---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people say England, they sometimes…"
description: "\"When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles, - but never England.\" — George M..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/george-mikes-4493_britain_when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-m_2762878.png"
---

#  When people say England, they sometimes mean Great…

![“When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles, - but never England.” quote by George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/george-mikes-4493_britain_when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-m_2762878.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/george-mikes-4493_britain_when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-m_2762878.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/george-mikes-4493_britain_when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-m_2762878.png)

> “When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles, - but never England.”

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often misuse "England" to refer to larger political entities, causing confusion.

**In simple terms:** England is often misused for larger regions.

Key Takeaway

Use precise geographic terms.

Themes

language geography identity

Mood

educational critical

Type

explanatory analytical

When to use this quote

- travel writing
- news reporting
- academic lectures

Key Concepts

national terminology political geography

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we conflate these terms?
- What are the consequences of such misuse?

A Different Perspective

Historical context shows the term's evolution, complicating clarity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Great britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-britain/) [Kingdoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdoms/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [United kingdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-kingdom/)

## Related quotes

> [It is equality of monotony which makes the strength of the British Isles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/it-is-equality-of-monotony-which-makes-the-strength-of-the-british/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [For William Cecil and others in Elizabeth's Council, whose sense of Catholic conspiracy and threat governed their political thinking, England's security lay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-brigden/for-william-cecil-and-others-in-elizabeth-s-council-whose-sense-of/)

Susan Brigden

> ['A Naval History of Britain' which begins in the 7th century has to explain what it means by Britain. My meaning is simply the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-rodger/a-naval-history-of-britain-which-begins-in-the-7th-century-has-to/)

[Nicholas Rodger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-rodger/)

> [When I was younger, I was in love with everything about the British Isles, from British folklore to Celtic music. That was always where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/when-i-was-younger-i-was-in-love-with-everything-about-the-british/)

[Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/)

> [Without history we are infants. Ask what binds the British Isles more closely to America than to Europe and only history gives a reply.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-jenkins/without-history-we-are-infants-ask-what-binds-the-british-isles-more/)

[Simon Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-jenkins/)

> [I like the relative literacy of at least some of England. I mean, I didn't come for the food or the weather!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-like-the-relative-literacy-of-at-least-some-of-england-i-mean-i/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [“For a quarter-century British governments had tried and failed to combine economic growth, increased social service provision and a high level of employment. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morris-roberts/for-a-quarter-century-british-governments-had-tried-and-failed-to/)

[John Morris Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morris-roberts/)

> [The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-will-remain-indispensable/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [“Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, honestly believed that he could reason with Adolf Hitler in good faith. Now, most history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/neville-chamberlain-the-prime-minister-of-the-united-kingdom-honestly/)

Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One

> [The country I live in is never clear about its name. My passport says 'the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/the-country-i-live-in-is-never-clear-about-its-name-my-passport-says/)

[Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/)

> [But I love filmmaking - I'm not ashamed of that. You're sort of vilified if you say that in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-driver/but-i-love-filmmaking-i-m-not-ashamed-of-that-you-re-sort-of-vilified/)

[Minnie Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-driver/)

> [“Like they say in England, why buy a dog and bark yourself?’ Back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/like-they-say-in-england-why-buy-a-dog-and-bark-yourself-back/)

[Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/)

> [Will you say England belongs to other nationals because they are there in largenumbers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/will-you-say-england-belongs-to-other-nationals-because-they-are/)

[Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/)

> [I have been in tournaments before where people would say, 'England should win this game,' and we didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/i-have-been-in-tournaments-before-where-people-would-say-england/)

[Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/)

> [What I say about 'This Is England' is they're like my best friends back home. Normal, working-class, beautiful people who I'm creative with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-socha/what-i-say-about-this-is-england-is-they-re-like-my-best-friends-back/)

[Michael Socha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-socha/)

