What is the definition of English?

Answer 1

The commonly touted idea of Englishness is a purely artificial one put about by people wanting to sell the idea. This is the Englishness of cricket, clubs, patriotism, tea, stiff upper lip, class, public school, bowler hat, sexual repression and village green. Very little of it is true. Only 1 in 1000 English people play cricket and even less belong to London clubs. Patriotism and tea have been over by multiculturalism and Coca Cola. Public schools endure but their baby brothers the wonderful grammar schools have been abolished. The village greens have been built on to cope with a rising time of Immigration. The real essence of Englishness is in reality very little different from real Frenchness or real Dutchness, just the names vary. Respect for the the family, the law, the church, the armed forces, the monarchy and above all a passion for football. And lastly the very English sense of humour which, in a Government sponsored competition for a new national motto, put "Dipso, Fatso, Bingo, ASBO, Tesco" up there with the winners. In case you are not English that refers to the five pillars of modern Englishness in some people's eyes - binge drinking, overeating junk food, gambling, teenage crime and rampant commercialism.

Answer 2

"English" is an adjective meaning "of or belonging to England". England is, of course, the country in the southern part of the island of Great Britain, Scotland being to the north and Wales to the west. The English language developed there.