British or English

This all day long. It's even worse when people then think they are better than someone else over said fact like they made a conscious decision to be born on that piece of land rather than a different one.

It's the same when people hate other football fans to the point of violence, like they don't realise that if they had been born in Sheffield or Leeds or wherever then they would be that fan too.

 

I was born in England, therefore I’m English. Great Britain is an economic union not an identity, Yorkshire is a sub-division of England. I’m English. I’m not proud of that, I had no say in it, i’m not ashamed of that, I had no say in it.

 

Working Class

 

Well I don't care whether it offends people that I am proud to associate myself with my home land.

It doesn't bother me that people from different parts of the British Isles associate themselves firstly with their country, be that Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Or even England, although the nation identity doesn't seem as strong for English people.

For me, first and foremost, I am British. Yes we are a political amalgamation of different individual nations but as a collective we have a proud history.

It does depend on who's asking. If abroad and was being asked in reference to my nationality, no question I am British. But if I am on my travels around the country on business and am asked about where I am from, then I am a proud Yorkshireman.

English, no I never specifically use that reference.

 

Northerners n scots have more in common than wiav wi southereners ..Weren't england and Scotland split into4 or 5 countries prior to the current ******?

 

The question in the op was about HOW you identify yourself. IMHO It speaks volumes what ordinary folk feel about their ‘ Englishness’ when they chose to identify themselves differently such as British or even Yorkshire. Personally, life experience leaves me no option but to consider myself British and European.

 

English. But very much northern English. With Scottish roots. So British too. Definitely European as well, in the sense that I'm liberal, forward thinking, and generally against borders and segregation. I'm also entitled to a Russian passport, but I feel about as Russian as I do Martian. And that's despite having lived in Russia for 13 years, and speaking the language better than a lot of locals.

 

Sorry but a simple question was asked about the way someone would describe their identity not about their superiority. It is sometimes easier to join in than condescend about their view of others. I work in Sheffield have good mates who are blunts and fowls and love them all, the fact that they are proud to be dee dahs and I love being a dingle is something that i love and enjoy beng part of because it is where we are from. It is not a crime to be proud of your nationality or your sense of belonging but in this day and age of political correctness it probably dictates you should feel ashamed to feel that pride to proclaim your of sense of belonging. There is no choice of who you are or where you belong but no shame in feeling proud of it no matter where you are from.

 

Tarn

 

Nothing to do with political correctness dictating my sense of belonging. I was born in a Council house in Kendray, where I lived for the next 34 years, loved my childhood and my life there. I have lived nowhere else but England thus far. I have not tried to trace my family tree from either side so unsure of my ‘heritage’ so to speak ( I will get around to doing that one day) Life events/experiences make sort of natural for me to say I’m British. History is History but describing my identity as initially Englishdoesnt work for me,

 

I really don't understand the feeling European standpoint. What makes you feel more affiliated to Albania than Canada for instance?

 

If that is how you see your sense of belonging and it is what is important to you then fair play. I on the other hand feel English before British because it is the demographic that I believe fits me best not as described earlier as feeling better than someone else due to being born a particular piece of land. I love Arabian IAN’s answer and expect nothing different it is your own sense of belonging that counts but being born in England my nationality ie English don’t see it any other way.

 

We are in Europe and hence our neighbours are European. I like Europe for a whole variety of reasons including being a part of the EU, but that’s another debate. Like neighbours on my street I have things in common with some and nothing in common with others. Some I know little or nothing about but we smile and say hello to each other. I don’t feel affiliated to them as such and it’s where I live. When in Barnsley and asked where I’m from say Stairfoot and not the name of my Street. I don’t say Wombwell where I also have family.

 

I don’t feel myself better or worse than anyone because of their demographic, I’m simply trying to explain that although born and bred in England describing myself as British sits with me better than describing myself as English.

 

What makes you feel more affiliated to London than Athens?

 

I feel proud to say I'm from Barnsley, I feel proud to say I'm from Yorkshire. Beyond that I feel nowt. I feel the same level of pride saying I'm English/British as I feel saying I've got 10 fingers, doesn't really mean owt to me.

 

My dads side of the family are from London and it's the capital of my country. Athens is lovely and full of smashing people but it's a country that has nothing to do with me whatsoever.

 

We are also in the northern hemisphere along with Canada so why European countries over them?

 

London?!
York's capital a'mine ..

 

And I don't necessarily identify with London as the capital of anything that I want to be a part of, but my ex girlfriend is from Athens. I have family and friends living all over Europe but none in Canada. People can feel a part of anything that they want to.