U.K. is not a synonym of England

[ronmcd]

So what are the British Isles? Does it include Ireland and the channel islands? What about the Falklands?

Let's just call the whole thing Scotland and be done with it

[Jason]

Deal. Provided the Union Jack is binned and the flag of Scotland flies solitary over Windsor castle.

[Rum]

The Union flag without the Scottish cross is going to look a bit weird..

[Jason]

If a flag flown upside down signals 'ship in distress'.. what the hell do you do if you're running a Union Jack?

[Tyrannical]

So what are the British Isles? Does it include Ireland and the channel islands? What about the Falklands?

The British isles includes Ireland, what ever we call the big island (Great Britain?) and it's surrounding islands.

[Red Celt]

If a flag flown upside down signals 'ship in distress'.. what the hell do you do if you're running a Union Jack?

Well, it does have an up and a down. If you'll notice, the diagonal lines aren't vertically symmetrical.

But at sea, it is the St George's cross with the union flag in one corner. So it is easy to see when it is upside down (from a distance).

[Red Celt]

The Union flag without the Scottish cross is going to look a bit weird..

Needs the Welsh dragon in the middle.

It could look pretty good if done well.

[ronmcd]

If a flag flown upside down signals 'ship in distress'.. what the hell do you do if you're running a Union Jack?

this was Andy Murray amusingly holding it wrong way up

[Pappa]

So what are the British Isles? Does it include Ireland and the channel islands? What about the Falklands?

Watch the video I posted on page 2. All will be explained.

[laklak]

Not to be overly pedantic after so many well constructed and thought provoking posts, but shouldn't the thread title be "...synonym FOR England" rather than "...synonym TO England"?

[HomerJay]

Not to be overly pedantic after so many well constructed and thought provoking posts, but shouldn't the thread title be "...synonym FOR England" rather than "...synonym TO England"?

Doesn't it say "synonym OF England"?

It's not good English, it's probably a Scottish dialect.

[ronmcd]

Not to be overly pedantic after so many well constructed and thought provoking posts, but shouldn't the thread title be "...synonym FOR England" rather than "...synonym TO England"?

Doesn't it say "synonym OF England"?

It's not good English, it's probably a Scottish dialect.

I would think "FOR" is correct, but I'm not aware of "OF" being incorrect? Maybe it's an American thing (that's become common usage) : I looked up the wikipedia page for synonym, and synonym of is used every time, synonym for never used once.

So I'm none the wiser.

[laklak]

There I go getting pedantic and I misread the title.

Actually, I think you could say "synonym of".

Never mind.

[Jason]

Why do people from the UK feel the need to use full stops ala 'U.K.' as if we might think the name of their country is 'UK' pronounced to rhyme with 'yuck'?

[Pappa]

Why do people from the UK feel the need to use full stops ala 'U.K.' as if we might think the name of their country is 'UK' pronounced to rhyme with 'yuck'?

It's because the women are always menstruating.