DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
I'm sure the main place for Welsh Speakers, with Welsh Ancestors is Patagonia, in Argentina, with a smaller contingent in Chile
Map oddities
- Thread starter Flick of the Elbow
- Start date
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Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
That is a part of Patagonia, which I believe is Argentina rather than Chile
matticus
Guru
Wiki confirms that it spans both countries. Also:
The Simon Reeves doc that went to Patagonia did a good bit on the Welsh communities (and it was an excellent series overall!)
Time Waster
Veteran
I originally heard about the Chile population, but you are right about it spreading across parts of both countries.
Never saw Reeves trip but iirc that Welsh, former news anchor did a documentary about that population I think before Reeves did his series.
Never saw Reeves trip but iirc that Welsh, former news anchor did a documentary about that population I think before Reeves did his series.
matticus
Guru
The guy with the lopsided lips? (now disgraced)Hugh Edwards maybe?!?
Yes, that was good too!
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Speaking halting gaelic as I do, I have always been interested in Welsh as a language. Sadly the one Welsh speaking girlfriend I ever had may have misinformed me slightly as to the meaning of the phrases she was teaching me.
It turns out "cau dy geg" does not actually mean "good morning Vicar" as I was led to believe.
I now know an entire language of insults without actually knowing what any of them are.
It turns out "cau dy geg" does not actually mean "good morning Vicar" as I was led to believe.
I now know an entire language of insults without actually knowing what any of them are.
OP
OP
Flick of the Elbow
less than
- Location
- West Edinburgh
Funny how the phrase “minding your p’s and q’s” has nothing to do with P-Celtic Welsh and Q-Celtic Gaelic, just a funny coincidence.
Time Waster
Veteran
My Polish language capabilities involve swearing, bad language, insults and descriptive words that go with a bad word linked to illegitimacy in the family. As to Welsh, I think being English I have probably heard a few insults in the past when visiting places (Mach... for one such place) but I was not aware of the meaning.
I did hear a story about when the hydro scheme at Dinorwig was being built. Two then young guys working on it spent a few seasons living in a spinster's cottage, locals were putting them up. Anyway, the guy I heard about and from who the story came from, woke up to see his mate leaving the room after he thought everyone was asleep. It was happening night after night until he decided to follow him. Turns out he was going downstairs to teach the lady's minor bird some english words.
Well the story goes that after getting back after a hard day work they found the lady stood waiting on the doorstep with their clothes in bags in front of her. They found out what the guy was teaching the bird, known as a good mimic. Apparently the woman was strict chapel and had the minister come round for a chat and some tea. It seems the bird on seeing the minister told him to eff off! The lady was mortified and couldn't bring herself to go to chapel for weeks afterwards! Those two guys later spent the winter kipping in a barn as there was no spare accomodation.
Time Waster
Veteran
When at uni in the hike soc, apart from the welsh speaker there were two spanish speakers. One from Spain, who was great fun, the other was from Argentina, a paratrooper sent to England to get a degree before going back to army service. Anyway, the organisers put those two together for one trip thinking two spanish speakers. Not a very good idea. After half an hour the large, Argentinian para looked daggers at the spaniard and they got separated. The argie couldn't even talk to the guy without looking like thunder.
We asked the spaniard what had happened. He explained about the two versions of spanish. Apparently Spain has a vulgar use of words that is acceptable. To a south american spanish speaker it is highly rude and seriously offensive. That was what the spaniard told me. I also think the argentinian was just a little bit more uptight than most south americans and took it to heart. Apparently they see themselves as more european, cultured and educated than other south american nations, otherwise known as up themselves! He certainly was, but I doubt it was as simple as that for the whole nation.
I just think that language is amazing invention of humans and other species but especially in humans it has potential for offence too. No idea about the truth of Argentinian vs spanish version or use of the language, but it was a strange experience that weekend between the two spanish speakers.
