team GB. How silly of me to think they were Team UK. I loved geography in school. Aren't I the biggest dork you know?
    That Darling George is just so cute.

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  10. Nick Riches17 July 2012 06:53

    I thought Wales became a principality of England in Edward I's time. Then the Act of Union of 1707 England (with Wales) joined with Scotland to become Great Britain. That is why most of our laws are for England and Wales together, probably why Wales has an Assembly rather than a parliament, ohhh, I say....... Jessica Ennissssss.....................oohh...eerrrrr........SPLODGE!!!!

    Can you put Victoria Pendleton in your next blog? Please??

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  11. Veronica Lee17 July 2012 07:31

    That was a bloody marvellous post, Annie! I just love stopping by at your blog.
    I will link my post to yours!!


    Have a wonderful day, sweetie !

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  12. PENNY STEEL17 July 2012 07:48

    Yippee I can leave a comment AND read the others again !!!
    Team GB / - Team UK I don't care much either way as prob won't watch much of the sporting thingies. I'd rather take Naughty George out for a walk...now THAT would be something worth watching !

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  13. No worries - I had you in mind when I chose it!



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  14. This is getting embarrassing - everyone over the pond knows the difference between GB and UK, and I have remained resolutely ignorant of the fact! You are definitely a dork if you liked geography. Actually you'd be more of a dork if you preferred physics ..... of the quantum kind. Naughty George is a git - he just tried to catch my neighbours cat.



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  15. Flippin' hek Jim, you are a right swot! Mind you, I should have guessed you liked history given your penchant for collecting antiques and the like. Ok a question: What is this commonwealth stuff all about? I mean, it sounds cool that Canada is part of it, but what actually is 'it'?



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  16. LOL Pen, I don't know what you do to your computer, but I can never fathom out why you can't comment! Hey, if you want to ahem .... borrow ... my mutt, you are more than welcome ;-) He is currently stinking in his basket behind me!



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  17. Why thank you Veronica - and thanks for the inspiration!



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  18. Blimey you swot! Fancy knowing all that? I think my head is too full of current stuff to remember old stuff - that's my excuse anyway. I will try and slot Victoria Pendleton in a post along with male totty!



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  19. Toffeeapple17 July 2012 14:15

    Thank you for researching that Annie, I was unaware of the difference; probably because I'm from Wales...

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  20. Toffeeapple17 July 2012 14:21

    Ah, just got my picture to work again - spooky how it disappeared.

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  21. You're welcome. You never know when this type of thing will come in useful. Yeh, it is kinda hard to see how it will be useful.



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  22. What picture's that then? You have got me all intrigued



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  23. Toffeeapple17 July 2012 15:11

    The avatar thing, it has been missing for the last few replies I've made here. Do you not see it?

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  24. Ah, did you have to sign in to make it appear? I generally moderate the comments through email rather than going onto my blog, so I don't always notice if they are missing!



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  25. Toffeeapple17 July 2012 15:21

    Yes, though I don't usually sign out - it might have something to do with the fact that I joined Disqus...

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  26. My disqus signs me out randomly. And I have no idea why, GRRRRRRRR!



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  27. Mmmmmmmm, that's all well and good Annie but what about the little old Isle of Man where I live which isn't even part of the United Kingdom. Still we may be small but we may have the first winner of a gold for team GB in Mark Cavendish.

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  28. Broken Biro17 July 2012 21:40

    This is just the sort of question they ask as part of the Citizenship Test... and if they ever make those of us already here do it we'll all get chucked out. Personally, I think it's because we get to say we're 'great' and I don't think anyone else can ... it's not Groovy Belgium of Fab Mali is it?

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  29. Apparently, one of the questions in the Citizenship Test is, "how many bank holidays are there in the UK?" Doomed. We'll get kicked out together!



    Groovy Belgium! That's well funny ;-)



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  30. Bloody good point there Pete! It's a separate country isn't it - with it's own government and everything. Doesn't it still fall under the jurisdiction of the UK though? I didn't know that Mark Cavendish was from the IOM. Cool.


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  31. The IoM isn't part of the UK nor is it part of the EEC. It is what is known as a Crown Dependency. We have our own parliament, Tynwald, which is the oldest continuous parliament in the world and is what all other democracies in the world is based on...Yes Cav is a local lad hence his nickname the Manx Missile.

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  32. The Commonwealth is a group of countries/nations that have formed a 'union' of sorts because they have something in common....that being they were all ruled by Britain at some time or another, some still are and some (like Canada and Australia) want to keep an 'attachment' with their common connection even though they are independent from Britain. There are benefits of course like trade, and trade and more trade and stuff like that!
    There lesson over for the day.....God Save the Queen! lol

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  33. Wowsers! I am impressed - I've learnt something new. I didn't know any of that about the Commonwealth. But then again, weren't you a teacher ;-)

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  34. Manx missile! I have never heard that before. Hey you should do a post on the Manx government. The whole situation over there is so unique!

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  35. I had no bloody idea. I thought Scotland and Wales were their own sovereign nations. Come out to find they're just like our Texas and Kentucky, but with much better manners. And I love NG. Give him a big old sloppy kiss for me. Yes. That includes tongue. ;)

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  36. Ha ha! Your geography is worse than mine. But kind of excusable because you don't live in the UK!

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  37. Daverodney29 July 2012 20:22

    Have you got a passport? It doesn't say much, but what it does say is "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". This is pretty clear, isn't it? It'd be good to know the answer to the question, but the pictures of the dog are nice enough....

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  38. Actually, you are right. I hadn't noticed what was on the front of my passport before. Actually I did answer the question in the text - go and have a sneaky peek. Glad you like my mutt though.



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