nickc

@epicyclo, AFAIK, the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland become after the 1707 Act, The Kingdom of Great Britain. this lasted until about 1805 (ish I think) when it was replaced by the the name The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

I’m aware of that, but that’s the political description, not the geographical.

Maybe what’s bothering some is that they see the Great in GB as meaning super duper rather than a size adjective.

So to return this into its geographical context, is some random blogger on the official government cartography experts Ordnance Survey right or wrong?

FTFY.

We don’t know who wrote that article, it could have been the cleaner for all we know. Aside from that one blog page can you find that definition anywhere else? I can’t.

On the other hand, googling “britain definition” gives us:

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/britain

another name for Great Britain, United Kingdom

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/britain

Great Britain.
Britannia(def 1). [which says it’s the Roman name for the island of GB]

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Britain

Several definitions that repeat the above, and a hilariously unfortunate thesaurus entry. Go look. (-:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/britain

England, Scotland, and Wales

And many more all saying the same thing. Quite where the OS blogger got their ‘technically just England and Wales’ claim from I don’t know and they don’t cite any source for that. If there’s some sort of legacy explanation from centuries ago then I can’t find it.

So I’d say yes, by dint of weight of evidence to the contrary, they’re wrong and it’s false authority syndrome.

but without Scotland it is no longer Great, but just = Britain.

This is not a thing.

Cougar

…We don’t know who wrote that article, it could have been the cleaner for all we know. Aside from that one blog page can you find that definition anywhere else? I can’t.

I didn’t look elsewhere. I figure if you want accurate information on a cartographical subject, the first place to look is the pre-eminent experts on that subject in the UK.

And why do you think an article on the official Ordnance Survey site is just some random blogger? Surely they’re a bit more professional than to let some random person enter incorrect info on their official site?

So have you any evidence for that?

None of the other sources you quote have the same weight as OS IMO.

‘Great’ is a bit old fashioned. Maybe we should move with the times: ‘Fierce Britain’ or ‘Bear Britain’ would show the world we are still cool and a force to be reckoned with

How about “**** You”?

I agree with Kryton that we have some wonderful geography it’s just that it is let down by some of the people occupying it. I thought we were a fairly easy going middle of the road bunch up until 3 years ago. The scales have fallen from my eyes.

And why do you think an article on the official Ordnance Survey site is just some random blogger? Surely they’re a bit more professional than to let some random person enter incorrect info on their official site?

I have no idea. Have you? Presumably it’s “Gemma” the Social Media Manager, or going off the comments “Paul” who’s a cartographer.

None of the other sources you quote have the same weight as OS IMO.

One unqualified sentence by an anonymous writer on a blog post carries more weight than literally every other source on the entire Internet?

Here, hang about. They’ve edited it! That “technically…” line has disappeared.

I wonder if they’ve got wind of this discussion from their website logs? Hiya Gemma! *waves*

And why do you think an article on the official Ordnance Survey site is just some random blogger?

Have you read all the comments on that blog post? The amount of changes made to the original descriptions and complete lack of references to source material suggests a lack of authority on the subject (from the author at least).

Apologies if anyone has already posted this.

In less than a minute Mike’s video is managing to make my teeth itch. I think (happy to be corrected though) Wales is De facto part of the Kingdom of England, and has been from the 16thC, hence why I thought, It’s flag isn’t included and the Act of Union doesn’t mention it?

Blimey, this appears to be more complicated the I ever gave it credit though…

Well, at least the Isle of Wight gets a mention.

Cougar

I have no idea. Have you? Presumably it’s “Gemma” the Social Media Manager, or going off the comments “Paul” who’s a cartographer.

And these employees of the national mapping agency are wrong, are they?

One unqualified sentence by an anonymous writer on a blog post carries more weight than literally every other source on the entire Internet?

That is very odd reasoning. You seem determined to convince me that the government’s mapping agency Ordnance Survey doesn’t know its job.

Tell you what, seeing as you think the people who wrote that entry are wrong, why don’t you contact OS and inform them of their ineptitude.

And then post up the response. Then I’ll believe you.

Sounds like your objection is political rather than geographical.

Well, they’ve removed their wrong assertion now… ask yourself why.

kelvin

Well, they’ve removed their wrong assertion now… ask yourself why.

Avoiding a political issue with Little Englanders during an election, perchance?

Just shows the mighty reach of STW though, eh? 🙂