to wish people would use the correct name for my country?

[Buttercup2926]

I love living in the UK but I do wish people were better educated about the country right next door. Particularly its name.

The Constitution of Ireland sets out that there are two official names for the country, Ireland and Éire. Éire should only be used when speaking in the Irish language. Therefore it is correct for people in the UK to say Ireland when talking about that fab country next door!

Northern Ireland is a seperate place and is part of the UK.

Republic of Ireland is a description as opposed to a name. For political reasons FIFA forces the football team to use this name.

The term 'Southern Ireland' is very offensive and should not be used ever. It has strong historical connotations and was used by the English government as a way to avoid recognising the independence of Ireland. I understand that people genuinely do not know this and don't always mean to be offensive as so many people in England use it so casually.

I often see on here people referring to Irish accents and sayings as 'regional'. This is incorrect, Ireland is not a region of the UK no more than France or Spain are.

I am not offended by people in the UK referring to Ireland as 'southern Ireland'. I think it is innocently used as a term to describe the area other than northern Ireland and it is not meant to be offensive. I do agree with the OP about the lack of knowledge in the UK about your nearest neighbor. I think many here, particularly those too young to remember past troubles think that all of Ireland is part of the UK just like Scotland. I have been asked by work colleagues if Dublin was in Northern Ireland. They were also very bemused that being from 'southern Ireland' that I had a different passport

Ahem

Part of the Rhineland too, apparently. And the other Dutch provinces.

Blimey there are 12 of those provinces! I didn't know that bit.

I think I must once have met a very exacting Dutch person who insisted on correct names. She was possibly the equivalent of a Scot or Welsh person.

But that's not the problem, zookeeper. For me, 'southern Ireland' is exactly that: the south of Ireland and Wexford is included in that term (or to be very exact, the south-east of Ireland...).

I'm from the North-West of Ireland, however, so if someone asks me where I'm from and I say 'Ireland' and they say 'Southern Ireland' then I have to correct them as it's just wrong. I'm not from Southern Ireland. I used to respond: 'No I'm from the West of Ireland'. Cue confused look on interlocutor's face. If I was feeling snarky, I would say: 'Ireland has four cardinal points, just like every other country, y'know!'

Three islands in the Caribbean???? Gosh!

See, now this is getting confusing. I live in the Low Country. In ulster. In Northern Ireland.

That's what's been wrong all along. We are all actually Netherlandish.

Sorry Maryz! Missed that one!

Isn't "Gelderland" a great name? Sounds like something out of the Princess Bride.

I totally agree that this is a pain in the arse. People saying Southern Ireland annoys the tits off me.

all blow-ins, invaders and illegal immigrants yourselves, True. My genes include bold brave viking explorers, Boadica's Iceni and a smiggen of badger.

Oh no! not Holland now. I propose numbering all states for ease of use.

England (1)
Northern Ireland (2)
Ireland (2.5)
Angola (3)

The Antilles?

Anyway, absolutely fascinating as this all is, I have to go to choir.

tráthnóna maith
Noswaith da
goedenavond
?????? ????? - for good measure

Do the Dutch get quite so worked up about The Netherlands being called Holland? What does it matter as long as the meaning is conveyed and there is no untoward intent?

What are you singing tonight?

Don't know. Haven't got there yet! Some Cornish ditties, no doubt.

About how shitty Londoners closed the tin mines. Enjoy.

:o

LessMissAbs I think Dutch people who don't live in Holland mind (at least some of the ones I have met do). Presumably you are English and have never felt extremely irritated when someone refers to the UK as England?

My Gran used Southern Ireland so is that a generational thing (born 1902ish, Protestant, forced by the Black & Tans to test if the well water was poisoned ) or ok because she came from Mallow, County Cork?

My mum went back for a family wedding (Catholic side) and during the shaking hands bit exiting the church the Priest reminded her of the dreadful things that Cromewell had done to Ireland. My mum pointed out that he'd done some dreadful things to the poor of England too and used our local high church as a stable for his horses. He turned away rather hurridly.

OP. I know exactly what you mean.

95% of people I speak to get my name wrong. It seems to me only Scandinavian people, and incidentally also Pakistani people can manage to get my name right.

I am called all sorts of variations under the sun.

But you know what, I have learnt to smile and nod. These days, I answer to anybody addressing anyone by name containing something relatively similar to my syllables.

I am sure Ireland does the same.

Name changed for this. Believe you me there are a lot of people to who these semantics really matter. I do a lot of writing in my job but am not allowed to use the phrase 'Northern Ireland'. It involves a lot of creativity to come up with a suitable descriptor. A lot of the time I use 'the North' but sometimes it just doesn't work.