In Spain we don't establish many differences between the English and the Welsh, for us they both are simply "English", a catch them all term suitable for the English themselves, the Welsh and the Scotts, and sometimes even for the Irish. Yes I know that the correct term is "British citizens" but in Spain "English" is more popular than "British" and it is sometimes misused. Perhaps the Scotts are seen as the peoples with a more marked persnonality, different from the typical English way of being. I guess that Films like Braveheart had its effect on this. I remember that one former manager of Real Madrid FC, Benjamin Toshack , was referred by a reporter as " the English manager of RM ". He got notably angry and replied that he wasn't English but Welsh.
do all Scottish, Irish and Welsh speak English?
Your last paragraph, GUEST - very sensitive subject! - very sensitive issue all around. Many people outside this "Four countries in One" island (including only Northern Ireland and NOT the Republic of Ireland I hasten to add!) lump the whole country as England and the English. Totally wrong of course, but there you go.
Very few people abroad, though, would include us Scots in the English identity for the exact reason you gave - our separate identity is much more clearly defined than that of our Welsh brethren, so sadly they get lumped together with the English and this naturally would piss them off big time and who could blame them?
I reckon Wales is not anything like as well known as is Scotland in many parts of the world - maybe some people would wonder where the hell Wales is, although the term "England and Wales" automatically links those two countries together in many ways, especially in matters such as, for example, the law - the law / legal system of England and Wales combined is quite different in many ways from that of Scotland. The same goes for quite a number of other matters of administration.
From what I saw each time I was there, Wales is quite distinctly different from England in several ways, but maybe that is primarily down to the Language issue. The Welsh Language is, in fact, one of the oldest in the whole of Europe, and the fact that it has survived down through the centuries, - and to this day is now actually flourishing in many areas of the country, in spite of historically wicked attempts by English "invaders and subsequent tyrants occupying and subjugating the Welsh" to eradicate the Language.
The fact that the English dismally failed is testimony to the resilience and determination by the Welsh to retain their separare identity, culture and, above all, their native tongue. I reckon, too, that this is the root cause of English resentment against the Welsh to this day - sour grapes. :-)
Very few people abroad, though, would include us Scots in the English identity for the exact reason you gave - our separate identity is much more clearly defined than that of our Welsh brethren, so sadly they get lumped together with the English and this naturally would piss them off big time and who could blame them?
I reckon Wales is not anything like as well known as is Scotland in many parts of the world - maybe some people would wonder where the hell Wales is, although the term "England and Wales" automatically links those two countries together in many ways, especially in matters such as, for example, the law - the law / legal system of England and Wales combined is quite different in many ways from that of Scotland. The same goes for quite a number of other matters of administration.
From what I saw each time I was there, Wales is quite distinctly different from England in several ways, but maybe that is primarily down to the Language issue. The Welsh Language is, in fact, one of the oldest in the whole of Europe, and the fact that it has survived down through the centuries, - and to this day is now actually flourishing in many areas of the country, in spite of historically wicked attempts by English "invaders and subsequent tyrants occupying and subjugating the Welsh" to eradicate the Language.
The fact that the English dismally failed is testimony to the resilience and determination by the Welsh to retain their separare identity, culture and, above all, their native tongue. I reckon, too, that this is the root cause of English resentment against the Welsh to this day - sour grapes. :-)
From Damian in Edinburgh
<<The fact that the English dismally failed is testimony to the resilience and determination by the Welsh to retain their separare identity, culture and, above all, their native tongue. I reckon, too, that this is the root cause of English resentment against the Welsh to this day - sour grapes. :-) >>
I definately believe this also.
<<The fact that the English dismally failed is testimony to the resilience and determination by the Welsh to retain their separare identity, culture and, above all, their native tongue. I reckon, too, that this is the root cause of English resentment against the Welsh to this day - sour grapes. :-) >>
I definately believe this also.