To what extent are the English Anglo-Saxon?

BonnieDundee · 09-07-2008, 03:21 AM

The truth is the truth. Even your fellow English nats seemas to agree.

Tom Wilde · 17-07-2008, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Constantine

The evidence for the pre Anglo-Saxon inhabiatants in 'England' being driven to the extreme West (Wales and Cornwall) and the North is overwhelming. It comes from the study of English (how few words there are that are not of Anglo-Saxon or later origin), the place names of England, written accounts in Anglo-Saxon histories and a mass of archaelogical evidence.

I'm with Unionist regarding the importance of this question to contemporary politics, (ie I think it is utterly irrelevant). However, for the sake of accuracy I just want to point out that there are many pre Anglo-Saxon placenames in England. Most settlement names are Anglo-Saxon or later (though there are also quite a few older ones, like London and Dover), but the majority of river names in England are pre-Saxon. This is overwhelmingly the case in the west of England, but even in eastern England there are lots and lots of Celtic river names.

cassie · 17-07-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Constantine

It seems to me the most obvious commonsense to wish to have one's cake and to eat it... who would not want to do this?

Usually someone who is unprincipled!

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cassie · 17-07-2008, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Wilde

I'm with Unionist regarding the importance of this question to contemporary politics, (ie I think it is utterly irrelevant). However, for the sake of accuracy I just want to point out that there are many pre Anglo-Saxon placenames in England. Most settlement names are Anglo-Saxon or later (though there are also quite a few older ones, like London and Dover), but the majority of river names in England are pre-Saxon. This is overwhelmingly the case in the west of England, but even in eastern England there are lots and lots of Celtic river names.

In general, it is usually wise to avoid absolutes. Therefore, whilst I tend to agree, I think it is largely but not entirely irrelevant.

A problem with many English nationalists seeking constitutional reform, is getting the issues enmeshed in considerations of racial and ethnic origins. Neither the Scots nor the Welsh were faced with such questions when they were invited to have bodies with devolved powers. It suits our opponents to convey the impression that English nationalism is always inextricably racial and ethnic.

To my mind, threads of this kind tend to harm the cause of constitutional reform for England.

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22ANDUK · 21-07-2008, 07:41 PM

Tricky thing though. I guess I am British and English...

However, I was born in England, to an Irish mother, Cornish father, have a Norman surname and have blonde hair and blue eyes, my father and brother however have dark Roman features.

So I would consider myself and my family, therefore, to be Anglo-Saxon Celtic Viking Normans (or Norman Anglo-Saxon Celtic Vikings, or perhaps Viking Celtic Norman Anglo-Saxons and so on etc etc).

Granted the English may generally be of Anglo-Saxon descent, certainly our language, but blood-wise aren't we all a bit of a mixture? And what of recent 'third' generation immigrants? Can someone still be English and not Anglo-Saxon? All very interesting...what extent are we Anglo-Saxon?

09-07-2008, 03:21 AM	#31 (permalink)
BonnieDundee Uber Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Between Mallaig and Cornwall. Posts: 2,809	The truth is the truth. Even your fellow English nats seemas to agree. __________________ "It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state." -Bruce Schneier How to Overthrow the System: brew your own beer; kick in your TV; build your own cabin and pss off front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it.* Edward Abbey Leopold Kohr.

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21-07-2008, 07:41 PM	#35 (permalink)
22ANDUK Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,438	Tricky thing though. I guess I am British and English... However, I was born in England, to an Irish mother, Cornish father, have a Norman surname and have blonde hair and blue eyes, my father and brother however have dark Roman features. So I would consider myself and my family, therefore, to be Anglo-Saxon Celtic Viking Normans (or Norman Anglo-Saxon Celtic Vikings, or perhaps Viking Celtic Norman Anglo-Saxons and so on etc etc). Granted the English may generally be of Anglo-Saxon descent, certainly our language, but blood-wise aren't we all a bit of a mixture? And what of recent 'third' generation immigrants? Can someone still be English and not Anglo-Saxon? All very interesting...what extent are we Anglo-Saxon?