Poll: What do you know about Wales?

[Bvenged]

AS someone who's Welsh, but ashamedly can't speak the language, I can say I do know quite a lot about our country and its history. Therefore I hope my wealth of general knowledge makes up for my lack of being bilingual.

Also, since nobody's done so yet, here's a complimentary picutre of our sheep which I spotted with some friends the other day:

Spoiler: Lazy sheep shearer is lazy

 

[NightmareExpress]

Have some family there, it's geography is fine and the culture is quite interesting.
Plenty of great people and things have hailed from or have taken place in Wales.
Though it doesn't stop the sheep shagging / unintelligible language jokes.
Rest assured, Welshies, that they're all in jest and good fun.
The Scots and Scousers don't have it easy, either.

 

[CrashBang]

Not as much as I should, probably. I lived there for 3 years whilst at Aberystwyth University, and my home isn't far from the border anyhow. (Near Welshpool/ Montgomery, as if anyone here would actually know where they are )

I went to Aber as well! I was there 08-11 and then did my teacher training there as well. A few of my mates still live there and my flatmate is visiting there as we speak. It was an incredible experience; best three years of my life.

OT: I know a lot of places in north and south Wales (my teacher training was in Brecon and Brynmawr). Most places in the valleys are shitholes and the countryside in North Wales is breathtaking.

Celeb-wise, Christian Bale is from Pembroke and Tom Jones is from somewhere in the south. Great bands like Funeral For A Friend and Manic Street Preachers are from South Wales as well.

 

[ace_of_something]

quite a lot actually, my captain for like 4 years was from there and would never shut up about it. The best I can figure Wales is to the UK as Appalachia is to the United States.

 

[Toilet]

It's that one country where the inhabitants fuck sheep and still use a dead language just to piss off the rest of the UK.

 

[Wuvlycuddles]

It's that one country where the inhabitants fuck sheep and still use a dead language just to piss off the rest of the UK.

Doesn't narrow it down much.....

 

[Nickolai77]

I live near Wales and have a general interest in British history so i like to think i know a fair bit.

It was part of the British Isles the Anglo-Saxon tribes that went on to form England didn't conquer, hence why it retains it's unique cultural identity. It managed to retain some semblance of this cultural identity in spite of Wales being conquered in the Middle Ages by England and a concerted effort in the 19th century to assimilate the Welsh into English culture. Since devolution in 1997 the Welsh have had some powers to protect and conserve their language and identity, so good for them really.

But if the Saxons, Angles, Danes and Norwegians hadn't created England we'd all be speaking Welsh now, so i'm kind of glad we converse in this rather flexible and straight forward language that's quite easily become a global language partially on account of its general simplicity.

 

[Wolf In A Bear Suit]

I know a fair bit seeing as we're their neighbors to the west. I've been there a few times and I enjoy my rugby so naturally, Wales can't be avoided (I know a few token words in Welsh)

 

[verdant monkai]

Most people don't know this but Dr Who is filmed in Wales, all the 'London' scenes are done Cardiff. And all the future city scenes are just Cardiff bay with bits of stupidness pasted over recognisable logos.

I live here and I'm proud to be Welsh even if I cant speak the language. Its basically like England except we have stupider accents, and are more often associated with violence after hours even though were no worse than anywhere else. Welsh cakes are probably the best thing about living here.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I know the ladies are attractive, but then again most are. The language is beautiful, the land green and wet.

 

[solemnwar]

I live near Wales and have a general interest in British history so i like to think i know a fair bit.

It was part of the British Isles the Anglo-Saxon tribes that went on to form England didn't conquer, hence why it retains it's unique cultural identity. It managed to retain some semblance of this cultural identity in spite of Wales being conquered in the Middle Ages by England and a concerted effort in the 19th century to assimilate the Welsh into English culture. Since devolution in 1997 the Welsh have had some powers to protect and conserve their language and identity, so good for them really.

But if the Saxons, Angles, Danes and Norwegians hadn't created England we'd all be speaking Welsh now, so i'm kind of glad we converse in this rather flexible and straight forward language that's quite easily become a global language partially on account of its general simplicity.

Well, Welsh is just part of the Celtic languages that popped up in the British Isles, we could easily have been speaking Gaelic or Celtic, etc.

You also need to give fair props to the Normans who brought an incredibly large influence of French/latin into the English language, especially considering that the majority of our language isn't the "native" English but French/latin/greek.

 

[Eggsnham]

I know that it exists and that it's part of the UK, also that the Welsh have their own language which is really just more of a cultural formality than a widely spoken language. That's about it.

That said, I imagine the US equivalent of such a test would be something akin to asking foreigners what they know about a really obscure state such as Wyoming.

 

[everythingbeeps]

I've heard british comedians make fun of the welsh the way we in the US make fun of southerners.

 

[TheMann]

What do I know about Wales?

1. Borders England

2. Capitol city: Cardiff

3. Weird dragon flag

4. Language seems to hold a grudge against using vowels.

5. The people are somewhat ill-tempered.[footnote]Source: Tiny Tina, Borderlands 2[/footnote]

Mmm yup, that's about it.

 

[Risingblade]

Not much, I think the English hate you or was that the Irish.

 

[Offworlder_v1legacy]

Uh, I think an Ashes test match was played there one time, and Australia almost scored 700. And...and that's about it.

 

[Yopaz]

Geography and history are outside my field of interest so I am fairly ignorant there.

However the national animal is the Welsh dragon which also makes for one of the coolest flags EVER.

I know that I could never understand the language.

 

[lacktheknack]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/518460018_723cb0eab2.jpg

All I know is that Wales has words that make me sad.

 

[Terratina.]

-snip-

I apologise for the fact that many places in Wales do have Welsh placenames that mean 'Church of St. X'. 'Eglwys' is easier to pronounce than the more common 'Llan' (both roughly mean 'church').

[HEADING=1]Anyway...[/HEADING]

I'm from there.

We have the best flag ever and the best national anthem ever (no contest, a dragon beats all the stripes and variations of different arrangements of blocks and colour. As for the anthem, it is both beautiful in words and in tune). A language that sounds like throat cancer but produced the best accent ever and Welsh cakes, which beat scones into submission in terms of flavor.

But then again, I'm extremely biased. Can't you tell?

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Mom's side is Welsh Scottish, so I know a little bit about the place.