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View Poll Results: So have YOU heard of Wales ( A bit of fun )
Yes I've heard of Wales 49 85.96%
No where is that? Part of England? 0 0%
Oh I love Whales...they're beautiful 2 3.51%
What a lame thread! 6 10.53%
Voters: 57. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 10-11-2009, 03:24 AM
 
30 posts, read 79,395 times
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This is a sort of carry on from a previous discussion, I was surprised on a few of my trips to New York how little the American people knew about Wales in the UK, Some thought it was part of England..which is the biggest insult...some didn't even know where Wales was, it got me thinking... do you Americans know anything about Wales? or even know we exist? Just thought this would be interesting ...... we are the littlest known of the British Isles


So to sum up...what have Wales has given you:


Dylan Thomas - Poet
Roald Dahl - Writer
Tom Jones - Singer
Sir Anthony Hopkins - Actor
Richard Burton - Actor
Victor Spinetti - Producer
Dame Shirley Bassey - Singer
Ivor Novello - actor, composer, dramatist, producer and singer
Bonnie Tyler - Singer



Oh and Princess Diana of Wales..

Last edited by NewYorkerwannabe; 10-11-2009 at 03:38 AM..
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Old 10-11-2009, 03:54 AM
 
Location: New York
11,326 posts, read 20,271,162 times
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I know where Wales is , I've never heard of any of those people before though (except Princess Diana).

I never knew Princess Diana was from Wales, I always thought she was from England.
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Old 10-11-2009, 05:49 AM
 
Location: 30-40°N 90-100°W
13,809 posts, read 26,484,614 times
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I would say Americans probably don't know much of Wales and relatively speaking I'm not just real knowledgeable about it. Maybe due to that I think making a big deal of that might be a tad unfair even though I complain about American lack of geographical knowledge.

Wales is an important part of the UK, but it hasn't been its own nation in many centuries and lost its independence long before Scotland if I read/remember right. Welsh immigration to the US mostly or totally assimilated into other groups. If a person is really interested in Britain they should know it, but on an international stage I don't know that it's more significant than Basque country or Wallonia. I know that might offend some Welsh, but that's my initial impression.
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Old 10-11-2009, 07:00 AM
 
Location: West Michigan
12,082 posts, read 38,756,466 times
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I had a friend who grew up in Swansea, years ago. I know where it is, that it has a National Assembly now since the late 90's, but not sure how that works withing the UK. I do know that in the early 1500 Wales united politically with England and is/was (where my lack of knowledge of how a National Assembly works, comes into play) under British/English Law. As far as I know you still are part of England though.

I kind of have to agree with Thomas R. on this one. I don't really see the big deal in people here not knowing a lot about Wales off the top of their heads. Kind of like asking a Briton, or Welsh citizen about Maryland, except Maryland is a bit larger in both physical size and population. As far as I can tell, a National Assembly works like out our individual States ability to make laws within it's boundaries, but doesn't divorce it from the rest of the Country.
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Old 10-11-2009, 02:47 PM
 
Location: Østenfor sol og vestenfor måne
17,916 posts, read 24,234,317 times
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I am a New Yorker and of course I have heard of Wales but I admit my knowledge of it is limited to the following:


I know that it is essentially a mountainous forked peninsula sticking out of the west of Great Britain.

I know that it is (often reluctantly) a part of the U.K.

I know that it is divided from England, in part, by the Severn and that there is a bridge over said river.

I know that the first political boundary between Wales and England was Offa's dyke.

I know that cities like Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Bangor are there.

I know that it has a Celtic language written with an absurd number of odd consonantal clusters, but most speak English.

I know that a part of it is called South Wales.

Hmmm let's see what else.

I know that it is famous for mining, in fact there is an old saying in America (which saw a number of Welsh immigrant to mining areas), "If you need to find a Welshman, look down a pit" (I think I got that wrong.)

I know that the word "Welsh" is an Anglo-Saxon word meaning 'foreigner' (same as Wallachia and Walloon in other parts of Europe).

I know that the names 'Jones' and 'Davis' are Welsh.

I know that the Tudors were Welsh.

I know that there is a big mountain there called Snowdonia. (or is it Snowdon?)

I know it has an impressive range of castles along its border.

I know it was famous for its bowmen.

I know it is the home of a patently ridiculous rap group called the GLC.

That is about all I can think of offhand. I admit some of my knowledge comes from being a geography and history buff, also, being an American and thus an English speaker, Wales falls into the Anglosphere, so 'it comes up', but I have never made any special effort to study Wales (though I am sure it is worthy of some attention!)

I think those Americans you have met that are know so little of Wales are willfully ignorant or just un-curious people who are exposed to information about Wales and promptly forget it because they use their brain cells for other things.


ABQConvict
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Old 10-11-2009, 02:56 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,754,022 times
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I don't think that a lot of time is spent studying Wales in high school...so other than it's geographical location, most knowledge people have of Wales would be picked up elsewhere.

I think most people know Charles, Prince of Wales...and Diana, Princess of Wales (may she rest in peace)...and Welsh rarebit (whether it's really Welsh or not I have no idea).
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Old 10-11-2009, 03:46 PM
 
Location: Town of Herndon/DC Metro
2,825 posts, read 6,868,769 times
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I had an acquaintance in college who is Welsh. She was absolutely nuts. Ex: she got a box of mixed flavored Popsicles and it did not contain any raspberry ones. She got so mad she called the company and demanded a box of raspberry only Popsicles. I have no idea how that turned out
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Old 10-11-2009, 03:52 PM
 
7,845 posts, read 20,754,022 times
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Those Welsh and their raspberry fetish!
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Old 10-11-2009, 11:15 PM
 
Location: alive in the superunknown
542 posts, read 987,224 times
Reputation: 237
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewYorkerwannabe View Post
This is a sort of carry on from a previous discussion, I was surprised on a few of my trips to New York how little the American people knew about Wales in the UK, Some thought it was part of England..which is the biggest insult...some didn't even know where Wales was, it got me thinking... do you Americans know anything about Wales? or even know we exist? Just thought this would be interesting ...... we are the littlest known of the British Isles


So to sum up...what have Wales has given you:


Dylan Thomas - Poet
Roald Dahl - Writer
Tom Jones - Singer
Sir Anthony Hopkins - Actor
Richard Burton - Actor
Victor Spinetti - Producer
Dame Shirley Bassey - Singer
Ivor Novello - actor, composer, dramatist, producer and singer
Bonnie Tyler - Singer



Oh and Princess Diana of Wales..
I believe the rock bands Bullet For My Valentine and Lost Prophets are from there in addition to your list. I'm afraid I don't know much about Wales except it seems to have one of the most difficult languages, at least from a foreigners perspective, and that I thought it was it's own country on the island of Great Britain similar to how Scotland is it's own country on the island. It looks to be a beautiful place from the pictures I've seen of it.

To simply answer the question, yes I have heard of Wales, mainly due to a National Geagraphic article I read about it several years ago. Before then I kinda forgot it existed. Sorry, no disrespect intended.
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Old 10-12-2009, 12:44 AM
 
Location: yeah
5,717 posts, read 16,310,792 times
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My great-great-grandfather was from Caerleon, outside Newport. I know a bit about Welsh geography and culture but can't pronounce half the names.
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