Little Englander
- noun
- /ˈlɪtəl ˈɪŋɡləndə/
- Offensive
:
inglés de mentalidad cerrada (despectivo)
- Critics often label those who reject immigration as Little Englanders, showing their insular views on foreign affairs.
And that anyone who objects to that is an imbecile and bigoted and a little Englander.
- And that anyone who objects to that is an imbecile and bigoted and a little Englander.
Examples
-
He accused her of being a Little Englander because she opposed international cooperation.
-
Many politicians avoid the Little Englander label by supporting global partnerships.
-
In discussions about Brexit, the term Little Englander was frequently used.
-
He is such a Little Englander!
-
Don't be a Little Englander!
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During the debate on foreign policy, I heard several Little Englanders express their concerns about international trade.
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She was called a Little Englander for insisting that England should focus solely on its own interests.
How Insular
- Offensive
3
9.4
- Literature
8
7.5
- Offensive
62
6.1
224
3.5
3
7.0
11
7.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
Little + Englander
The components 'little' + 'Englander' yield a literal image of a small English person, but the intended sense 'narrow‑minded, insular' is a metaphorical, evaluative extension of 'little' and tied to historical/political usage. Because the connection is partly inferable (little → small/petty) yet requires cultural knowledge to recover the full political nuance, a B1 learner who only knows the words would likely not fully derive the meaning without exposure.
Etymology
Little Englander comes from old political debates where critics called people that because they wanted Britain to be 'little' and only worry about home affairs. The picture of a little England, small and cut off from other countries, is why the term now means 'a person with narrow-minded views who does not want to cooperate with other countries'.