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 remember watching S4C and understanding some of it because the words in Irish were similar.

Welsh is only a teeny weeny bit like Irish. Tis far more like Breton and Cornish. Without the Ks. And the Zs.

Irish is more like Scots Gaelic and Manx.

Anyway....

I-werth-on. The "I" is like the "i" in "in" not like the "i" in "I". And the "th" is voiced like in "the" not like the "th" in "thing".

Goddit?

This thread explains why someone got a weeny bit arsey with me recently when I said that my friend J was from Southern Ireland.
I meant the south of Ireland as in Near Bantry they must have assumed that I was doing what the op is complaining of. I'll make sure I'll say 'from the south of...' If ever in a similar situation

Haven't read all the posts but have found the info in the Op very interesting.

Although there are quite a lot of people who would not appreciate the phrase "English government".

I don't believe anyone Irish will ever refer to Northern Ireland as Ireland

I'm Irish and I refer to it as The Occupied 6 Counties.

I'm Irish and I refer to it as Northern Ireland.

Thanks for pointing out that there was a similiar thread last week, I hadn't seen that so sorry for any duplication.

I apologise for saying 'English Government", that is incorrect, and was a mistake. I don't think it is correct to say British Government either? In 1920 when the Act creating 'Southern Ireland' was enacted it was the Government of Great Britain and Ireland. Currently it is the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Happy to hear any corrections on that?

I hear that a lot of people are not interested in the correct terminology and are asserting their right to call any country whatever the heck the like. I have no interest in raking over the past etc, I am simply stating the correct and legal position.

I don't find Republic of Ireland (as a name as opposed to a description) or Éire (in the English language) offensive, I just find them incorrect.

Southern Ireland is an offensive term but I am personally not always offended when it is used. This is because 99% of the time it is used by English people who are lovely people with no inkling of the connotations. And, yes I do gently point it out irl where appropriate.

Geographically the island as a whole is called Ireland. Legally the two countries on the island are Ireland and Northern Ireland.

I do find it nice, given the acrimonious history, when we make an effort to be respectful to each other. Since moving here I have done lots of research on English customs and traditions so that we as a family can properly be a part of the country we live in. Lots of people ask me about Ireland explaining that they simply didn't learn anything about it in school.

Anyone reading this who wants to use the correct name now knows what it is and anyone who prefers to be incorrect is perfectly entitled to be so.

So I live in England and went on holiday to Ireland. When I told people where I was going they all said 'which bit, northern or southern?'. Should I have replied 'Ireland' since it was to County Cork? I think there would have been much confusion.

You say I shouldn't say 'Eire' or 'Republic of Ireland'. This is a serious question.

While we're talking in this vein may I say it's Kosova not Kosovo.
Thank you

Buttercup, you have just spoilt your own thread. By being gracious and rational.

My Dad, Tuam born and bred, referred to Ireland as Southern Ireland. Mind you, he also served in the British army in Northern Ireland, so I wouldn't view him as typical. I have not heard Ireland being referred to as Southern Ireland in years, just usually The Republic.

"British" government is a great deal more correct than "English" government :o

Maryz, that's about it. Find yourself a YouTube video of S4C coverage of a Wales-Ireland match. What do you mean, you'd "rather watch paint dry"?

I'm from Northern Ireland though I don't live there anymore. I have both a British and an Irish passport. I did Irish history both at school and some at University so have a reasonable knowledge of the history of the partition of Ireland.

My Granny always referred to the South as The Free State because that what it was called when she was a young adult. We called it 'down south' or The South. I have family on both sides of the border. I would regard anyone who was offended at Southern Ireland as being in the same category as those who used to point out, in the not so distant past, that there was no such place as Derry but it's official title was Londonderry. That is despite the fact the term Derry was in common usage in both the Catholic and Protestant community.

And it's Ukraine and not The Ukraine.

And it's the Netherlands not Holland.

Maryz - 'OK, everyone who calls Ireland Eire has to call Wales Cymru and Scotland Alba (that can't be right, what is the Scots Gaelic for Scotland?)'

Maryz - No because there is no confusion when I say Wales or Scotland but if I say Ireland people say do you mean Northern or Southern(Eire).....but I am the sort of person who would say Espagna/Italia etc etc because I am interested in languages.

Espagna?

Is that where spag bol comes from?

Hester (ignoring Maryz's appalling attempts) how would you explain phonetically "erth" becasue I couldn't think of an english phonetic sound thats quite the same.

I would still argue "ewe -ERTH-on" without a y sound infront.

I can understand Breton with my schoolgirl french and welsh. [smug emoticon]

No spag bol comes from Itaglia

It's not Itaglia you ninnies, it's official name is Itagliatelle. Very stylish people the Itagliatellians.