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A Briton is often referred to in broad terms as being an inhabitant of the geographical region of Great BritainDefinition of Briton. The Free Dictionary, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Retrieved 9 December 2005. Briton. Wiktionary. Retrieved 9 December 2005. Definition of Briton. Merriam-Webster Online or a person of British ethnic extraction, including those who identify themselves as English, Welsh, Scottish, Cornish and many from Northern Ireland (particularly Ulster Scots).
Common usage
The word's use in an historical context refers to:
- Brythons, the indigenous inhabitants of most of Great Britain in the times before the Roman occupation.
- Native speakers of the Brythonic languages.
- Their descendants in Roman Britain, and the period up to the Norman Conquest, including the indigenous inhabitants of southern Scotland at this time (referring to Brythonic Celtic speakers, as distinguished from Romans, Gaels, Picts and Anglo-Saxons).
In a modern context it is also used as a synonym for British, either in the sense of:
- A resident and/or citizen of the United Kingdom
- A person who lists their ethnic group as British.
- A person indigenous to Great Britain.
Sensitivity around use of term
The use of the term is sensitive in some areas, particularly in Northern Ireland,British? Irish? Or what? from Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland (1968 to the Present) CAIN Web Service (Conflict Archive on the INternet) and can vary in exact meaning depending on context and the author's personal prejudices. Some people prefer to identify their nationality as exclusively English (17%), Scottish (31%), Cornish (N/A)Data not available, or Welsh (21%) not British,Devolution, Public Attitudes and National Identity (2006) in Devolution and Constitutional Change, ESRC list of authors referring to aspects of their own culture and history which distinguish the nations of Britain from each other. Gene Expression article February 2005 Whether someone refers to their nationality as English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish, it does not necessarily mean that they do not also consider themselves British, or cannot be classified as a Briton, as most people do not exclusively identify with a single nationality. The use of the word in this respect remains highly subjective. The term British is also used by naturalised immigrants and their descendants. Thus Black British is common usage, particularly in England, though less so in Scotland where such groups can be, for example, Pakistani Scots.UK: 25% of ethnic minority Scots have tried drugs, The Herald, Glasgow, 02 November 2001
Famous Ancient Britons
- King Arthur -Mythical Romano-British war leader
- Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, who led the rebellion against Roman occupation in 60.
- Cassivellaunus, led the defence against Julius Caeser's second expedition to Britannia in 54 B.C.
- Caratacus, a leader of the defence against the Roman conquest of Britain
- Commius historical king of the Belgic nation of the Atrebates, initially in Gaul, then in Britannia, in the 1st century BC.
- Peredurus, legendary king.
- Prasutagus, husband of Boudica.
- Togodumnus, a leader of the defence against the Roman conquest of Britain
See also
- Alternative words for British
- British Isles (terminology)
- British nationality law
- Immigration to the United Kingdom
- List of British people - famous Britons
- List of Black Britons - famous Black Britons
- Cornish people
- English people
- Scottish people
- Welsh people
- Irish people
- Celts
- Celtic tribes in Britain and Ireland
- Gaels
- Roman conquest of Britain
- Romano-British
References
British people | British Isles | British society | Roman Britain
"Briton"