I was just watching some episodes of the British program QI, and “The Civil War” was mentioned, with it apparently understood that they meant the American Civil War. There was no prior context leading one to believe that they were specifically talking about America.
Now, it’s not a surprise that Brits would know about this part of US history–in fact, I’d hardly be surprised if the average Brit knew more about it than the average American. But there’s been no shortage of civil wars on the British Isles, so I found it a bit surprising that The Civil War would automatically refer to America.
Is this actually a British thing? What about other English-speaking countries, or other countries in Europe? Has Hollywood been so successful that the US has earned rights to The Civil War?
Due to context (English, it’s the Dope), I thought the War Between the States.
When I heard the same expression in the UK I knew it meant “Cromwell”; the other “British” (actually English) Civil War that comes to mind is the War of the Roses, but I always have heard it called by its own name.
Without a bit more context or a cue, I would have more likely have thought of the English Civil War. But the US Civil War wouldn’t have been far from my thoughts, either.
The similarity in thread titles is a little creepy: Non-Americans: If I say “The Civil War”, what do you think of?
Non-Americans: When I hear “The Civil War”
American here, and I honestly first thought was the concept of civil wars in abstract. Then I thought Iraq. Then I thought “Galactic Civil War” from Star Wars. But I am kind of tired at the moment.
In English (and on an US-centric-board like the Dope), I would think of the American one. First, because it’s often discussed on the Dope (why did it start? Slavery, no it was complicated, yes it was slavery after all; How would it have gone if battle _____ went different), second because of the series “Fackeln im Sturm” (North and South) with Patrick Swayze back in the 80s about it; third because other wars are specified: the Spanish civil war, the English civil war etc.
In my own language, without context, I would ask back which one. Most of the time there is context however.
You don’t have a link to the clip do you? It’s very suprising to me, as I’ve never heard ‘The Civil War’, when said in England, refer to anything but the one we had in the 1640-1650’s.
This isn’t just QI doing one of the “You think I’m talking about ‘a’, but really I’m talking about ‘x’!” things is it?
It would be pretty rare to hear it mentioned without context helping you out. With no context at all, I’d first think Cromwell, then the American one. If talking to an American, then I’d have no doubt that unless they specified otherwise, they were referring to their own civil war. I wouldn’t think the War of the Roses as that’s called the War of the Roses (and is, incidentally, a much cooler name!)
It was between separate states (ie Osterreich und Preussenland) which while ethnically all part of the German nation not the same country at the time so its not a civil war
