[tz] [PATCH] Minor changes to iso3166.tab

[Brian Inglis]

On 2016-11-16 21:30, Clive D.W. Feather wrote:
>>>> I would also change "Britain" to "United Kingdom",

The UK government agrees -
Country names: The Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for
British official use:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/521595/Country_Names_PDF_May2016.pdf#page11
FCO current list of approved British English-language names for
countries and territories:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/541084/country-names.csv/preview#GB

>>> "Britain" appears to be considerably more popular in English.

> Not so. It's often used colloquially within Great Britain, but it is
> politically contentious. It's like using "Holland" for "The
> Netherlands" or "Maine" when you mean "New England".

Or using The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, Canadian Maritimes vs
Atlantic Canada, Atlantic provinces instead of the other, or thinking
either includes Quebec, which has an Atlantic maritime coast.

Over the last decade, Britain seems to be used most commonly as a
short form for the island of Great Britain, in contrast to the island
of Ireland (another long name dispute settled only in 1985).
Otherwise it seems to be used in England implying the whole of the UK,
without stating the regions actually involved, or by Unionists.
A breakdown of its use by region in the UK would be enlightening.

I like the Wiki Venn diagram (see legend for distinctions):
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:British_Isles_Euler_diagram_15.svg

>> Great Britain is now considered a geographical term for the main
>> island,
  
> Not just "now". For a while after the Act of Union the "official" terms
> were "North Britain" and "South Britain" (rather than "Scotland" and
> "England") to emphasise the union. [See, for example, the North British
> Railway.]

A century earlier, by James VI/I, referring to the Union flag to be flown
on ships http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/; still used of
ports during the reign of George II, referring to import/export subsidies
and tariffs administered in Edinburgh and London. Online references
indicate the terms were used mainly in or of Scotland in the 17th and
18th centuries, especially by those who were Unionists.

Psst: "England and Wales" - don't want beaten to death by daffodils! ;^>

-- 
Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada