The actual name of the sovereign state we are talking about is The United Kingdom of

這個主權國家的全名應該是

Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). The United Kingdom is made up of the countries

大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國，由四個地區:

England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

英格蘭、蘇格蘭、威爾斯及北愛爾蘭組成。

The confusion of the terms seems to revolve around the term “country” and the political

但有關"Country"這個字似乎環繞著疑問，

powers that are perceived based on that word. While the four countries that make up the

因為這個字普遍被認為代表具主權的國家。儘管組成UK的四個"Countries"

UK are considered separate in the minds of locals, and in certain sporting events, their

在當地人心中及運動賽事上常視為分開獨立的四個區域，

powers for local law and control are devolved from the UK. Think of the 50 states of the

但它們其實是經由英國政府權力下放後，才能行使自己的法律及權力。想想美國的50州，

United States, while each state has their own set of laws, they all are still under

每個州都有自己的法律，然而他們仍然

the power of the federal government. In the case of the UK, it is somewhat similar, though

隸屬於聯邦政府之下。對比UK，情況有點相似，不過

certain responsibilities are also implied, like healthcare and education, these are delegated

某些特定權責，像醫療衛生及教育係由政府委派給

to three of the four countries. The responsibilities that are delegated differ from one country

英格蘭以外的三個地區。每個地區的權限大小並不相同，

to the next. England is the only country in which the UK does not devolve any powers and

而英格蘭地區則不用經由權力下放，因為它

instead it is legislated directly by the UK government. When it comes to international

直接隸屬於中央政府。而在國際政治場合中提到UK時，

politics, it is the sovereign nation of the UK that is recognized and not any of the four

它則被認為是一個完整的主權國家，而非境內任何一個

constituent countries.

地區。

The term “Great Britain” refers to the land mass that comprises England, Scotland,

而"Great Britain"則由大不列顛島的幾個區域組成，包括英格蘭、蘇格蘭以及威爾斯。

and Wales. Something that aids in the confusion as to the difference between Great Britain

關於Great Britain和UK的差別，更讓人感到困惑的是:

and the UK is that the term is sometimes internationally used as a synonym for the UK. For instance,

Great Britain 在國際上常被用來表示UK。例如，

the UK’s Olympic team competes under the name “Great Britain” and the ISO (International

英國的奧運代表隊以Great Britain為名，而ISO則將英國的國家地區代碼

Organization for Standardization) gives the UK the country codes of GB and GBR. This can

定為GB或GBR。

be confusing given that the ISO also codes England, Scotland, and Wales as subdivision

另一個讓人困惑的原因是，ISO的區域碼中，將英格蘭、蘇格蘭以及威爾斯定為

countries of the UK but Northern Ireland as a subdivision province. If you’re getting

英國轄下的區域，但北愛爾蘭則被視為一個省。

the impression that Northern Ireland is the red-headed stepchild of the UK, you may well be

假如你對北愛爾蘭的印象，是有著一頭紅髮的英國的繼子/女(無論字面上或比喻)，

right! (both figuratively and literally, if you believe the current statistics for redheaded populations that is)

好吧那你可能是對的。(但前提是你真的相信現今關於愛爾蘭紅髮人口的統計)

The confusion over the definition of these four countries, in reference to the UK, is

在運動賽事上，對於如何定義英國境內四個地區，

further muddied up in sporting competitions. There are several international sporting events,

常讓人感到混淆不清。一些國際賽事，

like the commonwealth games, and football competitions, in which each of the four has

像是英聯邦運動會，足球比賽等，這四個地區

their own team, and do not compete under a unified national team. When competing under

都有自己的隊伍，而不是一支聯合的國家隊。在這類的國際賽事中，

these conditions, their nations are referred to as “home nations”. Because each team

這四個地區的隊伍又另外被統稱為" Home Nations"，因為每個隊伍(在歷史上)

is from a specific home country, it can lead some to think these countries have political

都來自不同的王國。這難免造成有些人會以為這四個地區

autonomy as well. Given the inebriated thought processes attained during the enjoyment of

有自治權。考慮到整個比賽期間，那些醉醺醺的球迷的思考過程，

these competitions, it's not too hard to understand where this drunken confusion comes from.

就不難了解這種讓人以為自己喝醉了的混淆稱呼是怎麼來的。

If you’re curious when these unions between the countries that comprise the UK came about,

如果你對這幾個王國何時組成英國感到好奇，

it happened as follows: England and Wales were joined in 1536. Scotland and England

過程如下: 英格蘭和威爾斯公國在西元1536年合併；西元1707年，英格蘭合併

were joined together in 1707, along with the previously joined Wales, to officially form

蘇格蘭王國，再加上之前合併的威爾斯，正式更名為

the Kingdom of Great Britain. Ireland decided to join up in 1801, at which point the United

大不列顛王國。 等到了1801年愛爾蘭王國加入，這時又再次更名為

Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed. In 1922, however, many of the Southern counties

大不列顛及愛爾蘭聯合王國。 然而，1922年，愛爾蘭南方城邦

of Ireland decided to remove themselves from the union and the UK changed their name to

決定脫離英國統治，這也讓英國的正式名稱再次更名為

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國。

So in summary:

所以，摘要如下:

Great Britain = England, Scotland, and Wales UK = England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern

大不列顛= 英格蘭，蘇格蘭及威爾斯。 UK= 英格蘭，蘇格蘭，威爾斯

Ireland (and the full name is the “United Kingdom of Great Britainㄧ and Northern Ireland”)

以及北愛爾蘭(而正式名稱為: 大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國)

England = Just the part of the island that is England

然後，英格蘭...就只是島上的一部分