Nicola Sturgeon not standing for election

but we do not expect them to abandon their indigenous languages

My point exactly

There is no reason why the Welsh language should not be learned by all its population.

True. But there is also no reason why those who don't want to learn Welsh should be forced to.

Wish I knew Cornish

Is that not a contradiction, Ana?

No.

Our neighbours used to fly a Cornish flag in the garden.
(We live in Wales)

Whitewave my point was that these languages should not be allowed to die out, and I have always said that (but not forced on the whole population if they do not wish to learn it).
It is a pity that the last fluent Cornish speaker died in the 1700s (although I understand some still spoke it in the 1900s) and I hope it is being revived as a language by anyone who wishes to learn it.

My DGN knows some Cornish (self-taught I think) but as he is a fluent tri-lingual speaker with a smattering of about 3 other languages I don't suppose he gets much chance to use it since he moved away.

What I am puzzled about is how do you revive a dead language I mean how do you know what it sounds like.

There is an MP from down your way who wants every official government document translated into Cornish. They would to make some words up, but that is the same for Welsh.
I suppose you have to listen to Welsh and Breton and someone then decides how it was pronounced. Some Cornish people are speaking it today and reviving it. I presume it is the correct pronunciation as they would have researched it carefully.
I think it is more similar to Breton than other languages.

Good luck to the Welsh and the Irish and the Scots and the Cornish who are trying to preserve the language. As long as we remember the DNA survey of the British Isles showed we're all more or less the same - except for the Western Isles. Language is one thing; race (a less useful human invention) is something else.

I am not referring to anyone here . I find it so amusing when I hear people in England being interviewed on immigration .

They must learn English if they want to live here

They should respect and accept our culture

We should not have their flag flown in our country - the U K flag which only honours three countries of the UK

I would like a red dragon slam in the centre of the UK flag and regret it would put many English into a state of hysteria

England's biggest problem is it has never been suppressed by another country as Ireland, Scotland and Wales have . If it had been I am sure the English would be more tolerant, understanding and respectful to the other three countries of the United Kingdom

Gaelic was banned as a language (along with bagpipes, the kilt and highlanders having weapons) after the 45. This resulted in the language becoming almost extinct apart from in the more remote areas. It is being revived slowly but the resources spent on it can be resented, especially in schools. While it is part of the Scottish culture so is Viking Norse, Lowland Scots , and whatever the good old Picts spoke! It's all very emotive.

The French were large in 1066 in England annie, and England lost a lot of it's Anglo Saxon heritage.

Love your idea of a dragon ought to be a petition.

Anniebach I see your point re the flag, but at least the second verse of the national anthem isn't about crushing the rebellious Welsh (it is about the rebellious Scots!).
Sometime I think that English people have problems separate being British from being English, this can be seen on the BBC all the time. I would never say Scottish when discussing the U.K. but the media seems to think the words English and British are interchangeable.

Dotsmam , I so agree , the BBC grrrrrrr, the sports commentators are surely the most guilty.

Thank you Whitewave , I think the flag would benefit from a green square with a red dragon

Sorry forgot, Welsh was first banned because it was decided the morals of the Welsh would improve if they spoke English !

really! At least Gaelic was banned because of an uprising! Just as a wee aside what are the Welsh thinking about a Thatcher museum? We don't need anything to remember her by we are still living with the fall out!

wish someone could draw a potential union flag with dragon and have a look at it on GN

The mere mention of Margaret Thatchers name was enough to make my dear departed Mum swear,both my Mum and Dad worked in Ravenscraig and suffered in the demise of the steelworks in our area.

www.bibel.kernewek.btinternet.co.uk/

www.kesva.org/index

This one works.

Over a year ago I designed just such a flag, with the saltire removed and the red Welsh Dragon and Red Hand of Ulster added to the red St George's Cross, to illustrate what the 'Union Flag' might look like in the event of Scottish Independence. I thought it was rather fetching and christened it the RED Flag as it was no longer red, white and blue. It went down like a ton of wet sand at a Gransnet Meetup in Edinburgh. Some people do not 'get' my sense of humour.

[thumbs up], Granny23.

The way the 'Unionist' politicians have been talking lately, England may soon cast Scotland adrift so your flag may yet come in handy.

Sorry to go back a few days but I am only catching up now. Anno said "There is some concern in Scotland that a large number of the SNP candidates in the GE are inexperienced. The highly experienced Douglas Alexander (Shadow Foreign Secretary) is opposed by a 20-year-old undergraduate". I feel I must put in a word in support of Mhari Black who is the undergraduate you mention. She was brought up in a very political aware household and became very active in the YES campaign with her father and latterly with Jim Sillars and has been widely recognised as a 'rising star'. I would submit that although she has no previous experience of Parliamentary Politics ( which some might see as an advantage ) she has 20 years of experience of living among the people she hopes to represent, sharing their fears, hopes and dreams and gaining insight into the problems of the area (child poverty at 25%+) whereas the 'highly experienced Douglas Alexander' has led a comfortable (some might say privileged) life far removed from that of the majority of his former constituents.

Many of the SNP candidates are indeed first timers, but all have had to go through a rigorous selection process and face a contest against as many as 8 other contenders to win the nomination in each seat. Hopefully the 6 sitting SNP Westminster MPs + former MP Alex Salmond will be returned and will be there to guide the newbies and show them the ropes.

Dotsmam, a word to the wise, I am the daughter, granddaughter, g granddaughter and g g granddaughter of coal miners , the T word is guaranteed to make me a teeny bit cross, well but more than a teeny bit

I think it is the 6th verse of the National Anthem which refers to the 'rebellious Scots' which, of course, is never sung - only verses 1 and 3.
Here it is always followed by the beautiful Welsh Anthem.