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grandiose language

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MasterJedi
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20 Jun 2011, 10:34 am

why are some things names with such pomp like, "the Great Seal" or I've seen some people name their model Star Trek ships "Grand Alliance".

I'm just trying to figure out what about a seal makes it great or the alliance that makes it grand as if it's the ship to escort alliance member dignitaries to and fro.


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Descartes
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20 Jun 2011, 1:12 pm

I suppose its intent is to sound official.


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CockneyRebel
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20 Jun 2011, 1:15 pm

It drives me crazy when people say Great Britain. Just call it Britain or the UK.


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Ambivalence
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20 Jun 2011, 3:27 pm

CockneyRebel wrote:
It drives me crazy when people say Great Britain. Just call it Britain or the UK.


The country is named after the island. :roll:


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OneStepBeyond
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20 Jun 2011, 3:30 pm

CockneyRebel wrote:
It drives me crazy when people say Great Britain. Just call it Britain or the UK.


don't act like you don't think we're great ;)



Keeno
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21 Jun 2011, 6:48 am

Speaking officially is a tradition here in Lilliput, thus I speak grandiose.



YourMother
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21 Jun 2011, 7:03 am

CockneyRebel wrote:
It drives me crazy when people say Great Britain. Just call it Britain or the UK.


The "great" is a contraction of "greater", I believe, as in "the Greater London area". So...it's not like that at all.



YourMother
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21 Jun 2011, 12:14 pm

Also, Britain and the UK are different things.



pluto
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22 Jun 2011, 4:24 pm

I believe it was originally called "Great" simply to distinguish it from Brittany in France which was known as "Little Britain" to English-speaking settlers who went there. Having said that,some people use the term with the mindset that it means superior in other ways,when that wasn't the idea behind it.


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Subotai
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22 Jun 2011, 9:02 pm

These days I'll go so far as 'Okay' Britain or 'Pretty Good' Britain.