What and Who is English

[youwhatref]

One of the points which has often been raised in other threads especially the BNP threads or immigrant threads is the term 'English'. Obviously in the BNP eyes to be English you have to be white and born here.

 

But who and what is English? Is it colour (no racism please), just living in England or is English classing yourself English before your religion or the country your or your parents was born?

 

Does being English mean you would die for the Queen and the country??

 

Discuss and enjoy as this will be interesting!

[jayne67]

Well I class myself as English, because I was born in England. My parents, their parents, and their parents before them were born in England as well, although I can't go any further down that route because I don't know. So, thats why I consider my self English!

[brooksy]

On the other thread people are saying anyone born here is English whatever there crede.If i was Chinese for example i would class my kids has being chinese.If my parents were living in France and i was born there would that make me French if we returned home immediatley???

[KenH]

I am a Yorkshireman and British.

 

It makes no sense to think of yourself as English. Being British means we share a common way of life and common views of the world, just as the French have a way of life that is slightly different and a common language. There is nothing particular different about the way we live in Yorsshire to the way they live and the language they speak in Cardiff or Dumfries. Or, to be more accurate, the differences between the things in Yorskshire and those in Dunfries are no greater than the differendces between Yorkshire and London, Cornwall, Berwick or Birmingham.

[Bago]

I don't know. Good Q.

 

Well, for what it's worth, I don't class myself as 'English'. Whatever that means. Maybe cos I lived in HK for a few years when I was a kid before I was brought back to the UK. Yes, I think at one point, I struggled and battle within myself to find which one I should class as 'home'. HK (where most of my friends were), or Sheffield. (Cos I started to make more friends here.)

 

Ethically, I class myself as Chinese. (Cos my parents are of chinese descent of several generations too.) With regards to nationality, I am British. If I am pedantic, I normally say 'British Citizen' because I know the different type of passport (and travel documents) there are.

When people ask me, 'where are you from'. I sometimes don't know how to answer, cos I know they expect a certain answer. When I say 'Northern Ireland' to mean that's where I was born. They don't believe me, or maybe they expect a different answer. Then I have to be forced to say, 'I was born in Northern Ireland, but my parents were born in HK. They are both chinese...blah blah blah'. Then they'll be like, 'OOooo'.

 

Maybe same as others, I try and find an acceptable term that doesn't 'step' on anyone's toes. I cannot change history. To my mother, I've lost what is classed as 'chinese' in her eyes already. So she see me as more 'Westernised'. (You cannot believe the amount of arguments we had when I was a kid.) Whereas I come to learn that it's a case of 'modernism'. At least I maintain some kind of bond with her in terms of language, food, and certain cultural beliefs. I'm sure others may view it differently, but that's okay too. It's their viewpoint.

 

As majority of my upbringing was in Sheffield, I would always have an affinity with it. So is the birth place of my parents in HK. As that's where I spent a small part of my childhood too, with all the ancestral roots and memories dating back a few good generation within the same

house. It'll be nice to go back there and die one day, when I'm old. Though for now, I work wherever I see fit, and is able.

 

If only one day, I can say, "I'm from Sheffield", and NOT be looked at weirdly. That'll be great. Cos that is where I have lived majority of my life. Then again, that'll be too ironic. Cos it's Britain for God sake. I know my place.

[brooksy]

Glad you cleared that up bago? :hihi:

[Bago]

Yeh, I hope that clears it all up.

Maybe I got a bit carried away... lol...

[brooksy]

Theres an Indian super star appearing in Sheffield in November,his name,Sir Cliff Richards???? :hihi: :hihi:

[Bago]

Ooo, he doesn't look very dark, does he. I wonder why.

[brooksy]

Ooo, he doesn't look very dark, does he. I wonder why.

You will have to ask max that one pal, i havnt got a clue? :hihi: