• Home
  • Blog
  • The Book Corner
  • Mama Stories: The First Year
  • Recipes
  • Geekdom
  • About me
  • My Work
  • Social Media
  • Contact
  • Floating My Life
  • Home
  • Blog
  • The Book Corner
  • Mama Stories: The First Year
  • Recipes
  • Geekdom
  • About me
  • My Work
  • Social Media
  • Contact
  • Floating My Life

Why Britain chose to remain in the EU despite voting Leave

3/5/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Brexit has surely caused a lot of trouble in the past years and, ultimately, what started as a halfhearted attempt at a sense of liberation from the EU, is now headed to be one of the biggest catastrophes the country has seen in a while.

And it gets only so much worse considering they, etymologically, only had the choice between Remain and, well, Remain, but that will become clearer a little further down the road. Let's first consider how entangled Britain is with their European fremenies and how much they have "stolen" from them in the past centuries - it apparently goes both ways, dear Leave Campaigners. Language is a perfect method to prove how we've all grown together and how, despite all our differences, we share a similar code, one way or another.

But let's recapture. The Germanic tribes Saxons and Angles invaded the Celts and British Island and brought most words of the English language like "begin", "bed", "chamber", "do", "make" and so on and so forth with them. Where would the British stand if such exposure to other cultures got cut off? What if the German diaspora reclaimed the words, the "emigrants" stole from them so many centuries ago? Even "help" comes from German roots, so better check everything is alright, Britain, or you might not be able to even ask for help anymore.

If it only stopped at German, but, of course, it doesn't. Shortly after, the Vikings brought words like "sky" or "skirt" with them, and even though Britain may survive without either of the one, the confusion between "heaven" used as "sky" may raise some eyebrows - and not to forget that "heaven" has Germanic roots, so that's off the table now too.

How about your precious "parliament" where you seemingly cannot get one deal get done these days anymore? That word may be reclaimed by the French, actually, as may "government", "crinoline" (OK, you could supposedly live without that) or "royal". And of course all your food - pork, mutton, beef, all are from French vocabulary. Well, at least you'll have chicken and lamb left. Oh wait, "chicken" derives from the German word "Küken" (a fluffy, yellow baby chick, by the way) and lamb also goes back to the German language - oh dear what will be left of you!

But don't despair just yet, people of Britain - you may not know, but actually you voted to remain in the EU. Remember the Leave Campaign? Leave the EU! Leave! Leave! etc. Well, it may be of interest to know that the word "leave" derives from the Germanic root "laibjanan" and became "laefan" in Old English. Incidentally, "laefan" actually means "to remain, be allowed to stay". Phew, apparently the past two years were merely a linguistic misunderstanding then. The root actually transformed into the modern German word "bleiben", which literally translated into modern English means, tada, "remain".

So, etymologically seen, the only choice you had was between Remain and Remain - and you still somehow got it wrong. But consider you simply cannot "distangle" yourself from the EU and your European brothers and sisters - we shall be forever connected by this little thing called language. And remember, if it wasn't for all the French, Vikings and German tribes visiting your little island, the few words you'd have left would be the ones of Celtic origin like "ass", "brat", "coomb" or "basket" - sounds like promising conversations.
0 Comments

Wergle Flomp is hosting a humour poetry contest

3/5/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
This little unscheduled blog post comes because I found this gem contest online and wanted to share with you. Wergle Flomp are doing a humour poetry contest and contributors can win up to $1,000. I have already sent a piece in, and if you have a little funny piece to share,too, why not send it in - it's for free. Click on this link to get to the contest. 
0 Comments
    Picture
    Angie 
    Writer. Editor. Blogger. YouTuber. Freelancer. Traveller. English fanatic.

    Archives

    October 2023
    September 2023
    April 2023
    January 2023
    September 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

Blog

About

Book Corner

My Work

Contact

Copyright © 2015
  Floating the Boat: Stories, Disasters and Experiences in the Life of a Young Writer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • The Book Corner
  • Mama Stories: The First Year
  • Recipes
  • Geekdom
  • About me
  • My Work
  • Social Media
  • Contact
  • Floating My Life
  • Home
  • Blog
  • The Book Corner
  • Mama Stories: The First Year
  • Recipes
  • Geekdom
  • About me
  • My Work
  • Social Media
  • Contact
  • Floating My Life