We asked the spaniard what had happened. He explained about the two versions of spanish. Apparently Spain has a vulgar use of words that is acceptable. To a south american spanish speaker it is highly rude and seriously offensive. That was what the spaniard told me. I also think the argentinian was just a little bit more uptight than most south americans and took it to heart. Apparently they see themselves as more european, cultured and educated than other south american nations, otherwise known as up themselves! He certainly was, but I doubt it was as simple as that for the whole nation.
I just think that language is amazing invention of humans and other species but especially in humans it has potential for offence too. No idea about the truth of Argentinian vs spanish version or use of the language, but it was a strange experience that weekend between the two spanish speakers.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Aye, the ex Mrs D was Greek and a speaker of the lingo and she reckoned there were two dialects. Modern Greek, and village Greek that was closer to the languages classical form.
Like the Babel Fish in THHGTTG
Time Waster
Veteran
I studied ancient Greek at school getting a GCSE in it. The teacher invited his Greek mate in to teach us. He's a teacher of English back in Greece but he too studied ancient Greek at a high level in university. He taught us differences and similarities between modern and ancient Greek. Not the same with differences and similarities in both words and grammar.
Another distinction in modern Greek language he told us was something about formal or higher Greek as used in official matters and the more common version spoken in day to day life. iirc they were close but a bit more than dialect in terms of difference. A long time ago now so I can't exactly remember the details. Kind of two modern and an ancient.
BTW recently I heard about a local language in the regions and countries North of Greece. Apparently there's a remote hill area where the local language, not the official country language, was sonething very, very close to ancient Greek. Close enough that they'd understand an ancient Greek if they ever met. Perhaps a bit like Polish and Czech languages in terms of understanding.
matticus
Guru
I heard something similar; I think it was in the remoter farms of ex-Yugoslavia, where the local language is pretty much proper Latin. They would have a different accent to the Pope speaking Latin in the Vatican, but he would easily understand them and vice versa!
Time Waster
Veteran
The one I heard about was a bit east of Macedonia and the language was ancient Greek. I thought part of Bulgaria.
Found the one, northern Turkey of all places, kind of east of old Thrace!
Language like ancient Greek
Conrad_K
unindicted co-conspirator
- Location
- Little Rock, Arkansas
American schoolrooms of the 1960s, at least in the various states I went to school in, always had 6x6 foot world maps. They were like roller blinds so they could be pulled down for use. All used the same map, as far as I remember. Someone probably made a fortune selling those.
Anyway, they had several peculiarities.
One, they showed South America as directly below North America. In actuality, South America is way out in the Atlantic, and only a few parts overlap the east coast of mainland America.
Two, the Caribbean was always just a blank blue expanse. It's actually filled with sizeable islands; Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, etc. Some are bigger than some US states. But not shown on the maps.
Three, Alaska was always shown at about 1/6 size, tucked off in a bottom corner somewhere. Alaska is huge; an Alaska joke is that they could split the state in half, and then Texas would be the third-largest state.
What's odd is, that seems to be the same basic layout used all across the Web.
--
Another thing is, settlers in the US were remarkably unimaginative as far as names for towns. Not only to town names repeat across the states, but multiple towns in the same state might have the same name. My state has three towns named "Evening Shade", and there are others sharing other names. Which is probably why Post Office policy is not to bother trying to deliver anything that doesn't have a ZIP code on it.
Anyway, they had several peculiarities.
One, they showed South America as directly below North America. In actuality, South America is way out in the Atlantic, and only a few parts overlap the east coast of mainland America.
Two, the Caribbean was always just a blank blue expanse. It's actually filled with sizeable islands; Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, etc. Some are bigger than some US states. But not shown on the maps.
Three, Alaska was always shown at about 1/6 size, tucked off in a bottom corner somewhere. Alaska is huge; an Alaska joke is that they could split the state in half, and then Texas would be the third-largest state.
What's odd is, that seems to be the same basic layout used all across the Web.
--
Another thing is, settlers in the US were remarkably unimaginative as far as names for towns. Not only to town names repeat across the states, but multiple towns in the same state might have the same name. My state has three towns named "Evening Shade", and there are others sharing other names. Which is probably why Post Office policy is not to bother trying to deliver anything that doesn't have a ZIP code on it.
