When asked how many "kids" I have, my usual response is "sorry, I don't have any goats."

Savior, I think you're being polite. If they assumed you had kids, they must have been calling YOU an old goat!

Our favorite breakfast waitress here always says "what are you kids having today". Since we're both seniors, it makes me smile.

"Calling people from English-speaking countries Anglo-Saxons is a PC thing, Ira? Speaking for myself, I find it a very odd thing to have my ancestors converted to an entirely different ethnicity and history. And looking around the streets of London or New York, I have a hard time imagining anyone calling that slice of humanity Anglo-Saxon.

And Audere, I have seen the term used here to describe more than political or economic systems but opinions and tastes as well. "

Nikki, whether we all like it or not, the French have got into this habit of describing all the english-speaking peoples as 'anglo-saxons', lumping all our economic practices, politics and cultural habits under one umbrella. Like it or not, they see us all as one big scary anglo-saxon massive. They generally use it when they're slagging us off (does that phrase translate?), or wringing their hands about the encroach of 'anglo-saxonism' into their culture, language or lifestyles. So, as with most things, blame the French!

Hi Nikki,

>Calling people from English-speaking countries Anglo-Saxons is a PC thing, Ira?

From a certain viewpoint, yes.

I agree that it is not accurate.

((I))

Re Anglo Saxon:-

The 'Anglo' part refers to the English who being predominantly fair skinned and fair haired (thanks to the Vikings!)looked like angels (aahh!) to the southern mediterranean races; and 'Saxon', comes from the German people of the same name.

It used to be a term specific to British people residing in the South and Esatern parts of England.

Or 'Eastern' even!

So make it clear to me not to offend:

when i read something on a British forum or someone who is from UK but i'm not sure if they're Welsh (a perjorative adjective by the way in the U.S.), Irish, Scottish or English) how should i most politely refer to them as??

Obviously Anglo-Saxon is silly and offends the Cornish, etc. as well as several million immigrants.

Speaking of Anglo-Saxons, do people still use the term "WASP" any more? I haven't heard that in ages.

Yes, the term WASP is still used quite frequently in the atmosphere I work and live in here in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a very racially divided city, in my opinion. But, people don't like to talk about it.

Well, to most of us "British" would be fine.

You do get daftosities sometimes.
I think that somebody objected to the term "British Isles" once because it might offend the Irish.
Goodness knows what they thought that we should call 'em, "European offshore Isles" perhaps?

The only people who you could offend with the term "British" are the Irish - they really don't like being called it. Having said that, most of them accept it in good heart if it's an honest mistake - they do live in the British Isles after all.

There are a load of names for the various peoples of Britain - jocks, taffs, geordies, cockneys, mancs, scousers etc.

Me? I'm a soft, shandy-drinking, southern ponce.

The revolting at the word British surprises me and seems silly.

I once wrote something about the Thames being Britain's 2nd or 3rd longest river and such a complain quickly came. I then pointed out that i copied the term from a London tourist office brochure - obviously written by a Brit!

For the record:

I'm 95% Irish by ancestry. I'm perfectly happy if the French call me anglo-saxon (though I'd prefer it to be Anglo-Saxon) as a shorthand for believing people make better decisions about how to run their economy than corrupt politicians.

And I'm proud to use the term Anglo-Saxon to describe a group of English-speaking countries (including Ireland) with an inbuilt preference for free markets, the rule of law and vigorous, pragmatic scepticism to all grand projects.

It's Ireland's Anglo-Saxon heritage that have made ther country one of the world's richest, after the Celtic fantasies of its first President blighted the lives of millions of Irish men and women. And who's the greatest Anglo-Saxon of all? Adam Smith: a Scot.

The original Angles came from Angeln which is the area on the Baltic coast of Germany to the south of the Flensburg fjord, and the Saxons came from Saxony which is further south and is also now part of Germany. Much of England was settled by Danes and Germans until the Normans invaded in 1066, but the Normans were Vikings who'd settled in northern France.

Here in my office in Brussels they refer to anyone from Ireland, England, US as the "common law" people. Granted most of my colleagues here are lawyers. But they refer to the Common Law people with a bit of distaste. Thats cos their funny laws are all written down in a big phone book.

