Spotlight on English-speaking countries

1. Spotlight on English-speaking countries

2. English-speaking countries

The UK government classifies the following overseas
countries as majority native English speaking:
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
The Bahamas Barbados
Belize
Canada
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
New Zealand
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
The United Kingdom
The United States of America

3. The united kingdom of great Britain and northern Ireland, The united states of America, Canada, Australia, new Zealand

The biggest English-speaking
countries

4. The united kingdom of great Britain and northern Ireland

5. The UK was created in 1707. However, at that time it included only the kingdom of England and the kingdom of Scotland. In 1801

Formation of the UK

6. The United Kingdom of GB and NI

Member
Capital
England
London
Scotland
Edinburgh
['edɪnb(ə)rə]
Wales
Cardiff
Northern Ireland
Belfast

7. London

The Romans founded London
on the River Thames in 43
AD. Its name is derived from
the Celtic word Londinios,
which means the place of the
bold one.
London (then called
Londinium) had also been the
capital of Roman Brittania,
but during the early days the
Roman administration was in
Colchester (Camulodinum)
London did not become the
capital city of England until
the 12th century.
Winchester was the capital
of England before London.

8. Edinburgh

began as a fort.
Its origins as a settlement can
be traced to the early Middle
Ages.
In the 7th century the English
captured this part of Scotland
and they called this place
Eiden's burgh (burgh is an old
word for fort).
By the middle of the 14th
century was being described as
the capital of Scotland.

9. Belfast

The history of Belfast as
a settlement goes back to
the Bronze Age.
The name comes from
Irish Béal Feirste,
meaning ’’mouth of the
sandbacks’’
Belfast was made
the capital of Northern
Ireland in 1920.

10. Cardiff

began as a Roman
fort (in about 55 AD they
built a fort on the site of
Cardiff).
Cardiff was proclaimed the
capital of Wales only in
1955 (Wales did not have an
official capital before that).
Caerdyf (Welsh word) has
its origins in the words
meaning “the fort of the
Taff”
The River Taff is a large
river in Wales.

11. Names of members

– ‘Engla land’, meaning the land of the Angles –
a Germanic people who settled in Britain.
•Scotland – ‘Scoti’ – dark because of the mist.
•Wales
– Volcae – walha, variably spelled
as walask, walahisk, walhisk etc. 'strange, foreign,
Romance.'
•Ireland – Éire – Ériu – a Gaelic goddess –
the matron goddess of Ireland, a goddess of sovereignty, a
goddess of the land
•Great Britain – Britannia – inhabited by the Britons – an
ancient Celtic people.
•England

12. English-speaking countries The UK – Great Britain

Union Jack
Coat of Arms

13. Union Jack

It is made up of three
crosses. The upright red
cross is the cross of St.
George, the patron saint
of England. The white
diagonal cross is the
cross of St. Andrew, the
patron saint of Scotland.
The red diagonal cross is
the cross of saint
Patrick, the patron saint
of Ireland.

14. Coat of arms

The coat of arms represents a
quartered shield. In the first and
fourth quarters you can see lions
which symbolize England, in the
second there is a rampant lion and a
fleur-de-lis [flɜ:də'li:] which symbolize
Scotland and in the third there is a
harp for Ireland.
The shield is being taken by a
guardant lion (a symbol of England)
wearing St. Edward’s crown and a
unicorn which symbolizes Scotland.
Under the shield you can also see a
flowerbed with Tudor roses (England),
a thistle (Scotland) and a shamrock
(Ireland).

15. Symbols of the UK England

16. Lion

It traditionally symbolizes
bravery, strength, and
royalty, because historically
it has been regarded as the
king of beasts.
The lion seems to have
shown up on individual
English royals' coats of arms
back in the 12th century,
and it was certainly used by
continental royals and semiroyals before William the
Conqueror got himself
across the Channel. Later, it
was simply incorporated
into English royal coats of
arms, which were in turn
incorporated into
British/United Kingdom
arms.

