I agree, the Union Flag is the flag of Great Britain. Although Union Jack is in more common use, officially it is only known by that name if flown on a naval vessel at sea.
The name 'union jack' was first used to describe the flag before the jackstaff was invented, so it can't come from that. It may even be that the jackstaff was named after the flag. The Admiralty has said that it can be called the union jack wherever it is flown. In any event, everyone calls it the union jack, so that's what it is.
Well you should, Erik :0) Parliament decides what the flag is called, and parliament has decided the flag is called the Union Jack. It doesn't really matter where the name originally came from (though it's a misconception born out of beer and pedantry that it came from the jackstaff), Parliament says it's called the Union Jack and so that's what it's called. And certainly for the purposes of this quiz, 'Union Jack' is the correct answer.
Yeoman has far too general a meaning. Beefeaters are specifically Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary. There are lots of other sorts of yeomen, such as the Yeomen of the Guard, and in an historic sense yeoman were also members of society who cultivated their own land - somewhere just below landed gentry.
only know i see it as beef-eaters, before i read it as bee-feathers... had never heard of it, but i think somewhere in the last few years i did hear beef-eaters. I atleast remember thinking, ow do the guards have a special name?!
I think you're being too specific. Beefeater is so informal, quite vulgar indeed. I'm a french speaker and I never heard that word before taking this quiz... we just call them yeomen. Finally, why not just refer to the wikipedia page and call them "Yeomen warders"?
Seriously, at what point are the British going to come around to the concept that a national animal should: a) be native to the country and b) actually exist... in reality?
Yes! Unicorns and Dragons are not animals. They are mythical figures. So that's very wrong to call them "national animals". "Lion" is also on the line...
Other countries constrain themselves with "native" and "real" animals and end up with silly little creatures like beavers or chickens as their national animal!
Why not go all out and have a fire-breathing monster instead? It's not like it actually means anything...
Hmm. tschutzer must not be aware of the jackalope, the state animal of South Dakota, which is just as imaginary as dragons & unicorns. In all seriousness, who cares if dragons & unicorns never existed? That's what Wales & Scotland have had as their national animals for centuries. I'm American & think both dragons & unicorns are pretty cool, as are Wales & Scotland (& have ancestors from both places).
Britain was once stalked by huge lions, researchers at Oxford University have discovered.
The wild animals were 25 per cent bigger than lions seen today in Africa and hunted in vast prides during the Ice Age.
It was previously thought that only jaguars and tigers roamed the British Isles during this time.
Scientists compared the DNA of super-size lion fossils found in Siberia and Germany with the decomposed remains of prehistoric wild beasts found in Yorkshire, Devon and London.
The DNA matched, proving the larger lions could have been prevalent in Britain as recently as 13,000 years ago.
@ander217 O yes, I would enjoy a quiz like that, english dectective series.
I really like them. Everything seem so simple and peacefull, well besides the brutal murders ofcourse :P But I mean a stark contrast to all those horrible reality shows, where everything is about sensation and drama and being rude.
was actually watching midsummer murders before this quiz, then being the addict that i have become in the last few days... I went to take some quizes. The tv has moved on and father brown came by and now death in paradise.
One more quiz, really just one, I promise... And then I m gonna watch a few more episodes.. (I can re watch programs for a week, so do multiple in a row..)
May I suggest you re-phrase the dog bread clue? There are many god breeds typical for the UK (I typed at least four before I thought of the bulldog). I agree that bulldog is often used as a metaphor for the British people, but to say "dog breed" is probably too vague...
The flag of the UK is the Union Flag - it's only called the Union Jack when it's flown at sea, but a lot of us still call it the Union Jack regardless! :D
Shouldn't ravens count as guardians of the Tower? After all, it won't crumble if the Beefeaters all leave, or whatever it's supposed to do if all the ravens cop it.
Incorrect, the term bobbies comes from Sir Robert Peel who founded the police. He was from Bury, Lancashire. Other names they could be referred to is Peelers. This nickname is not specific to london police. (Worm is spot on)
Animal - a living organism which feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli.
Dragon - a mythical monster like a giant reptile. In European tradition the dragon is typically fire-breathing and tends to symbolize chaos or evil, whereas in East Asia it is usually a beneficent symbol of fertility, associated with water and the heavens.
Unicorn - a mythical animal typically represented as a horse with a single straight horn projecting from its forehead.
Coro, are you really saying that McLerristarr's uncles wasn't the local bobby then? How could you possibly know? I have to agree with McLerristarr, the term bobby is used throughout England - it's a common enough term.
The concept of modern policing has its roots in pre-Victorian England, when the British home minister, Sir Robert Peel (1778-1850), oversaw the creation of London’s first organized police force. In London, the policemen were so identified with the politician who created them that they were referred to as “Peelers” or—more memorably—“Bobbies,” after the popular nickname for Robert.
