Do You Feel British Or European?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3292739/Quelle-surprise-Britain-European-nation-EU-Two-thirds-say-purely-British.html

I was surprised to read that In Germany, just 25 per cent of people said they felt ‘only German’ and not European, and 36 per cent of people in France feel ‘only French’.

Foot note:

Yes that Union Flag in the photograph is upside down.

[Retrochic]

In North America Europe is seen as the Continent and not the UK . When people go to Europe on vacation they mean the mainland, like 'we are doing Europe then scooting over to the UK for a few days'. I would imagine that 99% of people born in the UK would not describe themselves as 'European'

[sp1814]

naomi24

I don't understand it either. If someone asks me where I'm from that's one question.

If they are asking about my familial background that's a completely different question.

If I had a pronounced West Indian accent, I suppose it would be understandable...but I don't. In fact, because my parent came to the UK very young, everyone in my family has a 'London accent'.

But like I say - most people get the distinction nowadays. There are much fewer ignorant people around.

[sp1814]

Dur.

'parents' rather than 'parent'.

I was not the immaculate conception, no matter how much I try to make out I was.

[Arksided]

Yorkshireman, When ever asked my reply is English, never European although passport does says British.

[naomi24]

SP, I think most people get the distinction but some are just interested. I am.

Retrochic, //a little bit condescending if you are Black,Asian or mixed race,//

I don’t see it as condescending. See my answer to SP above.

[MallyJ]

I was born in London but it is in Europe so am European..... but really feel that I am a citizen of the world.. and that is the most important

[sp1814]

naomi24

This actually happened to me a few weeks ago.

A friend who has emigrated to Sydney was back in London and we caught up with him and his girlfriend.

She's Asian, and when I asked whereabouts she was from, we both knew that I was asking "whereabouts in Australia are you from?"

What's rude about the example I gave earlier is, if someone asks "where are you from", and you answer "London" (or whatever)...if the person wants to know where your family hail from, the polite follow up is, "And where are your family from originally", rather than "No...I mean where are you from originally".

Good manners never results in an eye-roll.

[Retrochic]

So Naomi -if you were a Caribbean female whose grandparents came to the UK in the 1950's, and I asked 'where are you from?' and you answered 'South End' then I said, no I mean 'where in the world' and you answered' UK' and I said no I mean 'originally' -would you not feel a bit annoyed?

[Retrochic]

sp1841 I often get asked 'what part of France are you from? I reply Quebec ;-)

[sp1814]

Retro chic

I see it as a generational thing.

You can almost guarantee that people under the age of 50 will default to "where are your family from originally".

I theorise this is because that younger people assume that unless the person has a strong foreign accent, they will be from here.

However, much older people will have lived through times where their contact with non-British people will be those who have come from somewhere else.

Kinda makes sense.

[sp1814]

Retrochic

Yep...I can see where you're coming from.

People from Belgium must get the same thing.

Canada's however, are easy to spot.

Just get them to say the word 'about'.

Slam dunk!

[naomi24]

Retrochic, why should I be annoyed? I wouldn't be ashamed of my roots. I'd say my ancestors came from .......

[Retrochic]

ey? -its aboot not about!!

[sp1814]

naomi24

I don't think you get what Retrochic and I are saying.

Totally understandable.

I'll explain again - if someone asks me where I am from, and tell them, then they shouldn't assume I'm not from whence I've told them.

I am from London. Born and bred.

I am *originally* from London.

Those that won't accept that are the 'dog born in a stable is not a horse' type.

They are the ones who get my patented eye-roll.

Thank God there are very few of those around any more. I used to spend so much time rolling my eyes in the 80s that I used to have a permanent migraine.

[naomi24]

SP, //they shouldn't assume I'm not from whence I've told them. //

I don't think they do assume that. As I said, they're simply interested, as I am. If you rolled your eyes at my question, I'd think you had an enormous chip on your shoulder.

[237SJ]

British and a little bit European (depends where in the world I am when I`m asked)

[retrocop]

If someone mistakes a Flemish/Waloon accent for French then they must be as ignorant and less world travelled as GW Bush who needed Iraq shown him on a map.

[jomifl]

/I feel a Londoner./ classic SP

[jomifl]

100% European..

[retrocop]

Jomifil
Classic? Dare you elaborate? :-)