lol....I was wondering the same thing....does association with lewd women cause deafness and yellowing of the teeth?
Many thanks also for expanding my vocabulary...I have never come across the term 'gargarism' before but will treasure it and use it whenever the opportunity arises
Fascinating arrticle on language shift in 'celtic' England:- http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/staff/alexwoolf/Apartheidandeconomics.pdf
Agreed!....well 99% anyway, not sure about Cornish 'big faces' In the middle of updating the Short Story Competition. Will reply at length later.
The discussion on Welsh independence elsewhere in this forum prompted me to reconsider the vexed question of Welsh identity. In particular I felt the need to revisit Bryan Sykes classic account of his research into the genetic makeup of the current population of the UK and Ireland. The book can be found on the Welsh American Bookstore in both its UK and US editions, the US title is 'Blood of The Isles'.
Broadly speaking his conclusions are that there is no substantial 'Celtic' contribution to the British gene pool and that:-"The genetic make up of Britain and Ireland is overwhelmingly what it has been since the Neolithic period". His research also suggests that the Anglo Saxon contribution was no more than 20% even in southern England.
This is interesting, indeed crucial, information for a number of reasons. To quote Sykes:- "Basically the cornerstone of Celtic identity is that they are not English. However, to try to base that, as some do, on an idea that is not far beneath the surface that Celtic countries are somehow descended from a race of Celts, which the English are not, is not right. We are all descended from the same people." ( Scotsman: We're nearly all Celts under the skin )
BUT if Sykes is correct and we are not ethnically distinct, what is it that distinguishes Wales ( and indeed Scotland and Ireland ) from England?
Summary of Sykes conclusions from the Wikipedia:-
The genetic make up of Britain and Ireland is overwhelmingly what it has been since the Neolithic period and to a very considerable extent since the Mesolithic period, especially in the female line, i.e. those people, who in time would become identified as British Celts (culturally speaking), but who (genetically speaking) should more properly be called Cro-Magnon. In continental Europe, this same Cro-Magnon genetic legacy gave rise to the Basques. But "Basque" and "Celt" are cultural designations, not genetic ones.
The contribution of the Celts of Central Europe to the genetic make up of Britain and Ireland was minimal; most of the genetic contribution to the British Isles of those we think of as Celtic, came from western continental Europe, I.E. the Atlantic seaboard.
The Anglo-Saxons are supposed, by some, to have made a substantial contribution to the genetic make up of England, but in Sykes's opinion it was under 20 percent of the total, even in Southern England.
The Vikings (Danes and Norwegians) also made a substantial contribution, which is concentrated in central, northern and eastern England - the territories of the ancient Danelaw. There is a very heavy Viking contribution in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, in the vicinity of 40 percent. Women as well as men contributed substantially in all these areas, showing that the Vikings engaged in large-scale settlement.
The Norman contribution was extremely small, on the order of 2 percent.
There are only sparse traces of the Roman occupation, almost all in Southern England.
In spite of all these later contributions, the genetic make up of the British Isles remains overwhelmingly what it was in the Neolithic: a mixture of the first Mesolithic inhabitants with Neolithic settlers who came by sea from Iberia and ultimately from the eastern Mediterranean.
Former First Minister Rhodri Morgan warns that Wales may not have "sustainable" future in the UK if Scotland votes to leave:- http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/former-first-minister-rhodri-morgan-6402626
Of interest in this context:-
http://www.cambriamagazine.co.uk/the-big-independence-question/
My vote ( along with Billy Connelly ) is for the theme tune to The Archers, see below:-
My personal opinion is that Wales should seek independence. Possibly voluntarily ceding sovereignty in the areas of defence and foreign policy after it has been achieved. I believe the old 'new labour' Council of the Isles idea might still be a useful and relevant model.
Please let us know how things go....we always welcome pics and accounts of Welsh social events on AC
Hi Joanie
Diolch for posting. We will help to circulate your post to our members here on AC and on FB, Twitter etc.
Cofion
Ceri
