:: pokes head above ramparts ::
Thanks, Dr Drake. In my Canadian-of-English-descent* naïveté, I thought that “British” (that is, non-English) was the best choice for the name of the Isles. I stand educated!
And we really need to email the author of that video.
[sub]*not the same as English-Canadian![/sub]
I always thought that historically, Celts were a language and a culture not a people.
That’s basically true,* but “Celts” is kind of a convenient catch-all term used for “people who spoke a Celtic language and presumably had quite similar cultures.” So in modern times it’s the name for a set of linguistically related ethnic groups, but it’s not an ethnic group in and of itself. It’s the subject of a lot of argument but there’s nothing better.
*The root “Celt” does show up in specific ancient tribal and place-names, but only for a subset of Celts, never for all Celtic-speaking peoples, and Celts as a whole don’t have a reconstructable name for themselves.
Like Vancouver is an American isle 
(tell that to the Canadians)
I can imagine any attempt at using ‘Celtic Isles’ meeting a lot of resistance in some parts of Northern Ireland!
Keltic not Seltic
“America” accurately applies to three continents. It’s not actually a reference to the USA.
Three? Did we take over Europe while I wasn’t looking?
Sometimes it is actually a reference to the United States. Sometimes it’s a reference to one of two continents. Like many words – including “British,” as exemplified in this thread – it does not have just one meaning.
The easiest way to think of it all is this:
There are two Islands (for the sake of argument):
2.Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)
The United Kingdom is made up is made up of Britain and Northern Ireland.
Therefore if you are born in Northern Ireland you are a resident of the UK but you can choose Irish Citizenship. People from Northern Ireland are not British, they are Irish (even Ian Paisley considers himself Irish) but northern Ireland IS in the UK.
The term British Isles is a geographical term but still implies that Ireland is part of Britain. Seeing as so many of our recent ancestors died to ensure we are separate from Britain we generally don’t like the term.
[/LesNessmanVoice] As God is my witness, I though Central America was a Continent. [\lesnessmanvoice]
I am really utterly and totally surprised by this. Did they pull a Pluto on it or something?
Nope. Central America has always been considered part of North America.
And the reason that Britain is called “Great Britain” is to distinguish it from Lesser Britain, which is the peninsula now called Brittany, in France.
So. We need a new name for “the archpelago whose two largest islands are Ireland and Britain”.
I think I understand the Irish position on this more now, because I did not associate “British” as only meaning “having to do with the state ruled by the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”.
How about the Anglo-Celtic Isles? Or are the Orangemen neither Anglo nor Celtic?
As I said I usually just refer to Britain and Ireland or Ireland and Britain. It’s not all that hard to say.
Yes, but it’s incomplete: it does not include the Isle of Man, which is clearly part of this archipelago however it’s named.
How about we call it “Voldemort”, and those that don’t that don’t like it say “the islands that must not be named”?
Fuck the Isle of Man sez I.
Leave the Isle of Man alone, anywhere that has no speed limits on the majority of its roads is alright by me. 
And it has a beautiful accent. I used to work with a woman from the Isle of Man, and her voice was exquisite. Unfortunately, she returned home to get married…
:: broken heart ::
Quite reasonable, old chap
YOU FOOKING BASTARD!
note: this was a joke.