Along the lines of this thread: http://tinyurl.com/2ujsva, what about replacing the term <i>Brit</i> with <b>The Uk-ish</b>? ;-)

Marginal Margiela--

&quot;Philadelphia is a very racially divided city, in my opinion. But, people don't like to talk about it.&quot;

Well, the mainline is generally two races and the rest of the city is many others, and brotherly love is just a slogan, but it isn't much different than any other city as far as that goes. I think it's kind of a refreshing place, after all; I mean, returning from New York, Philadelphia seems downright bucolic!

I'm 1.72m tall and a Brit or Welsh depending on the audience!

Disappointed that most people seem to still use imperial measurements but not surprised. The metric system is so much easier but old habits die hard. I was taught the metric system in school and then taught science myself (metric).

Anglo-Saxon

There is nothing derogatory in French about the word &quot;Anglo-Saxon&quot; especially when referring to &quot;Anglo-Saxon countries&quot; as opposed to Latin countries. Think of the French legal system for instance : it is more &quot;Latin&quot; or rather Roman than the the US, British, Canadian, Australian, etc.. ones.

I have not seen the anti-Semitism or racism in other places that I have lived like I have in Philadelphia.

For example, I was at a reception two years ago and two very prominent WASP women refused to shake the hand of Lenore Annenberg when it was offered to them, all because the Annenbergs are Jewish. I was absolutely shocked at the slight. This is Lenore Annenberg for Gucci's sake.

I also have heard many people complain in the art and antique world when Jews or blacks outbid them at auctions.

I have also seen a whole room full of white diners turn and stare when blacks enter exclusive restaurants.

I am sure this happens in other cities in America, but I am only writing about my own personal experience.

I'll never forget years ago here in Naples, Florida when I was ushering at a community theatre production of Fiddler on the Roof, when two people stormed out of their seats through the lobby five minutes into the show. &quot;We came here to get away from the Jews, we're not about to watch a play about them&quot;. I was in shock. Not so much by the anti-Semitism, which was fairly common here, but by the fact that anybody could be so stupid that they didn't know Fiddler on the Roof was about Jews!

But apparently in French we are all Anglo-Saxon together. No need for anti-Semitism or racism then.

You know, this is the progression.

Europeans call the Americans Yanks.

Americans call those that live in the north Yanks.

Northerners call those from New England Yanks.

New Englanders call those from Vermont Yanks.

I guess the Europeans think we are all from Vermont :)

Seriously, though - calling the folk from the British Isles Anglo-Saxon is ignoring the last 1000 years of history! Sure, there is a good chunk of Angle and Saxon blood in British veins today, but you've also got Celt, Roman, Norman(Viking), other Vikings, Briton, and Picts... as well as recent immigrations of Indian, Polish, Armenian, and all sorts of others...

Calling a country by a racial name just doesn't cut it, IMHO. Especially a country as culturally rich as, say, the UK or USA.

Stepping off my soapbox now :)

Oh, and if you think Scots don't mind being called Brits, say that in a Glasgow Pub one night. Go ahead.

A certain subset of New Englanders around the greater Boston metro area would have a real problem with having anything about them being referred to as a &quot;Yankee&quot; ;)

PalenQ:

<i>but i'm not sure if they're Welsh (a perjorative adjective by the way in the U.S.)</i>

Did you mean &quot;welch&quot; as in to &quot;welch on a bet?&quot;

I'm a bleedin' Yank barstid, and I unhappily weigh more than 1.4 million grains, though I stand but a mere four cubits high.

Hmmm, maybe welch is a variant on welsh. Never knew it as a slam against the Welsh.

The 'Anglo' part refers to the English who being predominantly fair skinned and fair haired (thanks to the Vikings!)looked like angels.&quot;

Bluff! Anglo, Aenglish, English etc comes from the same root as angling. Means fisherman.

To start a tangent, I predict the dissolution of the UK in the not too distant future.

UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, Northern Irish Assembly.

Errr aren't we missing a Parliament for the majority of the Nation?

Tellingly, the 300th Anniversary of the Union of England and Scotland is passing unnoticed.

I heard tell tell that they were going to produce a commerative stamp, but nobody knew which side to spit on.

The 'Anglo' part refers to the English who being predominantly fair skinned and fair haired (thanks to the Vikings!)looked like angels.&quot;

Bluff! Anglo, Aenglish, English etc comes from the same root as angling. Means fisherman.