17. Tudor rose

Once upon a time there
were two dukes in Britain.
The symbol of the first one
was a red rose of the
second one was a white
rose. They were at war for
the throne of England. The
winner was the duke
whose symbol was a red
rose. So, when he became
the king he made this
flower the symbol of the
country. This war is known
as the Wars of the Roses in
1455-1485.

18. Symbols of the UK Scotland

19. Thistle

Legend has it that at some
point during the invasion
the Norsemen tried to
surprise the sleeping
Scottish warriors. In order
to move more quiet at night
the Norsemen removed
their shoes. But as they
were barefoot they came
across an area of ground
covered in thistles and one
of them unfortunately stood
on a thistle and screamed in
pain. The Scottish woke up
and the important role that
the thistle had played was
recognized and so it was
chosen as Scotland's
national emblem.

20. The kilt

For anyone of Scottish
ancestry, the kilt is a
symbol of honor for the
clan which they
belong. The kilt is more
than just a covering. In
the past it allowed those
who wore it to move
much more freely,
especially in the
Highlands of Scotland.
Bagpipe: The bagpipe is
the national instrument
of Scotland.

21. Symbols of the UK Wales

22. The Daffodils and the leek

Why the leek? The legend
says that St David advised
the Britons on the eve of a
battle with the Saxons, to
wear leeks in their caps so
that they could easily
distinguish friend from foe.
This apparently helped to
secure a great victory.
Why daffodils? Possibly the
reason why the daffodil is
used as an emblem is that
the word for daffodil and for
leek are the same in
Welsh (Cenhinen = Leek,
Cenhinen Pedr = Daffodil).
This confusion means that
both have been adopted as
national emblems.

23. Symbols of the UK Northern Ireland

24. Shamrock

Why a shamrock? It was
the Celtic druids who
started the shamrock on
its path to Irish glory! They
believed the no. 3 to be a
perfect number and, as
such, to have mystical
powers. Then St Patrick
according to legend used
the plant to illustrate the
Christian concept of the
Trinity i.e. to show how
one God divided into
three: God the Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit.

25. harp

Why a harp? While its
earliest origins are lost,
the Irish harp has a
certain history dating
back at least 1000 years.
Brian Boru, the last High
King of Ireland (1014), is
said to have been an
accomplished player. It
was de rigeur for Scottish
and Irish kings and
chieftains to have their
own resident harper who,
in turn, enjoyed high
status and special
privileges.

26. Patron Saints

27. Saint George

The Patron Saint of England is
Saint George.
It seems that the Emperor
Diocletian had St. George tortured
to make him deny his faith in
Christ. However despite some of
the most terrible torture even for
that time, St George showed
incredible courage and faith and
was finally beheaded in Palestine.
The best-known story about St.
George is his fight with a dragon.
In the Middle Ages the dragon was
commonly used to represent the
Devil.
According to one of the legends.
St. George killed a dragon on the
flat topped Dragon Hill in
Uffington, Berkshire, and it is said
that no grass grows where the
dragon’s blood trickled down.
His Day is celebrated annually on
23 April.

28. Saint Andrew

The Patron Saint of Scotland is
Saint Andrew. Not much is
known about the life of St
Andrew or exactly how he
came to be patron saint of
Scotland but he was believed to
have been a fisherman and one
of Jesus’ first Apostles.
He was sentenced to death by
crucifixion by the Romans in
Greece, but he requested to be
crucified on a diagonal cross as
he felt he was not worthy
enough to die on the same
shape of cross as Jesus.
St Andrew's Day falls on 30
November in Scotland.

29. Patron Saints

30. Saint david

The Patron Saint of Wales is
Saint David. March 1st is St.
David’s Day.
In medieval times it was
believed that St David was the
nephew of King Arthur.
According to legend David
performed several miracles
during his life including
restoring Paulinus' sight.
It is also said that during a
battle against the Saxons,
David advised his soldiers to
wear leeks in their hats so that
they could easily be
distinguished from their
enemies, which is why the
leek is one of the national
emblems of Wales.

