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Has Ireland ever been called "Little Britain"?

Question #110091. Asked by flem-ish.
Last updated Jan 18 2017.

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BRY2K star
Answer has 3 votes
BRY2K star
17 year member
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Answer has 3 votes.
Perhaps the island of Micra Bretannia.

The Roman geographer Ptolemy called the larger island Megale Brettania (Great Britain), and the smaller island of Ireland Micra Bretannia (Little Britain). Hence, originally, the term Great Britain referred to the largest island in the British Isles, similar to the Canary Islands where the third largest island is called Gran Canaria (probably thought to be the largest in Roman times), and the largest of the Comoros is Grande Comore..

More here

link http://epicroadtrips.us/2003/summer/nola/nola_offsite/FQ_en.wikipedia.org/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britain.html#Etymology

Response last updated by CmdrK on Jan 18 2017.
Oct 23 2009, 6:20 PM
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flem-ish
Answer has 3 votes
flem-ish
23 year member
894 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.
Right, but strangely enough Brittanny, which is not part of the British Isles, also was given the name of Little Britain at a certain moment in history. link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany

Oct 23 2009, 6:50 PM
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Zbeckabee star
Answer has 5 votes
Currently Best Answer
Zbeckabee star
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18 year member
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Answer has 5 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Interestingly enough...Little Britain is a literal translation of An Bhreatain Bheag, the Irish language name for Wales.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Britain_(disambiguation)

Response last updated by CmdrK on Jan 18 2017.
Oct 23 2009, 6:51 PM
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