Self-identifying as British (was: UKer)

[Robin Hamilton]

From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>

> This might fit my notion -- the Indian immigrants had left behind
> their local concentric circles of identification/loyalty, and
> "British" was perhaps the narrowest they could  pick up with
> comfort.  (Would such a youngster decide to identify him- or herself
> as a "Glaswegian"?)
>
> Joel

The character of Angelique de Xavia in several of Christopher Brookmyre's
novels (most notably _The Sacred Art of Stealing_) is exactly that, the
child of Asian immigrants brought up in Glasgow.  To add to her identity
problems, one of which is that she's a female police officer, she's also
from a Catholic family, but supports Rangers.

Go figure.

Robin

(There's also an essay by James Kelman in _Some Recent Attacks: Essays
Cultural & Political_ [1992] which explores the way in which a Glasgwegian
answers the question, "Where you from, jimmie?", the answer given depending
on context.  Sorry I don't have the book to hand to give a more precise
reference for this.

R.)

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