31. St Patrick

The Patron Saint of Northern
Ireland is St. Patrick. There is
a cultural and religious
celebration held on 17 March.
Saint Patrick is given credit for
banishing the snakes from
Ireland, sending the broods into
the sea. To this day, there aren't
any native snakes in Ireland. The
banishment of snakes is probably
an allegorical explanation for
Patrick confronting and defeating
paganism. As depicted in
medieval art, pagans often
worshipped snakes. The absence
of snakes is more likely to be
caused by the remoteness of the
island. Fortunately, Ireland was
inaccessible for snakes to reach.

32. British National Anthem

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.
Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign.
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN9EC3Gy6Nk

33. Britannia

There is a national
personification of the UK.
The personification is
called Britannia.
Britannia is simbolized as
a young woman with
brown or golden hair ,
wearing a helmet and a
white robe. She holds a
trident and a shield
bearing a union flag. The
symbol appeared in the
17th century after James I
brought together England,
Scotland , Wales and
Ireland under one rule.

34. Britannia

The symbol of Britannia has been used for thousands of
years, but who was this mythical female warrior, seated on a
shield in her Corinthian helmet, holding a trident with the
British lion at her side? Britannia was, in fact, the original
Latin name given to Great Britain, when it was first occupied
by the Romans in AD 43. The Romans made her a goddess
and her originally bare-breasted figure, holding a spear, first
appeared on a Roman coin 100 years later, during the reign
of Antoninus Pius. With the creation of the United Kingdom
in 1707, Britannia became the figurehead of British imperial
and military power. Now bearing the Union Flag on her
shield, she became a more prominent national emblem,
linked to the Navy, at a time when Britannia did indeed
“rule the waves”.

35. Rule Britannia!

When Britain first, at Heaven's command
Arose from out the azure main;
This was the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain:
"Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:"Britons
never will be slaves.“
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHNfvJc9
9YY

36. The united states of America

37. The USA

is a federal republic consisting of 50 states
and a federal district (Washington DC) . Capital city is
Washington.

38. Washington DC

Founded on July 16, 1790,
Washington DC was established
by the Constitution of the
United States to serve as the
nation’s capital.
George Washington, the first
president and namesake of the
city, chose the site.
DC = District of Columbia
From "Columbia," a name
commonly applied to the Unite
States in the late 18th century
derived from Christopher
Columbus who discovered
America in 1492.

39. Stars and Stripes

It consists of 13 equal
horizontal stripes of red
(top and bottom)
alternating with white ,
with a blue rectangle.
The 50 stars represent the
50 states of the USA. And
the 13 stripes represent
the 13 British colonies
which declared
independence from Britain
and became the first states
in the Union.

40. The Great seal of the United States

In the centre there is a
shield almost similar to the
American flag. However,
there are no stars and the
stripes are white (not red).
The supporter of the shield
is a bald eagle. It holds 13
arrows (symbolizing 13
states) and an olive branch
(a symbol of peace) with 13
leaves and 13 olives.
In the eagle’s beak you can
see a scroll with the motto
Et pluribus unum (Out of
many, One).
There is also a motto which
says In God We Trust.

41. Symbols of the USA

42. The bald eagle

was chosen
June 20, 1782 as the emblem
of the United States of
America, because of its long
life, great strength and
majestic looks, and also
because it was then believed
to exist only on this continent.
It is said the eagle was used as
a national emblem because, at
one of the first battles of the
Revolution (which occurred
early in the morning) the noise
of the struggle awoke the
sleeping eagles on the heights
and they flew from their nests
and circled about over the
heads of the fighting men, all
the while giving vent to their
raucous cries. "They are
shrieking for Freedom," said
the patriots.

