Is Mumsnet an English forum?

Definitely more people move around in the EU and live in other countries, then people in the UK do.

Because people in the EU have more freedom of movement. Thats a fact. I'm not saying that Brexit is right or wrong, but we can all agree that Brexit has limited the freedom of movement of people in the UK. That was part of the deal.

That is what people agreed to as terms of Brexit.

When I was working in Germany, all of my colleagues had lived and worked abroad.

In my workplace in the UK, none of my colleagues have lived or worked abroad.

It is a more isolated culture here.

My joking from earlier aside - it’s not just the legal/school posts that are an issue, I do often see Scottish/Irish/Welsh posters in the Baby Name board that are looking for help with Scottish/Irish/Welsh names.

A lot of “I’ve never heard of that name!” “I don’t know how to pronounce that name!” “It sounds like [insert word] to me!” “They’ll have to spell it out all their life!” “How about [boring English name]? Much nicer!” the follows and it is actually rude.

As a PP said, a lot of cultural differences too that people totally ignore.

So, if as you say, the UK is so isolated after Brexit: then you can fully understand why this site assumes the poster to be English, or if not totally ‘ignorant’ based somewhere in the UK?

If you genuinely believe that most of the world's citizens go and live abroad, I don't think we can have a sensible conversation.

And yes, I have lived abroad, and even shock have colleagues from abroad and/or who have worked in other countries. I would be barking mad if I thought that was evidence of typical global migration patterns.

"I mentioned that in the last ten years, I had lived and worked in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy , France, Germany and Portugal."

That you have lived in so many different countries sounds great (I've only ever lived in the UK and one other country).
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"It made me realise how difficult it is for people in the UK to live in other countries. And how that can lead to an isolated way of living."

But I would question you about this.

"Not one of them had ever lived or worked outside of the UK. They had always lived in the UK"

The same applies to most countries in the world. You mentioned the countries that you have lived and worked in during the past. Can I ask, just how many Germans, French, Italians etc have lived outside of their own countries?

I suspect that the number is no higher than the UK.

I don't know about Hong Kong but I would think the proportion of Hong Kongers who live abroad is much higher than for many other countries. But, even so, a very large percentage of Hong Kongers will likewise never have worked or lived abroad.

Most people dont go and live abroad? Are you serious? Do you really have that little experience of the world? Your post is just showing me how truly isolated some people in the UK really are.

I've lived in loads of different countries in the last 10 years. This year I decided to come and work in the UK.

Last year I as working in Germany.
I'll give you a snapshot of some of my colleagues in Germany

One lady was from the Netherlands. She had moved to Germany for workm before Gemrany she had worked in Ireland for two years.
One man I worked with was from belgium. He had worked in spain and portugal and he was now working in Germany.
One man I worked with was from paris - he moved to germany for work. He had previously worked in Switzerland.
Another lady was from Norway. She had worked in Sweden and France and was now living and working in Germany.

How long have you been on here as I have nearly been on here for 20 years and the legacy of Mumsnet being very British still lives on I think. It totally is influenced the narrative in a way that isn't relatable to Facebook where that is influenced by the individual.

I sort of assume English, although I’m Scottish, as statistically more likely. Mumsnet is predominantly UK users and the majority will be English. If I ask or offer advice and it’s relevant I mention I’m Scottish so I studied Scot’s law for example.

So what? It’s an English site.

What about them? Channel isle and IOM are not in the United kingdom.

That maybe so but they aren't default, I have Danish family and heritage from a couple of generations back, I don't know anybody who frequents Mumsnet, of course they do but they aren't the default audience.

Sorry but this is nonsense. Most people don't go and live abroad, let alone in multiple countries, and they never have. You'd find the same in any small city in any country, unless it's a country where the people have a strong incentive to seek opportunities overseas. I was no fan of Brexit, but let's not pretend the average Brit, just ten years ago, was moving from one country to the next. And I don't see why Hong Kong and Indonesia would be especially difficult for Brits to emigrate to, compared to EU citizens.

Back to the OP... I don't even understand the premise of the question, really. It's a website founded in England by two Englishwomen. As it's a free website, anyone can join. What more do you need to know? Obviously if most users are English, that is the default whether you like it or not. When I've used American forums in the past (by which I mean started by Americans and mostly used by Americans), I haven't expected other users to magically know that I'm not from America.

Mumsnet OFFICE is based in London.

Mumsnet online is available to a worldwide audience.

Facebook's main office is based in California.

Facebook online is available to a worldwide audience

Is this a bash the English thread?

🙄

Because the cultural references, the fact that it originated in London, the competitions, the TV, the politics. Unless that has become bespoke now?

I do think you need to say where you are talking about tbf people replying don't know you are not in England/English I'm not in England you get used to it after a while,

You do realise that people outside of the UK use mumsnet too, right?

Thats what world wide web means.

I was chatting to ladies from Canada, Denmark and Australia on a thread the other day.

where in NI is only 4 miles from Scotland? Not being pedantic, I genuinely find it interesting, I know there are parts that are very close but didn't realise it was that close!
Google says the smallest gap is 12 miles between Torr Head and Mull of Kintyre

But by far the vast majority are from England. You say that you're Scottish, for every one Scottish person there are more than ten English people.

Yes, the default is very much English as most people are English (or, at least, live in England). Is it really necessary to always state that a thread relates to England?

There are some threads where it is essential to identify the country (for example in cases to with inheritance or other legal issues) and this does often happen.

But in most cases it really isn't necessary.

For context, out of every hundred people there are:

85 living in England
8 living in Scotland
5 living in Wales
2 living in Northern Ireland

Why?

Facebook is an American company.

Do you assume that only Americans use Facebook?

One of the most annoying issues on here is that people are criticised for their terminology etc. If you use ‘gotten’ for example, some arsehole will make the whole thread about the fact that you used an ‘Americanism’, when in fact it’s a perfectly acceptable regional expression. Of course the shocking anti Americanism is quite another thing altogether. But I wouldn’t accuse all English people of this assumption about language, it seems to be more a South of England thing. So many posters from that region don’t seem to be aware that others speak differently and have different pronunciation and that it’s completely acceptable usage. I had a government form to fill in for my son last week and the word ‘gotten’ was used in the form.

Fair enough, maybe I should announce that I’m from NI if it’s relevant. For example, I might mention where I am if talking about the school holidays because I know that they are slightly different depending on where you are in the UK. But I certainly shouldn’t have to do so in order to justify my use of certain expressions which seem to cause a fit of the vapours and an unnecessary derailment.

I thought we were all Russian bots. Hairy handed truckers are too busy making up for the shortage of HGV drivers (in the UK?) to spend time on mn anymore.

I think some of it might also be due to the fact that the UK is quite isolated after Brexit.

Isolation leads to people just thinking about their country, and not thinking sbout the rest of the world

I moved to the UK six months ago for work. I'm in a small city in the U.K. I went to a local hobby group and I was chatting to the locals. As a new face, they were asking me about myself. I said that i had done this particular hobby in a lot of different places, and that i really liked the hobby. They asked me where had I done it

I mentioned that in the last ten years, I had lived and worked in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy , France, Germany and Portugal.

They said "wow".

Not one of them had ever lived or worked outside of the UK. They had always lived in the UK
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It made me realise how difficult it is for people in the UK to live in other countries. And how that can lead to an isolated way of living.

Well, yes.

I assume mostly London and Home Counties mums. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the highest demographic.