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While driving in Wales recently I discovered that the Welsh are very keen to have their own language again because the EU gives them a lot of money, to promote it.
The idea here is simple, start your own language and promote it hard enough, and someone will start paying you to do it.
By the way,
Welsh was invented when a big wind blew a lot of letters off signs one night. The next morning they were repaired, by inserting surplus Ys, Gs, Ds, Fs and Ws in the blank spaces.
Language Construction Kit
http://www.zompist.com/kit.html
A highly praised (yet lacking) guide to constructing a language. [[ sctld ], Jan 21 2005]
Strine
http://www.geocitie...2_2000/strine1.html
Strine, by Afferbeck Lauder. The Strine language books are great. [hippo, Jan 21 2005]
Sassenach
http://www.etymonli....php?term=Sassenach
"Gaelic for "English person," 1771, Sassenaugh, lit. "Saxon," from L. Saxones, from a Gmc. source (cf. O.E. Seaxe "the Saxons"). The modern form of the word was established c.1814 by Sir Walter Scott, from Scot. Sasunnoch, Ir. Sasanach, Welsh Seisnig. " [calum, Jan 21 2005]
since students habitually nicked the station sign back in the 50/60's they renamed the place
http://www.2d53.co....nfairpg/general.htm
what a wonderful place Wales is in my opinion. [po, Jan 21 2005]
Speak proper, look you
http://www.talktidy.com
[yamahito, Jan 21 2005]
Expats plan trouble for 'racist' Anne
http://news.bbc.co....i/wales/1216455.stm
"Welsh Americans have pledged to make life difficult for TV presenter Anne Robinson following her "racist" jibes." [Ian Tindale, Jan 21 2005]
[link]
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Have their own language again? It never went away. This seems like a thinly disguised rant. It's also baked in Esperanto. |
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I stand by my assertion. If you were to invent another language then there will likely be a monstrous outpouring of aid to ensure its survival, unless it's based on Arabic. |
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By the way, Cymru (Welsh for Wales) is an Arabic word, as I recall. |
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Many people already do construct and promote languages. There are logical ones such as loglan and lojban, both of which have been promoted since the 50's and have gotten nowhere; there's realistic langauges such as the languages of the Mark Rose's Verduria, one of the most famous groups of languges in the Conlanging community; and just for fun languages such as Chicken. There are whole communities out there dedicated to constructing languages. It is the new hip subculture ever since Lord of the Rings. However, no amount of promotion of personal languages or more widely famed languages have caused the EU to grant the creator quantities of money. |
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I can't see this idea happening. |
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"Oy, Bob, pass the 'ammer" "'Ere 'y'are Bob" "Bob, where's them winder panes?" "Round the back o'the van, Bob" "Fancy a cuppa tea, Bob?" "Yeah, 'bout time for a break innit, Bob". |
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It's pretty narrow minded to view the Welsh language as a funding racket. |
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I assume that this is a wind up. |
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'Congratulations Mr Jones, you have inherited the entire usage of Swahili.' |
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My first given name is Welsh, checks all letters are intact, yep. |
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What about Strine (see link)? - the ancestral language of Australia. |
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//By the way, Cymru (Welsh for Wales) is an Arabic word, as I recall.// |
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//The etymology of this word has been a much debated question, but in the opinion of Sir John Rhys (a prime authority) it is compounded of the British con bro and means "compatriots"--the federated tribes of ancient Britain who together contested the soil of their native land with the Germanic invader. In Welsh Cymru means Wales, Cymro a Welshman, Cymracs a Welshwoman, and Cymry Welshmen// |
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I've read a similar theory to the one I've outlined above comparing to the welsh word for neighbour, 'cymydog' (or cymdoges if the neighbour is of the female persuasion). I've also heard that the saxon 'wales' means foreigners. Which is also what the welsh word 'saes' or 'saesneg' means - we use it to describe the English. Oh, the irony abounds. |
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As for the snide comments, UB, fuck off, mate. Welsh uses the same characters as english, but has a markedly different alphabet. You really should appreciate it, as it's a wet dream of a language both for poets and pedants - one of the world's most phonetic languages, and beautiful to boot. Moreover, the campaign to reclaim our language after its persecution in victorian times was as strong during periods of stiff opposition as it is now. The bilingual roadsigns that english speakers are so fond of complaining about are largely a result of activism in the 50's where the welsh would routinely tear down english only signs. For myself, I am in agreement that some bilingual signs are confusing (if you are saddled with the intelligence of a retarded newt): why should there be English signs up at all? |
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I'm interested in just how much of the budget for welsh roadsigns (which have been around for years) comes from the EU. Very little especially for that purpose, I suspect. Wales *is* eligable for a lot of EU grants that go towards road improvement under the Objective 1 initiative, but that is awarded based on economic rather than cultural needs (I know that when I was still living there, the economy was still comparable with some ex soviet block eastern european states). |
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Re saesneg: it seems that this word, and it's gaelic equivalent, sasunnoch, are both from the word "saxon". I suppose it is more than likely that these words come to mean foreigner, outsider, lily livered fop, whatever, by association, even though their strict etymology is a corruption. |
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There are more than forty different aboriginal dialects in this state, if I remember correctly. It could be a significant source of revenue. |
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there is a pretty nifty link button above for you to use for links, soil. |
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In the interests of hijacking this otherwise uninteresting thread, I came across some interesting welshisms last weekend whilst visiting Swansea. I have a good friend there who has settled from Wyoming, where he was a classic Rock DJ. But I digress. Point is, he notices a lot of these little things. |
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Like the welsh habit of stringing prepositions in english - "I'm off down over to the pub" or "I'm going round down into town." |
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My favourite of the weekend was in the Pub when an inebriated young Jack came in, muttering "Oo, I'm gaggin' to pewk..." |
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To an outsider (me) soil's post read "The Welsh are normal, except for people from North Wales, South Wales or the Welsh Assembly." |
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is he saying then by omission that the London Welsh are ok? |
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What about the Patagonian Welsh? |
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The west welsh are a bit suspect, too. |
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UnaBubba, - I think what you're encountering here is what's commonly known as the Anne Robinson syndrome (link). |
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The accent was a lot thicker around Maesteg than in Swansea. I suspect the people were, too. |
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