Show of hands...

[jake-the-peg]

AOG thinks the term Brit is offensive - I suspect he's in a minority.

If you're British do you find being refered to as a 'Brit' offensive

[joggerjayne]

I hope it's not offensive.

On another thread, I just described Victoria Coren as a "Brit girl"

=0/

[RATTER15]

As im proud to be British, shortening the name to "Brit" is really not a problem.

[Clanad]

From an outsider's view point; I sue "Brits" when referencing "Englishmen" (or women to be totally PC), simply because it seemed to be entirely acceptable. I grew up on WWII movies where they were called such by General Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower, John Wayne, Clark Gable, Bob Hope and a host of others... usually in an affectionate or at least equality sense. (On occasion I remember General Patton having just the slightest curl to his upper lip when so referencing General Montgomery, but hey! It all worked out no?)
The term seems to fit when attributing something to the more formal "English...", never denegrating.

[Clanad]

"use" (flare up of dyslexia)...

[chrissa1]

Do you find the word "Yank" offensive, Clanad my friend?

[Zeuhl]

Lonnie et al

I think you'll find your pasport contradicts you

[emmie]

I would rather we didn't use Brit, it's not so much offensive as too short. It should be British or nothing. Blame the TV pundits for this one.

[Zeuhl]

I always liked Britt Eckland

[emmie]

sure you do, isn't she a bit old for you.

[Zeuhl]

I met her recently

She's very well preserved.

But I must confess it's recollections of her Bond girl persona that are the most vivid

[emmie]

your claim to fame.

[emmie]

she's 69 didn't realise she was that old.

[Clanad]

"Yank" isn't offensive at all... it does sound a little clipped, being short for Yankee... but that really only derives from a small area of the U.S. (New England, basically.)

Having traveled a great deal, I suppose many appelations can be found offensive... but the one that has no redeeming character at all is "Gringo"... even when it's said with a "smile"... It's said with a small roll of the "r" and a steely look in the eye of the one uttering the name... not a good thing.

Kinda like "red-neck" here in the U.S. It's gained a note of respectability, especially with the country-western music crowd... but time was (not that long ago) it was about the worst thing one could call a Caucasian in the south of the U.S.

[Lonnie]

Zeuhl, Yes, it does, but the problem with our nationalities originally started with the 'Act of Union', James 1st, compunded by the last Goverment who didn't recognise England as a country.

If you look at the map of Europe, from Europes perspective, (of which we are/aren't a member), there is no England, Scotland, Wales or N.Ireland, just The United Kingdom.

So in the end, If you want to be a national of you own home country, vote to leave Europe.

But as far as I am concerned, regardless of what the Goverment tells me, I am English.

[Johnysid]

No Jake, I dont find Brit offensive but AOG's point was about people finding "***" or "***" of "***" offensive. Mind you, on Answerbank I find that I like "sh*t" in my tea, the translation for "sh*t" being Sugar!

[Johnysid]

When I was in Merida I read in a short history of Mexico that "Gringo" was used because when the US Soldiers invaded the used "Green Grow the Rushes O!" as a marching song (the US invaded quite often). So yanks are "Green Grows".