To Anglophiles: what do you see?

After seeing the London riot thread I became interested in Anglophilia - or the love of English/British culture. So to Anglophiles, purely out of interest, what makes you like Britain so much? And do you know the difference between 'British' and 'English'? And what the Commonwealth is?

I know there are a few people on here who call themselves Anglophiles.

 

Well, from what I understand, "British" refers to the people living in the whole of Great Britain. "English" just refers to a specific group that come from England (one of the four countries/providences in the whole United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland)

As for the Commonwealth? I imagine they're seperate countries who, while not part of the UK itself, owe allegience to the king/queen (in this case, Queen Elizabeth II) of the UK.

The history's...a bit confusing, but there are aspects of it I find absolutely fantastic. I think I have an interest in Britian during the Napoleonic Wars.

Um, just out of curiosity, is it okay to be an Anglophile? XD

 

Of course it's ok. I am only interested by it, because a lot of people who clam to be Anglophiles think Britain is all Hugh Grant and tea parties.

 

*spits out tea*

You mean we aren't?

lolz. Kidding sorry. I had to couldn't resist.

 

I resent the implication it isn't. :O

 

New emote: LOT: Laughing out Tea. Clyde, you are a genius.

 

I don't think you lot are all about Hugh Grant and tea parties.

Although, I hope you aren't offended when I say that your history...is confusing. It's interesting, and confusing at the same time.

 

No we have crumpets too. And cheese.

 

And the Beatles!

 

And Butlers called Jeeves!

 

Mmmmm Jeeves. *drools*

 

And in some cases, Jeeves is the one who did the killings!

 

In the Library with the Lead Pipe!

 

Only because I ordered him to do so.

 

But usually it's because Jeeves is having revenge because his master/mistress was a right rich <expletive> who treated him like crap.

 

Yep, we're all about the class warfare

Actually, joking aside, that's pretty true. The breakdown of the traditional class system was in name only.

 

Well, I just see British history as a big vault of story ideas. =3 Stories set in Elizabeth times, stories set in the Napoleonic Wars, etc.

 

For me to say I like the English would be total sacrilege!

For the most part you're....umm...nice people?

We're all friends now aren't we?

 

I would imagine that we're all friends here. =D

 

I was more talking about the turbulent history between the Irish and the English link, but yeah, of course we're all friends here

 

Ah, the Irish and the English. There is tension there.

But for the most part, I think, you lot get along decently. Mutual respect, I guess?

 

Don't forget between the Scottish and the English too. And the Welsh and the English.

 

Oi, yes. The Scots and the Welsh too. Yeah, historically the English weren't exactly kind to them. (Didn't a fellow by the name of Edward Longshanks trick the Scots into giving up their territories?)

But I think nowadays, you all get along. It's kinda like here in the States. The northern and southern states jab at each other and make jokes about the civil war (or have heated arguments about it), Texas, every so often, likes to say, "Hey! We're gonna split!!" but never carries it out; but if worse comes to worse we're there for each other.

 

The whole world and the English basically lol

 

Well, um...I think when Britain was colonizing half the world, it was the entire country doing this, was it not?