## More by George Mikes

> [THE British are brave people. They can face anything, except reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-brave-people-they-can-face-anything-except-reality/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [The British suffer from a most unfortunate superiority complex - unjustified even under Victoria and most certainly hopelessly out-of-date today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-suffer-from-a-most-unfortunate-superiority-complex/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [Remember that those five hundred words an average Englishman uses are far from being the whole vocabulary of the language. You may learn another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/remember-that-those-five-hundred-words-an-average-englishman-uses-are/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [English humor resembles the Loch Ness Monster in that both are famous but there is a strong suspicion that neither exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/english-humor-resembles-the-loch-ness-monster-in-that-both-are-famous/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [“Before you are admitted to British citizenship you are not even considered a natural human being. I looked up the word natural (na’tural) in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/before-you-are-admitted-to-british-citizenship-you-are-not-even/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [“In the last century, when a wicked and unworthy subject annoyed the Sultan of Turkey or the Czar of Russia, he had his head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/in-the-last-century-when-a-wicked-and-unworthy-subject-annoyed-the/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [“While all this goes on, the English remain staunch believers in equality. Equality is a notion the English have given to humanity. Equality means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/while-all-this-goes-on-the-english-remain-staunch-believers-in/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [I asked many friends if Australian anti-intellectualism was still a living force and they all told me it was. If you are above average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/i-asked-many-friends-if-australian-anti-intellectualism-was-still-a/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [Once you start buying first aid kits you start having accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/once-you-start-buying-first-aid-kits-you-start-having-accidents/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [“Mr S. got angry. ‘Yes, I do have a son. He’s a good-for-nothing. A dead loss.’ I couldn’t ask which prison he was in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/mr-s-got-angry-yes-i-do-have-a-son-he-s-a-good-for-nothing-a-dead/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [“I have been told that my above-described theory is all wrong and is only due to my Central European conceit, because the English do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/i-have-been-told-that-my-above-described-theory-is-all-wrong-and-is/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [Rich people (in Australia) have swimming pools in their gardens but, at least, they do swim in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/rich-people-in-australia-have-swimming-pools-in-their-gardens-but-at/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [“An average English house combines all the curses of civilisation with the vicissitudes of life in the open. It is all right to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/an-average-english-house-combines-all-the-curses-of-civilisation-with/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [Australia objects to the mini-skirt not on moral but on economic grounds. Australians are no prudes and the lovely, healthy, sporty Australian girls have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/australia-objects-to-the-mini-skirt-not-on-moral-but-on-economic/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

> [The Art of Conversation could not die in Australia; it never lived. Television did not kill it; there was nothing there to kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-art-of-conversation-could-not-die-in-australia-it-never-lived/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

[Explore all 110 George Mikes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

## More Britain quotes

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/)

[Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/)

> [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/)

[Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/)

> [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/)

[Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/)

> [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/)

[Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/)

> [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/)

[Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/)

> [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/)

[Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/)

> [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/)

[Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/)

> [I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-think-the-first-person-to-call-me-britain-s-obama-was-martin-bright/)

[Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/)

> [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/)

[Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/)

> [ As for whether what happened in Britain improves\[Donald\] Trump's chances of winning, I don't think so. He has the same chances; we may just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/as-for-whether-what-happened-in-britain-improves-donald-trump-s/)

[Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/)

> [Britain, like other European states, is not and never will again be in the top-world-power league, so its male leaders can afford to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/britain-like-other-european-states-is-not-and-never-will-again-be-in/)

[Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/)

> [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/)

[Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/)

> [It was very hard breaking into the film industry in Britain. I had been to art school, and I was painting and doing commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/it-was-very-hard-breaking-into-the-film-industry-in-britain-i-had/)

[Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/)

> [Germany has always stood for an E.U. of the 27 countries. But in light of Britain's continued resistance to further integration steps, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/germany-has-always-stood-for-an-e-u-of-the-27-countries-but-in-light/)

[Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/)

[Browse all 1,648 Britain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles, - but never England.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Mikes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-mean-great-britain-sometimes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Britain"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-mean-great-britain-sometimes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/george-mikes-4493_britain_when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-m_2762878.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/george-mikes-4493_britain_when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-m_2762878.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/george-mikes-4493_britain_when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-m_2762878.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the…” — George Mikes",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "George Mikes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When people say England, they sometimes...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-mean-great-britain-sometimes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/when-people-say-england-they-sometimes-mean-great-britain-sometimes/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