43. Uncle Sam

The most cited origin story
traces Uncle Sam back to a man
in Troy, New York.
Sam Wilson delivered meat
packed in barrels to soldiers
during the War of 1812. Wilson
was a well-liked man, and local
residents called him "Uncle
Sam."
When people around town saw
those supply barrels marked
"U.S." they assumed the letters
meant Uncle Sam, and the
soldiers adopted the same
thinking. In reality, Wilson had
labeled the barrels "U.S." for
"United States," and so the two
ideas merged—Uncle Sam
became a symbol for the United
States of America.

44. The Star Spangled Banner 

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the
perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly
streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still
there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1wLtAXDgqg

45. Similar symbols of the UK and the usa

American Beauty Rose (an
official flower of the District
of Columbia)
Tudor Rose (English symbol)

46. American beauty rose

In 1875 it was brought to
the USA.
It was introduced as a
new rose cultivar named
'American Beauty‘.
Due to its high price per
stem (at least two dollars
per stem) and its
popularity, the cultivar
was called the milliondollar-rose.

47. Similar symbols of the UK and the usa

The national tree of England –
the oak-tree
Scarlet oak (an official tree of
Washington DC)

48. Canada

49. English-speaking countries Canada

50. Ottawa

is the capital of Canada.
The origin of the name "Ottawa"
is derived from the Algonquin
word adawe, meaning "to trade".
The small logging town was
chosen as the country's new
capital on December 31st, 1857
Queen Victoria herself was asked
to choose a capital for the
province of Canada, which at
that time consisted of the two
colonies of Quebec and Ontario,
and there’s a story that she
simply stuck a hatpin into a map,
between Toronto and Montreal.
Another story has her choosing
Ottawa because she had liked
landscape paintings of the area

51. Coat of arms

The word Canada is
believed to come from
the word Kanata which
means “village” or
“settlement”.
The coat of arms as you
can see is quite similar
to the British one.
However, some Canadian
symbols have been
added. For instance, the
famous maple leaf which
you can also see in the
flag.
You can also see a motto
which says A Mari usque
ad Mare which means
From sea to sea.

52. Canadian symbols

53. Maple leaf

One of the most
recognizable Canadian
symbols is a maple leaf (or
a maple tree). Why? Well
before the coming of the
first European settlers,
Canada's aboriginal
peoples had discovered
the food properties of
maple sap, which they
gathered every spring.
According to many
historians, the maple leaf
began to serve as a
Canadian symbol as early
as 1700.

54. The Maple Leaf Tartan

was
created in 1964 by David
Weiser in anticipation of the
100th anniversary of Canada's
confederation in 1967. It was
designed to be worn by
Canadians as a symbol of
national pride.
The colors of the maple leaf
through the changing seasons
became the basis for the
design.
The pattern incorporates the
green of the leaves' summer
foliage, the gold which first
appears in the early autumn,
the red which appears with
the coming of the first frost,
and the brown tones of the
fallen leaves. The design
proved to be very popular
throughout Canada.

55. Canadian National Anthem

Official English
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons
command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p
kSZFx1_Qxw
Official French
Ô Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons
glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

56. Australia

57. English-speaking countries Australia

58. Canberra

European settlement in the
area can be said to have begun
in 1824.
There are three alternative
theories for the derivation of
the word 'Canberra'. First, that
it came from the name of the
property 'Camberry Station' on
which the center of Canberra
was later built.
Second, it was named after the
profusion
of
Cranberries
growing in the area.
Third, the word Canberra is
derived from the renditions
into written English of the
name of the location Ngambri.
The Australian Capital Territory
was declared on 1 January
1911.

59. Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows
the main symbols of the
country such as a
kangaroo and an emu
['i:mju:].
The shield in the centre
shows us the coats of
arms of different parts of
Australia such as New
South Wales (The Red
Cross), Victoria,
Queensland, South
Australia, Western
Australia and Tasmania.
The motto is Advance
Australia.

