What and who are the English?

[Stirlingsays]

Genetically, I myself am just as much Scots/Irish as English but, born and raised here and very proud of these islands as a whole.

All of the ethnicities of these isles are under threat but it's the English who always get this attack about what they are by the left the most....more than Scots/Welsh/Irish do (though that's also happening).

Because you hear these attacks on the English so much, here is an historian on the right to answer this question.....and his answers would apply more broadly to the native ethnicities of all these isles.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2029830155124797622

 

[DanH]

You’re less English than I am? Scenes

 

[Stirlingsays]

You’re less English than I am? Scenes

Maybe, why not tell?

Regardless, I still have native English genetic stock, via Mum's line, born and raised here.

Differences between English/Scots/Welsh/Irish is mostly culturally cosmetic.....which is fine, but genetically we are mostly the same people.

Army family, lots of males in the British army, same as many working class (and middle) British and Irish families.

I keep meaning to take one of those ancestry tests....I bought one and haven't done it.

The Stirlings are obviously a common British name....again, obviously Scottish, but Stirlings have been in Ireland for 400 years as well.

And obvs....our surnames are only one of several lineages that make up the majority of our ancestry.

 

[DanH]

Tbf, nan was born in Cork with the surname literally O’Connor so maybe we’re similar mongrels ha.

 

[PalazioVecchio]

the OP asks an interesting question. I reckon a defining feature of the English is always being ruled by outsiders.....Normans or other foreign toffs. Eton/Harrow and the aristocracy always feels very different to the plebs on the football terraces.
Unlike most other countries.

 

[Stirlingsays]

the OP asks an interesting question. I reckon a defining feature of the English is always being ruled by outsiders.....Normans or other foreign toffs. Eton/Harrow and the aristocracy always feels very different to the plebs on the football terraces.
Unlike most other countries.

Just the class system, same all over the isles, the English just ended up with the most famous universities because of the ethos they decided on.

But it's the same people, watch the video.

 

[chris123]

Just the class system, same all over the isles, the English just ended up with the most famous universities because of the ethos they decided on.

But it's the same people, watch the video.

Some of the oldest universities are in Scotland which also has sectarian issues that surprise you if you haven't worked there.

 

[PalazioVecchio]

as a Celt, i reserve the right to regard the English as a bunch of Germans. Which effectively yis are. Prior to WWI yis regarded Germany as your cousins....from whence we get the etymology of the word Germany. And yis regarded the French as 'other, them over there'.

Celt = dark hair, blue eyes, pale skin for the Goidelics, mediterreanan skin for the Brythonnic Welsh. The elderlies speak like they worked on a fisherman's tiny rowboat. Some commonality with French/Spanish language & culture.

English = Blonder, tanned, the elderlies speak like their grandparents were Dutch/Frisian......especially in Kent.

 

[Stirlingsays]

as a Celt, i reserve the right to regard the English as a bunch of Germans. Which effectively yis are. Prior to WWI yis regarded Germany as your cousins....from whence we get the etymology of the word Germany. And yis regarded the French as 'other, them over there'.

Celt = dark hair, blue eyes, pale skin for the Goidelics, mediterreanan skin for the Brythonnic Welsh. The elderlies speak like they worked on a fisherman's tiny rowboat. Some commonality with French/Spanish language & culture.

English = Blonder, tanned, the elderlies speak like their grandparents were Dutch/Frisian......especially in Kent.

I bet you're more kraut than I am! 😀

But yeah, in a general sense they are cousins.....All of northern Europe is mixed to some extent....it's just to what extent.

The video talks about the largest extents for the English, one on the Irish would be interesting.

 

[PalazioVecchio]

the irish have roots in Northern Spain, about 10,000 years ago. Still some DNA and linguistic connections. The celtic language of Asturias has 'Ta se baisti' or something similar for 'it is raining'.....almost identical to the irish phrase.
Colin Farrell or The Corrs all look kinda Spanish.

Northern Spaniards who could easily hide in an irish crowd......Unai Emery, Mikel Arteta, Rafa Benitez, Luis Enrique, Andoni Iraola....some of them even look like Roy Keane.

