Is English a nationality, a language or both?
English is both a nationality and a language. If you were born in England, you can describe yourself as either English or British. Some people will not use British because of the term’s connotations but it’s a valid way of describing your nationality. But it’s fine to describe yourself as English. That’s what I do.
From the Act of Union in 1707 England ceased to be a nation, but with Ireland and Scotland (Wales annexed earlier) became the political state of Britain. All persons within this geographical area became British Citizens and would be considered from then to this day a British National, or in short a Brit. Confusion arises since today the British isles are populated by peoples from numerous countries of origin with their own ancestry, but according to the state elite we are still all British Nationals. England has existed since the lands of the Angle (Anglalond) in the areas Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia form the 4th and 5th centuries, later to encompass saxon settled lands. The present spoken English language is grounded in the Old German spoken in their day.Those with proud ancestry derived from the early English settled families to this day consider themselves Englishmen/women, and a part of the ethnic english peoples, who continue to converse in their native English language. T
