"The Mainland"

GreenHell

Was reading an article on NME.com http://www.nme.com/news/107397.htm it uses the phrase "the mainland" in relation to ireland and england this is the first time I've come across this on the web and it bugged me. Anyone have any input on this?

mike65

Get a life! Nah I know what you mean, if the reference was to Norn Iron then to talk of the (British) mainland would be perfectly correct (politically and factually) if not PC from a nationalist point of view. However to make such a reference with regard to the Republic is just plain iggerant.

Mike.

eth0_

Greenhell - I saw that yesterday, I was pretty disgusted and emailed them to complain.
It's incredibly ignorant.

ixoy

Sorry has this article been altered? I can't see anything to take offence. Is the bit you mean:

The band’s Irish success has mirrored that on the mainland, with the single ‘Take Me Out’ hitting number 13 on the Irish chart.

The sentence is clearly meant to be read as: "The band's Irish succes has mirrored that of the mainland." It's saying they've done as well here as they have on the mainland (the UK) and isn't including us in it...

embee

I think the problem with the word 'mainland' is that Ireland is being referred to as a secondary island, belonging to the UK.
IMO they should have worded it

'The bands Irish success has mirrored that of the UK'

So as not to cause offence.

Specky

You're surprised and offended by the ignorance of a journalist?????

Blimey....you must spend an awful lot of time being surprised and offended.


:rolleyes:

You see and hear this sort of error in the US press all the time but no-one makes a fuss. Is this thread just good old Brit Bashing again?

simu

The sentence is clearly meant to be read as: "The band's Irish succes has mirrored that of the mainland." It's saying they've done as well here as they have on the mainland (the UK) and isn't including us in it...

But it's bullshít... we're both islands neither of which is more "main" than the other. The mainland is continental Europe.

eth0_

Originally posted by simu
But it's bullshít... we're both islands neither of which is more "main" than the other. The mainland is continental Europe.

Wrong. Northern Ireland is a territory of the United Kingdom, just like the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Shetland islands etc. So people in Northern Ireland can (quite correctly) refer to the land mass which comprises England, Scotland and Wales as 'the mainland'. Depending on your political pursuasions, of course.

simu

Originally posted by eth0_
Wrong. Northern Ireland is a territory of the United Kingdom, just like the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Shetland islands etc. So people in Northern Ireland can (quite correctly) refer to the land mass which comprises England, Scotland and Wales as 'the mainland'. Depending on your political pursuasions, of course.

Yeah but he says Irish, not Northern Irish.

embee

Originally posted by simu
Yeah but he says Irish, not Northern Irish.

Vast majority of people in the North would state either "Irish" or "British" as their nationality. They wouldnt put 'Northern Irish' on a form etc. So, when Irish is said, it would really imply the Republic. In my opinion, of course.

bonkey

Assuming the author is British, then what he says is perfectly correct. Great Britain consists of several territories, the largest of which is quite often referred to as "the mainland".

Its a British publication (isn't it?), written from a British perspective. I don't see anything offensive in that.

jc

eth0_

Originally posted by bonkey

Its a British publication (isn't it?), written from a British perspective. I don't see anything offensive in that.

jc

It's offensive because he was referring to Ireland as a whole, not Northern Ireland. Great Britain is NOT the mainland of Ireland, and hasn't been for quite a long time. Perhaps someone should send the NME back to school.

BuffyBot

I take it life is quiet at the moment if this is all that worries people...

bonkey

Originally posted by eth0_
Great Britain is NOT the mainland of Ireland, and hasn't been for quite a long time.[/B]

Nor did the author claim it to be.....but if you want to take offence at the slightest possible hint of something which can be construed as insulting....then go right ahead. No skin off my nose.

I live in Switzerland. I frequently refer to the land-mass I live on as "the mainland", especially when talking to Irish people. In this case, do you immediately assume that I'm talking about Europe or Switzerland?

Why then do you not assume that the person in question could be referring to the British Isles, as opposed to The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland???

Similarly, if I - as a resident of Switzerland - were to say that I think the American values are different to those here on the mainland, am I being disrespectful to Americans?

