Too large? Too diverse? What like EUROland you mean? Do you have a problem with EUROland being ‘too large’ and “too diverse” as well? I don’t think your argument is valid. I smell the stench of hypocrisy!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article5729048.ece

and Wiki Answers:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_north_sea_oil_owned_by_the_shetland_islands

That’s why I find Netherlands a blatant example where a regional culture, language going ‘national’.

@Robin; because Holland, Limburg and Friesland aren’t states any more (well they’re still provinces, but the provinces don’t have any real power) they used to though be during the Dutch Republic, well except for Limburg which was part of Spanish/Austrian Netherlands.

I’m not sure what your question (nor your clarification) has to do with my previous post though.

I`m trying to follow this. You accept there is a British and an English identity, but you dont think that Britain or England is the best way to govern this island or the English part of this island. You dont advocate the rule from the counties – which also have identities. You prefer the governance to be from a newly made identity under the tutelage of another newly made identity.Althouh the people can still feel attached to their old identities. Is that a fair summing up ?

The second point -I will clarify. The conversations I had (subject in the above post) would be with Dutch people who were aware of my knowledge about their country.I think that other nationalities interest in the location of where you feel domiciled is usually limited to your country or state.(eg Peru and Texas ).

On your second point, the reason people from Friesland or Limburg would say that they are from the Netherlands is simply because “the Netherlands” is a well-known term for the broader area, whereas Friesland and Limburg are less known. I’ve met numerous Dutch people from Holland who say they are from Holland, however. But that’s partially because “Holland” and “the Netherlands” are often, albeit falsely, regarded as synonymous. (To be really pedantic, we should insist on calling the Netherlands “the Dutch Netherlands”, as much of what was once identified by the same name is now contained within the borders of Belgium.)

By the same token, when I’m overseas and people ask me where I’m from, I usually answer “London” – because London is well-known enough for further geographical pinpointing to be unnecessary. Were I from Bracknell or Hull, I’d no doubt find myself being less specific, as they are significantly less well-known. When I used to live in Sussex, however, I’d normally answer “Sussex – on the south coast of England”. (Or, if I was being really specific, “a village at the foot of the South Downs, outside Eastbourne, on the Sussex coast in the south-east of England”…)

None of these usages have anything to do with my own national/regional/local identity – it’s all about helping the person I’m talking to to get a better idea of where I live in terms that they are likely to understand. You’ll also notice that, frequently, if someone asks where you’re from and you simply answer “England”, they’ll follow up with “Oh, whereabouts?” – because saying you live within the borders of a particular nation state is only vaguely useful in finding out who you are and where you’re from.

Why do people from the Netherlands tell me they are from the Netherlands ? Why dont they say they are from Holland, Friesland or Limburg ?