60. Australian flag

The flag shows us a blue
field with a Union Jack, a
large white seven-pointed
star which symbolizes the
Commonwealth and 5
smaller white stars which
represent the Southern
Cross constellation.
The Southern Cross is the
best known and most
represented star group in
the Southern Hemisphere.
It can be seen all year
round from almost
anywhere in Australia.

61. Australian symbols

62. kangaroo

Australia has been long
associated with
kangaroos. However,
kangaroos are only
unofficial national
mammal emblems.

63. a golden wattle

It is a tree which flowers in
late winter and spring.
When in flower, the golden
wattle displays the national
colors green and gold.
Gold means images of
Australia’s beaches, mineral
wealth, grain harvests and
the Australian wool.
Green evokes the forests,
eucalyptus trees and the
Australian landscape.
The golden wattle is a
symbol of unity.
In recent times, the golden
wattle has been used as a
symbol of remembrance and
reflection.

64. Australian National Anthem

Verse 1
Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r
ErvPnd-2E
Verse 2
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

65. New Zealand

66. English-speaking countries New Zealand

67. wellington

In 1865 Wellington became the
capital city in place of
Auckland.
Wellington takes its name from
Arthur Wellesley , the first
duke of Wellington in the
English county of Somerset.
It was named by the original
settlers of the New Zealand
Company in recognition of the
Duke's strong support for the
company's principles of
colonization .
The New Zealand Company was
a 19th century English company
that played a key role in the
colonization o f New Zealand.

68. New Zealand

The flag shows us a
version of the Union
Jack combined with the
constellation of Crux in
the Southern Red Cross.
Beginning in the colonial
age, Crux became used
as a national symbol by
several southern
nations. The brightest
stars of Crux appear on
the flags of New
Zealand, Australia,
Brazil, Papua new
Guinea and Samoa.
It plays an important
role in navigation.

69. new Zealand Coat of arms

The first quarter of the shield
shows four stars that represent
the Southern Cross, then three
ships symbolizing the importance
of New Zealand's sea trade. In the
second quarter a fleece
represents the farming industry.
The wheat sheaf in the third
quarter represents the
agricultural industry, and the
crossed hammers in the fourth
quarter represent mining.
The supporters on either side of
the shield are a Māori Chieftain
holding a taiaha (a Māori war
weapon) and a European woman
holding the New Zealand Ensign.
St Edward's Crown, shown above
the shield, was used in the
Coronation ceremony of Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

70. New Zealand. Symbols.

71. kiwi

Kiwi is a national symbol and icon
of New Zealand.
The name of the bird – Kiwi
comes from the language of
Maori (indigenous NZ people). It
means “hidden bird”.
It is now believed that only 200
birds are left in the wild.
The association between Kiwis
and NZ is so strong that often the
word Kiwi is used to refer to the
people of New Zealand. Kiwi
appeared as a symbol for the first
time in the middle of the 19
century when it is pictured on
New Zealand regimental badges.

72. Silver fern

Ferns are an unofficial symbol
of New Zealand’s national
identity. Their dominance in
native bush, and their
importance as food and
medicine, led to their common
use as design elements in
traditional Māori carving.
Today, the koru is used as a
commercial logo for Air New
Zealand.
Today’s New Zealand Post uses
the silver fern for marketing
its stamps, and it has also
appeared on coins, banknotes
and the nation’s coat of arms.

73. National Anthem of New Zealand

Māori verse: "Aotearoa" English verse: "God
Defend New Zealand"
God of Nations at Thy feet,
E Ihowā Atua,
O ngā iwi mātou rāĀta In the bonds of love we
meet,
whakarangona;
Hear our voices, we entreat,
Me aroha noaKia hua
God defend our free land.
ko te pai;
Guard Pacific's triple star
Kia tau tō atawhai;
From the shafts of strife and
war,
Manaakitia
Make her praises heard afar,
maiAotearoa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dPcj_aC8f God defend New Zealand.
k