Blighty facts for kids
"Blighty" is a British slang term for Great Britain, especially England. It was first used in the 1800s in places like India to describe British visitors. Later, during the Boer War, it started to mean 'homeland' for British people. The word became very popular during World War I among soldiers.
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What Does Blighty Mean?
The word "Blighty" comes from the Urdu word Viletī. This word meant 'foreign' at first. Over time, it came to mean 'European' or 'British' during the time of the British Raj in India. The word has roots in Arabic, where it meant 'state' or 'province'.
British people living or traveling abroad often use "Blighty" as a loving way to talk about their home country.
Blighty in World War I
During World War I, soldiers in the trenches often said "Dear Old Blighty." This showed how much they missed their homes. Famous poets from that war, like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, used the term in their writings.
Soldiers sometimes hoped for a "Blighty wound." This was a minor injury that was serious enough to send them away from the dangerous trenches. It meant they could recover back home in Britain, but it wasn't a life-threatening wound.
Examples of Blighty
Blighty Magazine
During World War I, a funny weekly magazine called Blighty was given free to British troops. It had short stories, poems, cartoons, and drawings. Soldiers who were serving in the war even contributed to it. The magazine was supported by the War Office, the British Admiralty, and the Red Cross. It was also sold to the public. Blighty magazine was brought back in 1939 and continued until 1958.
Songs and Other Uses
The term "Blighty" also appeared in popular songs during World War I. In 1916, the music hall performer Vesta Tilley had a hit song called "I'm Glad I've Got a Bit of a Blighty One." In the song, she played a soldier who was happy to be wounded and in the hospital. Another popular song was "Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty" from 1917.
Later, the term was used in other songs, like "All American Alien Boy" by Ian Hunter in 1976. Folksinger Ian Robb also used it in a song about the Falklands War.
From 2009 to 2013, UKTV even had a digital television channel called Blighty. This channel showed only British-made programs. It was later replaced by another channel called Drama.