 

[chris123]

as a Celt, i reserve the right to regard the English as a bunch of Germans. Which effectively yis are. Prior to WWI yis regarded Germany as your cousins....from whence we get the etymology of the word Germany. And yis regarded the French as 'other, them over there'.

Celt = dark hair, blue eyes, pale skin for the Goidelics, mediterreanan skin for the Brythonnic Welsh. The elderlies speak like they worked on a fisherman's tiny rowboat. Some commonality with French/Spanish language & culture.

English = Blonder, tanned, the elderlies speak like their grandparents were Dutch/Frisian......especially in Kent.

The Tims and Huns in Glasgow though.

 

[Stirlingsays]

the irish have roots in Northern Spain, about 10,000 years ago. Still some DNA and linguistic connections. The celtic language of Asturias has 'Ta se baisti' or something similar for 'it is raining'.....almost identical to the irish phrase.
Colin Farrell or The Corrs all look kinda Spanish.

You just like cheap hot holidays!

 

[Teddy Eagle]

The Tims and Huns in Glasgow though.

That's not quite as prevalent as it used to be, among the younger people anyway, apart from the football. It's still there though and in Edinburgh too between Hibs and Hearts. It's quite strange because while some think it's all a bit of a joke there are still others who are quite committed to not liking each other - there's a town called Larkhall where the local Starbucks is painted black because the locals wouldn't tolerate green paint and the green traffic lights were regularly vandalised but even there it's not quite as bad as it was.

 

[PalazioVecchio]

The Tims and Huns in Glasgow though.

Scottish sectarianism is mental. And its alive and well. Sectarianism is Far less prevalent in England, Wales or the Republic of Ireland - where people really don't give a flying feck if you are Catholic or Protestant.

 

[beak]

That's not quite as prevalent as it used to be, among the younger people anyway, apart from the football. It's still there though and in Edinburgh too between Hibs and Hearts. It's quite strange because while some think it's all a bit of a joke there are still others who are quite committed to not liking each other - there's a town called Larkhall where the local Starbucks is painted black because the locals wouldn't tolerate green paint and the green traffic lights were regularly vandalised but even there it's not quite as bad as it was.

The Isle of Dogs until the Second World War held regular sectarian marches and the docks had two unions based on religion, outbreaks of mobs fighting were fairly regular occurrences.

 

[chris123]

Scottish sectarianism is mental. And its alive and well. Sectarianism is Far less prevalent in England, Wales or the Republic of Ireland - where people really don't give a flying feck if you are Catholic or Protestant.

Mate of mine went for a job that he was particularly keen on, this was overseas but the owner was from Glasgow. As soon as he was asked about his first school he said he knew that he wasn't going to be hired.

 

[Stirlingsays]

Mate of mine went for a job that he was particularly keen on, this was overseas but the owner was from Glasgow. As soon as he was asked about his first school he said he knew that he wasn't going to be hired.

Blimey.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Scottish sectarianism is mental. And its alive and well. Sectarianism is Far less prevalent in England, Wales or the Republic of Ireland - where people really don't give a flying feck if you are Catholic or Protestant.

Billy Connolly had a bit about being in, I think, Dubai and going to an Irish club which was full of Celtic fans so he went to the English club which was full of Rangers fans. He ended up in the Scottish club with just him and a bloke from Aberdeen.

 

[PalazioVecchio]

The Tims and Huns in Glasgow though.

England is the melting pot between Celt and Teutonic. You have a continuum from Les Dawson, Jethro, Oasis, David Jason & Morrissey to Blonde....Paul Weller, Gazza and Samantha Janus. West to East .....the hair getting blonder. The Danelaw casting a long shadow.

 

[chris123]

Billy Connolly had a bit about being in, I think, Dubai and going to an Irish club which was full of Celtic fans so he went to the English club which was full of Rangers fans. He ended up in the Scottish club with just him and a bloke from Aberdeen.

Billy used to live just outside Aberdeen, I saw him with a couple of kids just of Union Terrace, it was years ago.

I used to work in Aberdeen a lot, lovely place.