English & Welsh are races apart

But note: You used the word "British" in the OP, and the BBC article doesn't even mention that word. It talks about "Britons"

The word "Briton" is used with two different meanings:

1. A person from (Great) Britain
2. A member of one of the peoples inhabiting Britain prior to the Anglo-Saxon invasions.
​

I am certainly a Briton in Sense 1. I could possibly be a Briton in Sense 2 as well - I just don't know.

 

Also be careful of equating ethnicity with language eg: your average African-American speaks an Indo-European language (English) but is not ethnically Indo-European. In the same way, most English people, whilst we speak an Algo-Saxon rather than Brythonic tongue, have more than a trace of Welshness in our genes eg: DNA tests on an Iron Age (Brythonic) body found in a cave in Somerset displayed a remarkable affinity with the (English-speaking) inhabitants of the nearest village...

 

Yes, I am English forever (born) even though I speak English, French and Welsh, and I am Canadian by citizenship. In Canada, we are either English-Canadians or French-Canadians, even though we are multicultural and multi-lingual as a people. We do tend to confuse language with what we call ourselves. Still, people born in Cardiff seldom speak Welsh, but are deemed to be Welsh.

There are many changes in all countries these days. I have no relatives left in West Ham, East London to-day. We couldn't find fish and chips there, and we had to speak Cockney with an Indian accent.

Welsh language was related to Welsh nationalism, yet there are many foreigners in Wales who speak Welsh. I have been a Canadian citizen,by oath, since 1972, but I am still called English because of my accent.

So, in the minds of many, culture and nationality is connected to language,,,,,,right or wrong.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Then Obama might be the most "American" candidate. <G>

 

There is an island off the coast of Virginia which is all Welsh, and the State of Virginia has allowed it to remain as such. A lot of Welsh also settled in California and that is one State that offers a course in Welsh.

Diloch yn fawr,

Jim

 

For the benefit of those who don't understand the majestic tongue of Welsh.....Yes, I do know from the inside that true Britons are Welsh....Llanelli was all Welsh when I went to school there right up to Form 6a.

Cheers, bless,

Jim

 

When I was researching for my book on race/ethnicity, I learned that once Irish and English were considered different races. I think that was mentioned in a legal case write-up but I am not certain.

 

The way of the world has changed so much, allowing minorities to learn language and culture that was repressed in earlier times for better or worse, the idea of assimilation was deemed the best way forward. This has had mixed success of course and now the new cry of multi-culturalism is the deemed better path. Hmmm!

Having settled in New Zealand, the maori revival has seen folk embracing a culture that was belittled at some point. There are schools which are total immersion in Maoridom here. The local Catholic primary school practises their haka each week which I can hear when putting the wash out on the line. The country follows I suppose the Canadian model of biculturalism where government ministries have letterheads in Maori and English.

I was born in the Federated States of Malaya, but I am not Malayan, I was raised in Australia of Australian born parents, I live in New Zealand where one grandparent was born but I shall always be deemed Australian because of my accent. Goverment forms claim I am European which is such a nonsense as I have never been to Europe but the term Caucasian is not common here. :thumbsup:

 

That explains why my DNA test for genealogy purposes shows my ancestry to be Finnish. Quite a shock since nearly all my family names are Scottish!

 

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

During the 2nd world war, England had troops along the coast of Wales as a defence against an attack by Ireland. Ireland was fueling German subs during the war. Recall the IRA bombing up until recent years all over England?

I remember my grandfather beating an Irishman with his stick just for walking up the pavement out fron of his house. Grandfather then sent my two sisters to take some food up to the man's house, saying, "They must be 'ungry." The irony of it!!!

The Province of Ontario, up to recent premiers, was Orange..."no Irish or Catholics need apply." There was always a distinction between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Back to Wales. The original Welshmen were driven up to the hills of Wales from England by the European invaders. The Welsh language was a defence against the English understanding what the Welsh were all about. Much like Cockney Rhyme was used in East London by the commonery against their bosses in the plants and at the harbours,,,then to the gaols.

This is getting too long.

Cheerio,

Jim

 

"Race" means "breed." Why has the phrase, "half breed" gone out of favor? Because "caucasian" aka "white" is a regressive characteristic?

 

How valuable would that be to look up? I am looking at racism (among those considered "caucasian" who may not be Ivory/Mainstream pure Anglo, like Arab Americans who are white but racially profiled by whites) and cultural remnants from the old countries that they bring with them.

 

My DNA would fail to show my Armenian/Finnish ancestry, however I maintain that my bump in my nose comes from my Armenian side.

To some: half-breed was insulting to the non-elite of society because it was used by the elite to call others of less value.