An Irish person would never say this

[yodelehoho]

"I'm thinking of moving to the north east, where can you recommend"

Neither would a Scottish person, not a Welsh person.

Why do English people seem to think that everything revolves around England? I see this time and time again on Mumsnet. People assuming that "North East" is flipping England.

I cannot believe how many people don't understand the OP.

I think we all understand the OP perfectly well, but the counter to her argument has generally been that the North East and the South West are recognised regions of England and the fact that other countries have north east and south west areas doesn't necessarily negate the official names of English regions. The same confusion may not arise for example if an English person said they were moving to the East Midlands. I think equally valid was the point that English people recognise the terms 'the Valleys' and 'the Highlands' as Welsh and Scottish even though we do have valleys and high lands in England too. I think the general feeling has been that this is not part of that English conspiracy to ignore our neighbours.

north america=canada and u.s.a
than theres central and south america
just sayin

I think Bernicia should do a land grab from Scotland and The North West and reclaim their historic rites. Just because people cannot recognise proper nouns.

I have eaten crisps, they were red, salt and vinegar by Walkers, not very exciting.

I think you are just being pedantic for the sake of it.

But this is a UK website which overseas people happen to use

Yes, see, I think this is the problem. People in Scotland and Wales and NI are in the UK too, and Scotland and Wales aren’t ‘overseas’. Describing people from the other nations of the UK as “a few foreigners” will get people’s backs up a tad

?????????????????????????????????????????

I wasn't describing the other nations of the UK as foreigners. I said that this is a UK site that a few foreigners happen to use - I have seen people from Ireland (south of the border) who are not British and are therefore foreign, Australia, and the US. Oh and Germany/France. Some of those people may be British living in those countries, others are from those countries or elsewhere. But the website is mainly used by people in the UK.

I am not sure where I said that people in Scotland, Wales or NI were foreigners.

I am not sure where I said there was a watery channel between England and Wales, and England and Scotland.

Indeed, without looking through my previous posting history you would not know from my post where I was based so you are making assumptions, that I am English in England, too.

You also assume everyone in England is English, there are an awful lot of people in England who are not - and are either from other parts of the UK or elsewhere.

The OP has also sweepingly called the English 'presumptuous' and asked: 'Why do English people seem to think that everything revolves around England?' It's a pretty unpleasant tone. If another question were asked beginning 'Why do Scottish people seem to think' or 'Why do the Irish seem to think?' then people would be pissed off by crude generalisations made on the basis of nationality.

Still a different set up to the UK though. Our weird set up and history within that makes it unique and there's no harm in people actually thinking about the other viewpoints. You might still disagree but at least give it some head space rather than an automatic eye roll and talks of chips on shoulders.

What I don't understand is people in Ireland who talk about the 'North'. As in Norn Iron. Disregarding Donegal altogether.

Rubbish, you seriously don't think the North East is a recognised term for regions of other countries too and it only applies to England!!
If I'm talking to other folk in Scotland and talk about going to the North East everyone presumes I'm going to Aberdeen area.
If I was talking about it on the web I'd say the NE of Scotland to clarify, because I know that other countries have NE regions too. It is arrogance and ignorance.

I see people say they're in the west of Scotland, which to me is wee villages with a whole lot of scenery in between. Now I'm seeing so many people say the west, I'm thinking they're talking about Glasgow and that area? When I say the north of Scotland I mean Caithness and Sutherland.

@mikeyssister

Yes Brennans! So moist! So generously cut!

Elendon it's all in the capitalisation. There is a crucial difference between The North and The South, and north and south

I'd join a Welsh'net' Sa'n dda siarad Cymraeg mwy efo Mamau eraill

West: salt and vinegar
East: salt and sauce
Anything north of Perth: dunno, probably in Gaelic.

Think that’s about it

I really want to know where the north east is in Ireland. Someone please enlighten me.

I know nothing about Scotland, to my shame, it's a huge country though, that much I do know.

@wave but why is crisp sandwich more noisy than just eating crisps alone, the bread is soft. It makes no sense, I need answers.

Would a panini be less quiet? I had a lovely one today

Elendon Because Donegal is in the South and The North is different.

But you can't speak in capitals. Obviously north is Donegal? (When it should be the north west because after all the west of Ireland?)

I think the annoyance comes from the fact that Mumsnet is a UK site, including England, Scotland, Wales and NI. Scotland is north of England, so if someone mentions on this UK site that they are going north, then the assumption may be that they are going to Scotland as that is the furthest north part of the UK. But it usually actually means the north of England, not the UK. It perhaps doesn't annoy the English

The 4 nations are not the same thing. Believe it or not OP, most English people are as aware of this, as other members of the home nations are. Therefore when we are on a site with 80% English people it makes sense that we will say 'North East' and mean England, not Scotland. If we meant Scotland, we would say so.

I do think this is a thinly disguised attempt to have a pop at the English - it's certainly bad manners to criticise the way people choose to describe the regions of their own country.

I know Donegal is in Ireland. (I have a family home there)

What percentage of non-English people would you need to have before assuming they don’t count and getting ratty with them for asking you to clarify? Asking for a friend...

@Ignore I don't know your right it is I think its the fact that when you actually bite into it you squish the other crisptoo and so its all of them making the noise, But it is so satisfying the Crunch!

It depends on whether you want other people to know where you are talking about. If I talked here about the north east people would visualise the north east of their own country or assume I meant England.
I think you only realise how irritating this is if you don't live in England.
No other UK country assumes on a website that everyone is talking about their country if they don't specify a country.

I really want to know where the north east is in Ireland. Someone please enlighten me

like I said, Louth is the NE. East Meath, even North County Dublin, all NE Ireland.

It's all about context, and "the north" and so on will refer to the northern regions in their country.

An Irish friend (who has lived in England for thirty years, but visits "home" frequently) goes to the north when he goes to Sligo (NI is not the north to him, it's a different country) and to the south if he's going to Mayo.

(Can't say I've ever heard him refer to going north east Elendon, but I'd say it is County Meath.)