On 2016-11-16 21:30, Clive D.W. Feather wrote:
I would also change "Britain" to "United Kingdom",
The UK government agrees - Country names: The Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British official use: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/52... FCO current list of approved British English-language names for countries and territories: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/54...
"Britain" appears to be considerably more popular in English.
Not so. It's often used colloquially within Great Britain, but it is politically contentious. It's like using "Holland" for "The Netherlands" or "Maine" when you mean "New England".
Or using The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, Canadian Maritimes vs Atlantic Canada, Atlantic provinces instead of the other, or thinking either includes Quebec, which has an Atlantic maritime coast. Over the last decade, Britain seems to be used most commonly as a short form for the island of Great Britain, in contrast to the island of Ireland (another long name dispute settled only in 1985). Otherwise it seems to be used in England implying the whole of the UK, without stating the regions actually involved, or by Unionists. A breakdown of its use by region in the UK would be enlightening. I like the Wiki Venn diagram (see legend for distinctions): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:British_Isles_Euler_diagram_15.svg
Great Britain is now considered a geographical term for the main island,
Not just "now". For a while after the Act of Union the "official" terms were "North Britain" and "South Britain" (rather than "Scotland" and "England") to emphasise the union. [See, for example, the North British Railway.]
A century earlier, by James VI/I, referring to the Union flag to be flown on ships http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/; still used of ports during the reign of George II, referring to import/export subsidies and tariffs administered in Edinburgh and London. Online references indicate the terms were used mainly in or of Scotland in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially by those who were Unionists. Psst: "England and Wales" - don't want beaten to death by daffodils! ;^> -- Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada