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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Gaelic Galicia?; Spanish Positives and a Negative; & Spanish walking.


In its search for proof that Galicia is truly Gaelic - and so entitled to the membership of the Celtic Nations Group currently denied to it - Proxecto Gaelaico has had a go at deciphering something written on a the wall of a 14th century church up in Betanzos, near La Coruña. Their conclusion is that it reads An Ghaltact, which is Gaelic for "Gaelic-speaking area." This, they insist, proves Galicia's links with Ireland and Scotland. Hmm. Swallows and summer are words that spring to mind. We now await a second opinion from 'expert epigraphists'.

Spanish Positives

  • Spain's crime rate has fallen further and is now only bested by those of Portugal and Greece.
  • Tourism receipts so far this year are the best for 5 years and a record 28 million tourists elected to come here, headed by the British and the Germans.
  • Gin and Tonic is very much the in drink in Spain these days. Not before time. I suspect it's not well known here that gin is a Dutch invention, brought to Britain by William of Orange.
Spanish Negative
  • Outside work, the average Spaniard spends 8 hours 48 minutes a day on his/her devices. This is, by some way, the most in the EU and compares with 6 hours 54 minutes for Brits.
Finally . . . I was looking at a list of English idioms today and came across To walk Spanish. This was new to me but apparently means to physically force someone to leave a place or to discharge them. No idea why. Suggestions very welcome.

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