1. Is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere.
2. The Oxford English Dictionary applies the term to English "as spoken or written in the British Isles; the forms of English usual in Great Britain", reserving " Hiberno English" for the "English language as spoken and written in Ireland".
3. Nevertheless, Hiberno-English forms part of the broad British English continuum.
4. The European Union basically uses 'British English' as its standard variety of English (including also Irish English).
5. There are slight regional variations in formal written English in the United Kingdom.
6. So a uniform concept of British English is more difficult to apply to the spoken language.