Whats the difference between Britain and Great Britain?

Question

Whats the difference between Britain and Great Britain?

Answer 1

Literally, I do not think there is a distinction when spoken of in the English language. But a 'Brit' is someone who lives in England & Great Britain is the UK, (excluding Ireland, but including the rest of that geographic area. Hope this answer helps somewhat.

Answer 2

Answer above is CLOSE.  Great Britain is the UK, excluding Ireland.

Britain is the part of the island south of Scotland - that is, England + Wales.

Answer 3

Great Britain is an Island.  On the Island are the countries of England (the largest part) Scotland (the Northern part) and Wales (the western part).

The United kingdom is Great Britain plus the Province of Northern Ireland (sometimes, erroreously called Ulster)

The UK also includes all the smaller islands EXCEPT the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man which are self-governing Crown dependencies.

Answer 4

None.

They are both used erroneously to refer to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. although Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain which is a purely geographical term for the largest island of the British Isles and only includes England, Scotland and Wales

Answer 5

Britain is a geographic entity. It is the main Island in the British Isles. It is only the main Island and does not include another island.

Great Britain is a "Political" entity, the United Kingdom of England and Scotland.

-note Wales is a Princplality of England.

Great Britain includes the islands of, The Isle of White, Rockall, Lundy etc.

However,in popular culture the two terms,Britain, and Great Britain, have be come interchangeable.

Answer 6

Great Britain usually refers to the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland) and Britain is often just used as a short form of that.

However, another way to think about it is that the British Isles have two Islands significantly larger than the rest 'Great' Britain meaning the larger one wth England, Scotland and Wales) and then you have Ireland (perhaps 'lesser Britain, though it is never referred as that to avoid insult).  

Regardless of what is intended Naz, we have to follow actual usage patterns too.

As far as I'm concerned Scotland is included in Great Britain by way of the fact that its part of the same island.

There is no definitive answer as there is a lot of different ways of using those expressions.  A wee bit complicated but thats the way the English language and culture goes.