Re: What are the basic differences between British and American English?

In message <1153826208.735066.165600@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, sanlosinst@xxxxxxxxxxx writes
Marc Frisch wrote:
> English pronunciation and usage
> vary hugely within the UK, and I imagine even more within Britain as a
> whole.
[...]
> A great many of the things you've labelled as specifically 'American'
> are in everyday use in the UK, and I imagine in other parts of Britain
> as well.

Which parts of Britain are not in the U.K.?

Britain consititues the territories of the Britsh Crown.

Thank you for playing. "Britain" is a geographical entity. "Great Britain" is a political one.

This includes
the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)

Great Britain comprises England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom is Great Britain plus Northern Ireland.

and all the
rest, which used to be called the Dependent Territories. I think that
they have now been renamed the Overseas Territories, which doesn't make
a lot of sense since many parts of the UK are separated from each other
by sea.

I'm not 100% sure of my facts,

Evidently

but as far as I know the Channel Isles,
Man,

Crown Dependencies but not part of the UK.

Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands


British Overseas Territories, not part of the UK but under its sovereignty.

and the Bahamas

Nope. Independent state since 1973.

are all parts of
Britain.

Obviously not true in either the geographical or the legal sense. Arguably part of the UK, but only if you're a lawyer.

I'm not sure about the status of the Orkneys and Shetlands
(are they part of Scotland, and therefore the UK?).

Correct. So are the Hebrides.

I think there may
be some other bits and pieces dotted around the globe as well.

Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Indian Ocean Territory, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena (and Ascension and Tristan da Cunha), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus, and the Turks and Caicos Islands

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/je.html
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gk.html
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/im.html
--
Richard Herring
.

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