The Beatles had conquered England. America was next.

[optimistic pessimist]

Hi all,
In one of my old threads, I learned that there were different views over the area Britain covers (England and Wales or England, Wales and Scotland). That reminded me of a question I was going to ask here but I haven't probably asked yet.
I have seen a documented film entitled "The Compleat Beatles". In a scene of the movie the narrator said, "...The Beatles had conquered England. America was next..." (1:14 of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX_NZ0QDJXQ&t=32s) Since the Beatles had already been popular not only in England but also in the other parts of the UK before their first visit to the States, it seemed that the term England was used to represent the whole United Kingdom. Is this sometimes the case, or is the narrator referring only to England?
OP

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hi all,
In one of my old threads, I learned that there were different views over the area Britain covers (England and Wales or England, Wales and Scotland). That reminded me of a question I was going to ask here but I haven't probably asked yet.
I have seen a documentary film entitled "The Complete Beatles". In a scene of the movie the narrator said, "...The Beatles had conquered England. America was next..." (1:14 of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX_NZ0QDJXQ&t=32s) Since the Beatles had already been popular not only in England but also in the other parts of the UK before their first visit to the States, it seemed that the term England was used to represent the whole United Kingdom. Is this sometimes the case, or is the narrator referring only to England?
OP

They had certainly conquered England, where they were based. They had probably conquered more of the UK, as well. But whether they had or hadn't, it would still be true that they had conquered England. And it's true that the next nation they set out to conquer was the US, which mattered more to them than making a splash, say, in Glasgow.

I suspect you're right, though, that the word England was being used somewhat loosely.

 

[GoesStation]

Since the Beatles had already been popular not only in England but also in the other parts of the UK before their first visit to the States, it seemed that the term England was used to represent the whole United Kingdom. Is this sometimes the case, or is the narrator referring only to England?

It's a British production, therefore the narrator could only have been referring to England. I assume they hadn't toured in the other constituent countries of the United Kingdom.

British people know their basic national geography.

 

[Rover_KE]

British people know their basic national geography.

Not necessarily—it can't be denied that many of my fellow Englishmen casually say England when they mean the UK. infuriating the citizens of the other nations in the union.

 

[jutfrank]

Hmm. It's certainly true that American people are much more likely to use the word 'England' to refer to Britain as a whole. I suspect that may be the case here too.

The Compleat Beatles was written by a writer called David Silver, who I think may be American (I can't find out for sure).

 

[jutfrank]

Not necessarily—it can't be denied that many of my fellow Englishmen casually say England when they mean the UK. infuriating the citizens of the other nations in the union.

I can't say that's untrue but I'd say it would be very unusual.