Lets not forget that most/all of their land was - at some point - under the control of European nations......so surely such a comment must be offensive by your standards????

jc

Zombrex

I think it has been changed -

The band’s Irish success has mirrored the band's feats in the UK, with the single ‘Take Me Out’ hitting number 13 on the Irish chart.

woohoo .. small victory for Boards against the brits

simu

I live in Switzerland. I frequently refer to the land-mass I live on as "the mainland", especially when talking to Irish people. In this case, do you immediately assume that I'm talking about Europe or Switzerland?

Why then do you not assume that the person in question could be referring to the British Isles, as opposed to The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland??
[\QUOTE]
Yeah but Ireland is part of Europe although it's not on the mainland. Ireland isn't part of the UK and even though some people accept the term British Isles, I personally find it offensive and I'm not the only one to think so.

Similarly, if I - as a resident of Switzerland - were to say that I think the American values are different to those here on the mainland, am I being disrespectful to Americans?

That dosn't make sense. You'd have to say "here" or "here in Europe".

Zombrex

Originally posted by bonkey
Why then do you not assume that the person in question could be referring to the British Isles, as opposed to The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland???

But Ireland is not a satellite island of England. Both Ireland and England are satellite islands of Europe, so if you were French or Swiss and said the mainland then you would be talking about the main continent of Europe. But to say the "mainland" in connection to Ireland and England makes no sense unless it is referring to Ireland as a satellite island of England itself, which it hasn't been for 80 years (and some would say never ways in the first place).

Tommy Vercetti

Anyone fancy a pint?

Victor

Originally posted by eth0_
Wrong. Northern Ireland is a territory of the United Kingdom, just like the Isle of Man, Guernsey,

The Isle of Man and Guernsey are not part of the UK, but crown dependancies. They have their own parliaments, they are not subservient to Westminister.

The Brigadier

Just so you know people in Northern Ireland are not British - even Ian Paisley.

They are subjects of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain - but it is part of the U.K.

dr_manhattan

" But Ireland is not a satellite island of England. Both Ireland and England are satellite islands of Europe, so if you were French or Swiss and said the mainland then you would be talking about the main continent of Europe. But to say the "mainland" in connection to Ireland and England makes no sense unless it is referring to Ireland as a satellite island of England itself, which it hasn't been for 80 years (and some would say never ways in the first place)."

this is the funniest thread ever. Good lord. But i can't resist the dumbness -

Okay, Ireland and england are not, by implication, sattelite countries of europe when europeans say "the mainland" to distinguish from the "british isles".

So why is ireland, by implication, a sattelite of england, when english people say "the mainland"?

Is it, by any chance, because of a massive post colonial inferiority complex? Or does this really have grounds in grammar or semantics?

Zombrex

Originally posted by dr_manhattan
Okay, Ireland and england are not, by implication, sattelite countries of europe when europeans say "the mainland" to distinguish from the "british isles".

So why is ireland, by implication, a sattelite of england, when english people say "the mainland"?

Is it, by any chance, because of a massive post colonial inferiority complex? Or does this really have grounds in grammar or semantics?

Er, not following you about the whole "implication" thing and don't think you read my post correctly :rolleyes:

Victor

Originally posted by James Melody
Just so you know people in Northern Ireland are not British - even Ian Paisley..

Have you seen his birthcert and passport?

The Brigadier

I have actually seen his passport. He was brandishing it around on a tv interview about 2 years ago.

The point is he is a UK national but not British....

A fact I doubt he would like to be told!:p

Absolam

I hear it a lot from UK colleagues in work, and it DOES infuriate me. The company I work for operates in Ireland, the UK, Sweden, France, and Spain. Yet UK people consistently say 'back on the mainland'. When I reply 'no..France and Spain do it differently' they think I'm being a thick Paddy! IMO..Europe, if anywhere, is the mainland. Ireland, & Great Britain, are islands. You can tell...there's water in between us and 'the mainland'!

secret_squirrel

Originally posted by James Melody
The point is he is a UK national but not British....

Actually technically he's a resident of the UK, but a British Citizen (just to confuse matters) So he is British, by citizenship if not by place of birth. (Assuming he was born )