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LEXICON

This is a list of words used in connection with the British Empire, the Commonwealth, and the Games that have been held under the aegis of both. 

I am curious about these words and their uses at different moments in history, including the present one. While new things (objects, ideas, relationships) need new words to describe them, language does not only describe. It can function in other, more expedient ways, too. For example, a name may claim continuity where there has in fact been rupture, or suggest change where there has essentially been none. 

Between words that are genuinely descriptive, and those that obscure and conceal, is a broad spectrum. It is not always clear where on this spectrum a word or name fits.

King of England

Divine right of kings

God’s mandation

The Crown

Mother Country

 

Imperial

Imperialism

 

Invasion

Raid

Triangular Trade

 

Human slavery

Enslavement

Human Trafficking

Middle Passage

Slave Trade

Stono Rebellion

 

English law

British law

Colonial law

Native courts

 

British justice

 

Colonies of domination

Terra nullius (Nobody’s land)

 

Negro Act 1740

Regulating Act of 1773

 

Multinational enterprises

Royal African Company

Elephant and Castle

British East India Company

Plantation industries

Extractive industries

 

British settlements

White population

White Dominions

White population resettlement 

British Dependency

Settler colonies

British overseas possessions

British empire

British dominions

British colonies

British protectorates

British mandates

British administration

 

Administrators

Governors

Governor Generals

Lord Admiral

 

British Raj

Crown rule

British rule

Direct rule

 

Imperial preference

 

Buy Empire

Rule Britannia 

Pax Britannia 

 

Sugarcane

Tea

Cotton

Perfumes 

Tobacco 

Silk

Art 

Guns

Bullets

Wine

Jewels

 

Charter colony

Proprietary colony

Chartered company

 

British Commonwealth of Nations

Commonwealth

Common 

Wealth 

Commonweal

 

Sovereign state

Republic

Democracy

Independence

 

Prime minister

President

Realm 

Republic

Self-governing territory

Independence

 

Multinational company

Corporation 

Transnational business

 

The Commonwealth Effect 

The Commonwealth Advantage

 

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

Commonwealth Free Trade

Free Trade Agreements 

Market access

Market forces

Trade account

 

Minerals

Commodities

Beneficiation

Landed costs

 

Exports

Imports 

 

Sugarcane

Tea

Cotton

Perfumes 

Tobacco 

Silk

Art 

Guns

Wine

Jewels

Oil

 

British Empire Games 

British Empire and Commonwealth Games 

British Commonwealth Games 

Commonwealth Games 

Friendly Games

 

Divine right

Human rights 

Subjects

Citizens 

 

Administrators

Governors 

Ambassadors 

Chief Executive Officers 

Loyalism 

Capitalism

 

Dependent 

Independent

Possession 

Protectorate 

Procession 

 

Spirit of Empire 

Spirit of Freedom 

Spirit of Friendship 

Spirit of Unity 

 

Empire

Friendship 

Subjects

Voluntary

Friends 

Family

 

Imperial family

Family of the Commonwealth 

Association

Former British colonies

Unity 

Network

 

Hegemony 

Internationalism 

Influence for good

 

Compulsory

Violent 

Voluntary 

 

The legacy of empire

Legacy of colonialism

Legacy of slavery

Reparations 

Responsibility

 

The Crown

The Monarchy

The firm

Influencer business 

Elizabeth Corp.

Branding

Royal-watching

Figurehead

Former empire

 

Tradition 

Historical legitimacy

Demise of empire 

Global prestige

 

Diplomatic missteps

Profound sorrow

Forever stains our history

Enslavers

Loot 

Surrendered

Return

King of England

Divine right of kings

God’s mandation

The Crown

Mother Country

 

Imperial

Imperialism

 

Invasion

Raid

Triangular Trade

 

Human slavery

Enslavement

Human Trafficking

Middle Passage

Slave Trade

Stono Rebellion

 

English law

British law

Colonial law

Native courts

 

British justice

 

Colonies of domination

Terra nullius (Nobody’s land)

 

Negro Act 1740

Regulating Act of 1773

 

Multinational enterprises

Royal African Company

Elephant and Castle

British East India Company

Plantation industries

Extractive industries

 

British settlements

White population

White Dominions

White population resettlement 

British Dependency

Settler colonies

British overseas possessions

British empire

British dominions

British colonies

British protectorates

British mandates

British administration

 

Administrators

Governors

Governor Generals

Lord Admiral

 

British Raj

Crown rule

British rule

Direct rule

 

Imperial preference

 

Buy Empire

Rule Britannia 

Pax Britannia 

 

Sugarcane

Tea

Cotton

Perfumes 

Tobacco 

Silk

Art 

Guns

Bullets

Wine

Jewels

 

Charter colony

Proprietary colony

Chartered company

 

British Commonwealth of Nations

Commonwealth

Common 

Wealth 

Commonweal

 

Sovereign state

Republic

Democracy

Independence

 

Prime minister

President

Realm 

Republic

Self-governing territory

Independence

 

Multinational company

Corporation 

Transnational business

 

The Commonwealth Effect 

The Commonwealth Advantage

 

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

Commonwealth Free Trade

Free Trade Agreements 

Market access

Market forces

Trade account

 

Minerals

Commodities

Beneficiation

Landed costs

 

Exports

Imports 

 

Sugarcane

Tea

Cotton

Perfumes 

Tobacco 

Silk

Art 

Guns

Wine

Jewels

Oil

 

British Empire Games 

British Empire and Commonwealth Games 

British Commonwealth Games 

Commonwealth Games 

Friendly Games

 

Divine right

Human rights 

Subjects

Citizens 

 

Administrators

Governors 

Ambassadors 

Chief Executive Officers 

Loyalism 

Capitalism

 

Dependent 

Independent

Possession 

Protectorate 

Procession 

 

Spirit of Empire 

Spirit of Freedom 

Spirit of Friendship 

Spirit of Unity 

 

Empire

Friendship 

Subjects

Voluntary

Friends 

Family

 

Imperial family

Family of the Commonwealth 

Association

Former British colonies

Unity 

Network

 

Hegemony 

Internationalism 

Influence for good

 

Compulsory

Violent 

Voluntary 

 

The legacy of empire

Legacy of colonialism

Legacy of slavery

Reparations 

Responsibility

 

The Crown

The Monarchy

The firm

Influencer business 

Elizabeth Corp.

Branding

Royal-watching

Figurehead

Former empire

 

Tradition 

Historical legitimacy

Demise of empire 

Global prestige

 

Diplomatic missteps

Profound sorrow

Forever stains our history

Enslavers

Loot 

Surrendered

Return

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Are you willing to be made nothing? Is Commonwealth reform possible?

Are you willing to be sponged out, erased, cancelled, made nothing?
Are you willing to be made nothing?
dipped into oblivion?
If not, you will never really change.