The "home Nations"

[JECK]

I keep hearing this lately. What the fk is this term about? Why are we constantly referred to as a "home" nation? What nation is it referring to?Where is it derived from? Where is this "home"?

[Angus_Young]

I keep hearing this lately. What the fk is this term about? Why are we constantly referred to as a "home" nation? What nation is it referring to?Where is it derived from? Where is this "home"?

do you genuinely not know or is there something else that's pissing you off?

I only ask as I've been hearing this term for as long as I can remember.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Angus_Young

[stocky]

from the other post more relevent here...the Romans actually called them the Pritish Isles, with a P ,Cesaer I think,
somewhere along the line the p became a B becuse someone read it wrongly.
and the British Isles they became.

I prefer the title North Atlantic Islands.

Britain is only the big main Island, the Isle of White,Lundy, Scily, Anglesay, Man,Arran, Mull, Skye Orkney etc are not part of Britain. But are part of the British Isles

Edited November 17, 2015 by stocky

[Toepoke]

Britain is only the big main Island,

The big island is Great Britain my friend. I think Ireland was previously known as Little Britain. Clearly that wouldn't wash now (obviously due to offence caused to Mssrs Lucas and Walliams )

I think the Home Nations term is just a throwback to the old Home Internationals, which were believe or not once seen as being more important than the World Cup...

[Robroysboy]

I think Ireland was previously known as Little Britain

Edited November 17, 2015 by Robroysboy

[KirkieRobRoy]

The BBC used 'Home Nations' ad nauseam in their all-UK coverage of the Commonwealth Games last year. Because Scotland wisnae to be trusted as home broadcaster.

[DonnyTJS]

from the other post more relevent here...the Romans actually called them the Pritish Isles, with a P ,Cesaer I think,

somewhere along the line the p became a B becuse someone read it wrongly.

and the British Isles they became.

I prefer the title North Atlantic Islands.

Britain is only the big main Island, the Isle of White,Lundy, Scily, Anglesay, Man,Arran, Mull, Skye Orkney etc are not part of Britain. But are part of the British Isles

It was the Greeks who used the P-form: Pritanni (Pytheas of Marseilles, late 4th century BC). Britanni was used by Strabo, and by Caesar in the 1st century. The word comes from the same P-Celtic root as Prydyn, the Brythonic name for the Picts (the Gaelic name for them - Cruithne - is a Q-Celtic form of the same word).

Edited November 19, 2015 by DonnyTJS