British/Aussie/Irish/American????

[2tigers]

Just wondering.....

 

I am British, born to British parents, one from Irish decent. But I call myself British. No matter where I live in the world I would always class myself as British. I would never dream to say I am half Irish.

 

Now I have met Americans who called themselves Irish, but wasn't born there or ever lived there, but still said they were Irish. Even if the last family member who had actually lived there was a grandparent, they still class themselves as being Irish.

 

I have met Aussies who say they are Greek, but born and always lived in AU and don't even speak Greek, same scenario as above - some it was their grandparents or one of them who actually lived in greece.

 

I have met Aussies who say they are Italian if it suits, or Australian if it suits.

 

I have me Brits who say they are Irish, but wasn't born there or lived there.

 

Whats your thoughts? If you live in Australia for the rest of your lives, would you consider yourself Australian? Would your kids say they are British, or would they say they are Australian? Or say they are Australian from a British (or wherever it may be) background? Or say they are half British (Or wherever)?

[Guest Mallam]

English and proud.

[Parley]

So why leave if its so good ?

[2tigers]

So why leave if its so good ?

 

Leave where?

[Parley]

Asking Mallam ?

[2tigers]

I wouldn't say classing yourself as 'English and proud to be' would have any reflection on what country you live in though? Or am I missing something?

[Parley]

Yes you're missing something.

[Guest Mallam]

So why leave if its so good ?

 

:eek: I said I am proud to be English, same as an aussie is proud to be Australian, as a Italian is proud to be Italian, what has that got to do with me leaving England for an adventure?

[Guest Mallam]

Why do some people want to know why you love your Country of birth.

[Guest Mallam]

I wouldn't say classing yourself as 'English and proud to be' would have any reflection on what country you live in though? Or am I missing something?

 

No, I think parlycross is missing something.

[Guest kangabanga]

This is interesting, as I am "half Irish"- mum is Irish and father was scottish. I was born in England, but as far as I can trace back , I do not have any English heritage. So in the absence of being able to call myself a "celt" (lol) I say I am British, not English (but even this isn't accurate).

 

I can see what you are saying, but surely its up to the individual how they define themselves, especially with the whole Irish thing, as many Irish (my family included) are fiercly protective of their Irish heritage, and instill a sense of pride in it with the younger generations.

 

I suppose its about recognising your roots, it means more to some than others.

[Petals]

Now we live in Australia we are Australian citizens and we consider ourselves Australian and so do our children.

[Guest Mallam]

Now we live in Australia we are Australian citizens and we consider ourselves Australian and so do our children.

I am different Petals, even though I hopefully get to Oz in the next couple of years I could never think of myself as anything but English, even if I had kids out there I would want them to think themselves as English.

I could never imagine an Australian thinking they were English if they came to live in the UK permantly.

Only my opinion though.

[2tigers]

Now we live in Australia we are Australian citizens and we consider ourselves Australian and so do our children.

 

Please don't see this as me being argumentative or to have a go, just out of interest - if you moved to China - would you call yourselves Chinese?

[Guest Guest 47403]

Although I hope to move to Australia for it all to work out and become an Oz citizen I will always be English even though I am half Irish, my 2 boys will be to young to remember England and will probably call themselves Aussies doesn't matter one bit to me.

[Guest Mallam]

Although I hope to move to Australia for it all to work out and become an Oz citizen I will always be English even though I am half Irish, my 2 boys will be to young to remember England and will probably call themselves Aussies doesn't matter one bit to me.

 

 

Any you could not be anythig else to be honest , your children have the choice.

[Guest Mallam]

Please don't see this as me being argumentative or to have a go, just out of interest - if you moved to China - would you call yourselves Chinese?

This is a good point and will be intrested in the answers.

[2tigers]

This is a good point and will be intrested in the answers.

 

Yes it is interesting, I'm not asking to be rude, I am genuinely curious as to peoples ideas on the subject

[Guest chris955]

I was born in England and I am very proud to be English, always will be. Let's face it we can't change what we are, a piece of paper doesn't change the facts. We became Australian citizens many years ago, it made travel much easier for us but we would never give up our English citizenship.

Rolf Harris has lived in England for about 50 years but he is still thought of as an Aussie. It tends to work the other way here, if you are famous you become an Aussie very quickly, 'Aussie Joe' Bugner :laugh:

You are what you are, you can move to another country, support that country and compete for that country but you can't change the country of your birth.

