Altered Maps XVI: Gerardus Mercator Must Die

[Takhisis]

The Republica Srpska would join Serbia if split from Bosnia as well.

Definitely, as that was the purpose of forming it (same with RSK).

 

[Traitorfish]

Ancestry.com of course

But seriously, I admit with being too liberal with my use of "ancestors" and apologize for it. However, its still true that the average Scotsman is multiple generations removed from the Gaelic language, a language which was one of many used during the history of the country. And is often being championed for political causes removed from the root desire of simply preserving a particular piece of the human experience from the world. I feel like I come off a little too harsh sometimes, as someone who has extensive Welsh ancestry on both sides of my family tree I have a soft spot for the Celtic languages, even the rebirth of Cornish. Yet, it often seems that there's a particular section of Scottish political culture today which are trying to promote a mythical form of the unique Scottish culture in an effort to create a division in a region that hasn't existed for over a millennium.

That I do agree with. Scottish Gaelic has a place in the history of Scotland, and I would hope the future as well, but you're right that it's a more complicated place than just being "our ancient tongue", as a Welsh or Catalan nationalist might plausibly argue.

I frankly think part of the nationalist enthusiasm for Gaelic is because it's easy. Nobody really expects you to learn it, or even really engage with it on a more than symbolic level, you just throw funding at it until everyone feels better about themselves. You get a "national language", without having to really do anything. If they were to elevate Scots to such a "national" position, then you begin to hit the uneasy truth that a lot of the nationalist leadership are pretty heavily Anglicised, and that speakers of Scots, or of the most heavily Scots-influenced forms of Scottish English, are not an inherently nationalist constituency.

On a Scottish note,

I really have mo idea why so many of the comparisons are to Scottish counties.

 

[uppi]

I really have mo idea why so many of the comparisons are to Scottish counties.

I guess it is because only in the rural parts of Scotland you can find counties as sparsely populated as most of the USA.

 

[Kyriakos]

The Americas are Dolan, or some other duck

 

[Arakhor]

Technically of course, neither the Falkland Islands nor Tristan da Cunha are actually part of the UK, as I believe that their status is that of a British Overseas Territory.

 

[Synobun]

Technically of course, neither the Falkland Islands nor Tristan da Cunha are actually part of the UK, as I believe that their status is that of a British Overseas Territory.

You're a British Overseas Territory.

Here is a map of 'provincial brands' here in Canada.

Evidently based on the same map for the US:

Not too sure why he associates CIBC with Ontario.

 

[Arakhor]

You're a British Overseas Territory.

What, me personally? I'm not sure how that follows.

 

[Synobun]

You'll understand when you're older.

 

[danjuno]

Wait, where does Arakhor live again?

Also, isn't Denny's originally from California?

 

[Arakhor]

I live in my native country, the UK, as my location has helpfully pointed out every since I got here.

 

[Hrothbern]

I live in my native country, the UK, as my location has helpfully pointed out every since I got here.

If I click on "UK", your location, I end up on Google Maps in Gouda, a small town between Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
With nice Gouda cheese BTW.

 

[Arakhor]

I think I may have visited there many years ago.

 

[metatron]

Technically of course, neither the Falkland Islands nor Tristan da Cunha are actually part of the UK, as I believe that their status is that of a British Overseas Territory.

You're a British Overseas Territory.

What, me personally? I'm not sure how that follows.

You'll understand when you're older.

Wait, where does Arakhor live again?

 

[Kyriakos]

I live in my native country, the UK, as my location has helpfully pointed out every since I got here.

I think he means that you are a british, overseas territory

 

[danjuno]

I live in my native country, the UK, as my location has helpfully pointed out every since I got here.

As in, what part? Since Kyriakos is referring to you as an overseas territory, albeit apparently as a geographic rather than legal term, I inferred that to mean you live in a part of the UK that is not part of the Isle of GB proper.

 

[Arakhor]

I live in the part of (mainland) England known as the Cotswolds, so I'm probably just as confused as you are.

 

[Kyriakos]

Maybe i am falling victim to some mischievous meta, but isn't the joke that Britain itself is overseas (and british) when viewed from the new world?

 

[Arakhor]

That makes more sense.

 

[Synobun]

Maybe i am falling victim to some mischievous meta, but isn't the joke that Britain itself is oversees (and british) when viewed from the new world?

You're a mischievous meta.

(Is that a good enough hint towards what the joke is? )

 

[metatron]

You're a mischievous meta.

I'm a mischievious meta.