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English Channel

R

Rodone

What is wrong with the kids of today about current affairs - and the geography that they are taught. I asked one of them recently what he thought of all of the timber on the South Coast as a result of the sinking of the Ice Princess. After a moments thought he said," Do you mean the one that scraped the bottom of the bit between us and France?"
 
Perhaps he was being politically correct and by avoiding any reference to the name, didn't want to offend the Continentals who would never accept that it's the English Channel.
 
The English have never claimed it as THEIR Channel, no more than the Irish have claimed the Irish Sea or the Chinese claimed the South China Sea or the Japanese claimed the Sea of Japan. Do the Norwegians claim the Norwegian Sea as theirs?

Your comment about being PC is nearer the truth though.

I always find it strange that the language of diplomacy is French so diplomats internationally communicate in French.

The language of communication is English so air/sea communications for example are conducted in English with one exception. French pilots can only speak French when over French airspace. Obviously they haven't the commitment to Europe as some would have us believe or as many left wing teachers as we have in the U.K. filling our childrens heads with political correctness crap :O)
 
During a recent BBC local radio program, the presenter and a BBC news reader were discussing the shortest distance between England and France.

The BBC news reader estimated it to be about 500 miles.

I kid you not!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I see your point M'lord but it does seem strange that only the English refer to the 'bit of water' between England and France as the English Channel. In all other languages that I am aware of it's called (literally translated) The Sleeve or The Sleeve Channel, without reference to either England or France.
 
I suppose we call it the English Channel because we are not part of the mainland. It probably goes back to our naval history as explorers/navigators where they charted the seas and many parts of the world were named by British navigators or those in the employ of the crown, like Cabot.

I would prefer to call it the English Moat because it has served us well in deterring invasions from Philip of Spain, Louis XIV of France, Napoleon and Hitler.
 
Of course it's the English channel. French and German's were unable to beat us to claim it.

So others should show respect :- "English Channel" not hard is it
 
They,(the French), call the English Channel " The Sleeve, " because, on a map, it looks the same shape as a sleeve. Now, where did I hang my anorak.....??
 
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