[Guest Mallam]

I was born in England and I am very proud to be English, always will be. Let's face it we can't change what we are, a piece of paper doesn't change the facts. We became Australian citizens many years ago, it made travel much easier for us but we would never give up our English citizenship.

Rolf Harris has lived in England for about 50 years but he is still thought of as an Aussie. It tends to work the other way here, if you are famous you become an Aussie very quickly, 'Aussie Joe' Bugner :laugh:

You are what you are, you can move to another country, support that country and compete for that country but you can't change the country of your birth.

Good point about Rolf harris, if you called him English he would paint your face :cute:

[Pumpkin]

My father is Irish, mother English but she moved to Ireland as a teenager. Most of the family on both sides still lives in Ireland.

 

As I have always lived in Blighty (until now of course), I consider myself English or British. I have no preference for English or British and might use one term one day and the other another day. If I were discussing my background in any detail with anyone then I might say I am actually half Irish, but if it was just a quick enquiry I would say british / English.

 

I think some people like to announce they are Irish even though they are only half or quarter and have never lived there, because generally they are a popular nation. I find it a bit odd that someone who has never lived in a country and the only link is a grandparent, could consider themselves to be of that nationality.

[Guest Mallam]

My father is Irish, mother English but moved to Ireland as a teenager. Most of the family on both sides still lives in Ireland.

 

As I have always lived in Blighty (until now of course), I consider myself English or British. I have no preference for English or British and might use one term one day and the other another day. If I were discussing my background in any detail with anyone then I might say I am actually half Irish, but if it was just a quick enquiry I would say british / English.

 

I think some people like to announce they are Irish even though they are only half or quarter and have never lived there, because generally they are a popular nation. I find it a bit odd that someone who has never lived in a country and the only link is a grandparent, could consider themselves to be of that nationality.

If your mother was irish and your dad english but you were born in England could you say you were half Irish?

[Guest famousfive]

I am Irish and will be Irish to my dying day.As said in an earlier post.........it's that whole Irish thing,or maybe that whole world thing.........apart from English.I have met many nationalities,both here and in other countries,and the majority define themselves by their heritage.The many eatern europeans living in my hometown would never assume to call themselves Irish.My husband has lived there 15yrs and will always be an aussie.My former nextdoor neighbour is an American,been there 40+yrs,still a yank.Their children on the other hand,those born in the country,are Irish with a mixed heritage.

In my limited experience I have never met an English person who is a long term resident of Ireland call themselves IrishOr those living in France call themselves Freanch[cough,cough].Why would they?

This seems to be isolated to those who come to Australia for some reason.And even more baffling is the fact it seems to be isolated to the English people who arrive here.It is like they land on Australian soil and ditch their heritage.Why?

Many around the world admire England and it's people,why not the English themselves?

 

Being Irish,where national pride is an ingrained thing,a part of our genetic makeup nearly,it seems at odds with what the country as a whole portrays through the media etc..

In Ireland we do not go for the flag waving,tatoo brandishing type of pride.More a deep pride and connection through our history,our music and our way of life.It is what has made us who we are.Why would we ditch that when we land at another countries door?We are born Irish,we live as Irish,we travel as Irish and we migrate as Irish.Our kids who are born abroad are also instilled with this pride.

[Parley]

My question was a serious one though.

If someone says they proud to be English, which is another way of saying they love England, the obvious question is why are they trying to emigrate to another country.

It is like the actions are not matching the words.

[Guest famousfive]

Parleycross-I do not mean to be getting too pesonal here but are you Australian by any chance?And if so,have you ever lived in another country?The reason I ask is because the view you have taken is very simplistic and makes me think you have never been in the position of being a migrant.

Many people,both now and through history,migrate for opportunity,for jobs and for a different future to the one they see before them.Some of us come to oz because we are married to aussies.

Being proud of your heritage and your nationality does in no way exclude you from wanting to have a different way of life elsewhere.Leaving your country in no way makes you less proud of your roots,in fact with some people the opposite is true and their national pride gets stronger with distance.

If you are proud to be Irish does this mean you must stay in Ireland for the rest of your life?Thankfull not.Being a migrant nation is a matter of survival for Ireland,being so small it would be a nightmare to live in if all our migrants returned.Imagine if all those yanks with irish heritage came home to roost?Aarrgh!!!