To start a tangent, I predict the dissolution of the UK in the not too distant future.

UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, Northern Irish Assembly.

Errr aren't we missing a Parliament for the majority of the Union?

Tellingly, the 300th Anniversary of the Union of England and Scotland is passing unnoticed.

I heard tell tell that they were going to produce a commerative stamp, but nobody knew which side to spit on.

&quot;Tellingly, the 300th Anniversary of the Union of England and Scotland is passing unnoticed&quot;

It didn't go unnoticed in Scotland.

My local newspaper had an interesting article about a book written by an Oxford geneticist, Stephen Oppenheimer &quot;The Origins of the British, A Genetic Detective Story&quot;.

Here is a tiny link to the story:

http://tinyurl.com/yve5mf

Well it looks like you've got your replies so I will just add i'm 5'3 and leave it at that :-)
I don't mind being called a Brit and it's better than being called a soap dodger by an ozzie dude I used to know :-)))

Well this has been most interesting, lol! I certainly did not mean to rile anyone up. When I posted &quot;Brit&quot; I did mean those in Enland btw, not the other countries of the British Isles.

My question has been answered and for that I thank you.

And if you think Brit is an insult you should hear what we in the SF/Bay Area of California are sometimes called!

I'm always amused by Aussie &quot;jokes&quot; about soap dodgers.
I think that it must be a sort of inverted cultural cringe.
It may be in response to our stereotype of a bloke in a sweaty singlet with corks round his hat.

I'd never until now heard the term &quot;soap dodger&quot;, but a mate of mine, originally an English immigrant, is fond of exclaiming on entering the pub &quot;Jeez, I'm dry as a Pommy's bathmat!&quot;

The metric system was accepted pretty quickly and comprehensively here, but there are some few instances where the old Imperial units are just more convenient, and I think it will take a while to shake them off - mainly feet and inches for height, and we still pump the car tyres up to 32 psi, not some number of kilopascals.

Americans might not like &quot;Yank&quot;, but at least it beats &quot;Septic&quot; (rhyming slang - septic tank = Yank), or the derivative &quot;Seppo&quot;.

WASP has always struck me as a silly term - I mean, how many black, brown or yellow Anglo-Saxon Protestants do you know? In Australia the term &quot;Anglo-Celtic&quot; is now more common I think. But given that latest DNA research it seems that distinctions between the Anglos and the Celts have no racial basis anyway, so it's all a bit pointless. I'm sure our Irish cousins won't have a problem with being called Brits.

&quot;When I posted &quot;Brit&quot; I did mean those in Enland btw, not the other countries of the British Isles.&quot;

Then you should have said English! LOL, actually I don't care if you call me a Brit, I think it sounds quite affectionate. Our national music awards are called the Brit Awards and nobody seems a bit bothered about that. I find all the whinging from 'some' Scots, Welsh, English and Cornish for that matter really boring. Like it or not, we ARE all British.

&quot;I'm sure our Irish cousins won't have a problem with being called Brits.&quot;

I think you'll find they'd have a HUGE problem with it, considering they actually AREN'T Brits (Brit being a British Citizen, not an inhabitant of the landmass called the British Isles).

Hi GH,

&gt;Much of England was settled by Danes and Germans until the Normans invaded in 1066, but the Normans were Vikings who'd settled in northern France.&lt;

A few thousand years before, they were all Celts.

((I))

Oh, for Heaven's Sake - are you so ignorant that you don't know that the UK is part of the EU?

It wouldn't surprise me at all. Sort of parr for the course.

And that the EU is metric - ditto..

And Neil_oz is your yardstick?. You are obviously so ignorant that you don't know that Oz means Australia.

But none of that should be a surprise. Welcome to idiot land. Do you have any idea how much you are LOATHED.

Clearly the absolute best source for information about the UK would be the UK. Clearly you are too stupid to find out via Google.

If I had one wish right now it would be that Americans stayed at home. I find it hard sometimes to wonder why they would want to leave the good ole USA seeing as it is so totally without flaw. I mean - your way of life is so perfect that you have killed thousands in Iraq - cos they are not like you; not Christian; not greedy capitalists - whatever it is that you need them to be

I propose a ban on all Americans entering Europe until they see sense.

As they say. &quot;You can tell a Brit, but not much&quot;