More than enough time - 1:20 remaining - but, I did have to spend an age on the dog breed. There are just too many for this clue to be so generic - I went through the Corgis, then the Terriers before I eventually guessed correctly. Definitely needs a more specific clue. Or omission.
English Bull Terrier, Scottish Terrier (Scottie), Welsh Terrier all exist. But yeah, the obvious answer is British Bulldog (used more commonly than English Bulldog).
If anyone would like to test their knowledge of Britain a bit further then I've created a series of "Britain by picture" quizzes which you might be interested in trying.
Like the quiz, one small thing. It's only called a Union Jack when it's flying from the Jack mast of Royal Navy ship. Any other time it's the Union Flag
"The claim that the term Union Jack properly refers only to naval usage has been disputed, following historical investigations by the Flag Institute in 2013."
"Graham Bartram, a British vexillologist who is, as of 2013, the secretary-general for congresses of the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques and the chief vexillologist of the Flag Institute, when interviewed on the BBC Broadcasting House programme on 13 October 2013, stated that either name was perfectly valid whatever the purpose. He stated that the theory that the flag should only be referred to as "Union Jack" when flown at sea was wrong."
Policeman are called 'Bobbies' everywhere in the UK, not just London. I've also though the term 'copper' sounds more London based (best said in a bad Cockney accent!).
copper is UK wide as well. I think the best London specific term is probably 'old bill.' Try saying that in a scouse or scottish or mancunian accent and it doesn't really work.
British policeman are just as often referred to as 'Old Bill.' Feel like both should be acceptable although they aren't quite similar (old bill usually applies to the police force as a whole). They do tend to be interchangable though. Eg if you see a policeman, 'it's the Old Bill' tends to be a common, if not more usual, response than bobbies
Accept God Save The King? Just because there happens to be a queen at the moment the song's probably called God Save The King and if it's written into a constitution anywhere that that's the national anthem then that's what it would be called.
I’m British and have never heard of government being referred to as either Lord Kitchener (although I know of him as an historical figure) or John Bull. I have, however, heard of Uncle Sam.
With Kitchener they are referring to the famous military recruitment posters from WW1 (“your country needs you” etc) which resembled the Uncle Sam ones. John Bull was more of a national archetype from the 18th century, although the image was also used on recruiting posters up until that war
As a Londoner, we have many nicknames for coppers here... Bobbies is not one of them. Also, I don't think the British government has been referred to as "John Bull or
Lord Kitchener" since the world wars, so not quite like Uncle Sam?
Also, I’m a merchant naval officer, and can re-assure everyone concerned that while it’s not a big deal, referring to the union flag as a jack when not flown from naval vessels is still considered a faux pas
Some people take the 'Union Flag' v 'Union Jack' thing rather seriously. Might be 'safer' to call it the Union Flag on here.
Hmm
Why not go all out and have a fire-breathing monster instead? It's not like it actually means anything...
The wild animals were 25 per cent bigger than lions seen today in Africa and hunted in vast prides during the Ice Age.
It was previously thought that only jaguars and tigers roamed the British Isles during this time.
Scientists compared the DNA of super-size lion fossils found in Siberia and Germany with the decomposed remains of prehistoric wild beasts found in Yorkshire, Devon and London.
The DNA matched, proving the larger lions could have been prevalent in Britain as recently as 13,000 years ago.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1165851/How-giant-lions-stalked-Britain.html#ixzz4BcLe495T
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.The lion and the unicorn
Were fighting for the crown
The lion beat the unicorn
All around the town.
referring to the battles between England and Scotland prior to 1603 when they were unified under James I/VI
I really like them. Everything seem so simple and peacefull, well besides the brutal murders ofcourse :P But I mean a stark contrast to all those horrible reality shows, where everything is about sensation and drama and being rude.
One more quiz, really just one, I promise... And then I m gonna watch a few more episodes.. (I can re watch programs for a week, so do multiple in a row..)
Would you accept Yeoman Warders (the technical name for the Beefeaters)?
What is the Scottish connection?
Dragon - a mythical monster like a giant reptile. In European tradition the dragon is typically fire-breathing and tends to symbolize chaos or evil, whereas in East Asia it is usually a beneficent symbol of fertility, associated with water and the heavens.
Unicorn - a mythical animal typically represented as a horse with a single straight horn projecting from its forehead.
"Graham Bartram, a British vexillologist who is, as of 2013, the secretary-general for congresses of the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques and the chief vexillologist of the Flag Institute, when interviewed on the BBC Broadcasting House programme on 13 October 2013, stated that either name was perfectly valid whatever the purpose. He stated that the theory that the flag should only be referred to as "Union Jack" when flown at sea was wrong."
Bobby is quite correct. Old fashioned, but it is a friendly term for a policeman anywhere in the UK, including London.
There are plenty of other nicknames, but none that I can think of that implies a 'friendly policeman'.
Lord Kitchener" since the world wars, so not quite like Uncle Sam?