> >I suspect that quite a few users from Northern Ireland would > >disagree. While they live in the United Kingdom (of Great > >Britain and Northern Ireland, to give the full name), they > would take > >exception to your suggesting that they live in Britain. > > > > > Possibly, but Ireland (all of it) is considered to be one of > the British Isles, isn't it? (So I'm not sure you can say > that Britain refers to the same as *Great* Britain.) >
There is a distinction between the physical and the political. The British Isles are physical things off the north coast of Western Europe. The largest of them is Britain. The 2nd largest is Ireland. The political institution called Great Britain happens to be on the island of Britain. The United Kingdom covers Britain and part of Ireland. Bob
