The Commonwealth Games

[Icy Gull]

I'm looking forward to the Rugby Sevens.

England, New Zealand, Samoa, South Africa, Australia - it should be an amazing competition.

Haven't watched 7s for a while now, am I right in thinking that England are a bit shit at it at the moment? What I have seen seems to be New Zealand and Pacific Islands teams dominating?

What I really mean is are England going out early doors? I guess

Are the Sweaties, and the Welsh playing as well or do we turn up as team GB?

 

[strings]

Samoa are going to walk it I think - they are the world sevens champions, New Zealand have a chance. The RFU have been really talking up England's chances - we'll see...

There are 4 groups, top two going through to the quarter finals. there is a separate competition for the losing quarter finalists (with no medals) and another competition for teams coming 3rd in their group (again without medals).

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

i think you should research cameroons history tyrone.

I'm aware of it's history. It was a French ruled colony before the Versaille treaty split it up so I consider it a non Brit Colony for the larger part.

The Brits didn't try to impose anything greatly British upon them, they just wanted the trade and resources.

 

[Sheebo]

I'm following...

Girl I went to school / 6th form with just got a bronze in the badminton team event - chuffed for her.

 

[The Spanish]

The Brits didn't try to impose anything greatly British upon them, they just wanted the trade and resources.

and that makes it a special case. if cultural imperialism was our bag we would now be watching an event in a country of +1 billion christians. just because loads of brits decamped to a borderline empty desert island that became your country doesnt mean that that was our mission to develop ethnically and culturally British societies in everywhere we landed, by a long chalk.

a few zealots and evangelists followed the ships of course, but go to any former colony that already had a large established society and apart from which side of the road they drive on and what plugs they use often the british cultural impact is fairly low, in the great scheme of things.

i think you have a slightly skewed view of this mate.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

and that makes it a special case. if cultural imperialism was our bag we would now be watching an event in a country of +1 billion christians. just because loads of brits decamped to a borderline empty desert island that became your country doesnt mean that that was our mission to develop ethnically and culturally British societies in everywhere we landed, by a long chalk.

a few zealots and evangelists followed the ships of course, but go to any former colony that already had a large established society and apart from which side of the road they drive on and what plugs they use often the british cultural impact is fairly low, in the great scheme of things.

i think you have a slightly skewed view of this mate.

I feel the fact there's quite a few African nations whose official language is English suggests that an enormous cultural impact has occurred.

Replacing a language is probably the biggest thing you can do to another nation in regards to cultural change.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I'm looking forward to the Rugby Sevens.

England, New Zealand, Samoa, South Africa, Australia - it should be an amazing competition.

That is definitely the event I am most looking forward to. I can't quite muster up as much excitement as usual with so many top athletes missing.

The hockey has been good though.

 

[The Spanish]

I feel the fact there's quite a few African nations whose official language is English suggests that an enormous cultural impact has occurred.

Replacing a language is probably the biggest thing you can do to another nation in regards to cultural change.

the use of english throughout the world is not limited to former british colonies by a long chalk. its global influence is certainly a relic of empire but of course not necesarily a direct result of british rule as you imply. i would use ireland rather than africa as your example for your flimsy argument. a country slap bang next to england and a days sail even 1000 years ago. if you have much contact with west africans you will find their working knowledge of english is not the same as having their own language of home wiped out, unlike the irish.

try conversing in amsterdam as well as accra and see which one you get on better in and you can easily understand responses in, and which one is the former british colony with english as an official language.

 

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My ex-housemate from my Uni days is competing in the shooting events for Gibraltar.

 

[The Spanish]

My ex-housemate from my Uni days is competing in the shooting events for Gibraltar.

see thats what the commonwealth games is all about. accessible competitors representing obscure lumps of rock with a union jack on top, in minority sports!

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

the use of english throughout the world is not limited to former british colonies by a long chalk. its global influence is certainly a relic of empire but of course not necesarily a direct result of british rule as you imply. i would use ireland rather than africa as your example for your flimsy argument. a country slap bang next to england and a days sail even 1000 years ago. if you have much contact with west africans you will find their working knowledge of english is not the same as having their own language of home wiped out, unlike the irish.

try conversing in amsterdam as well as accra and see which one you get on better in and you can easily understand responses in, and which one is the former british colony with english as an official language.

You are talking from a modern prospective re: nations who now speak a bit of English like the Dutch.

Ireland is a perfect example of how a nation has almost lost their native language due to the native culture being dictated to by a dominant over ruler.

Given the distance between Africa and England it shows the influence there was quite huge given how common the use of English is.

All of which occurred during the peak of colonial rule.

 

[The Spanish]

You are talking from a modern prospective re: nations who now speak a bit of English like the Dutch.

Ireland is a perfect example of how a nation has almost lost their native language due to the native culture being dictated to by a dominant over ruler.

Given the distance between Africa and England it shows the influence there was quite huge given how common the use of English is.

All of which occurred during the peak of colonial rule.

tyrone the dutch do not speak 'a bit of english' this is my point. many former african colonies who you imply or genuinely believe all now jabber away in english to the detriment of their own previous method of communication through a strange variety of clicks, in fact only have really fluent english at certain levels, and, just like other countries with no history of british imperialism i.e. north european states with a generally excellent command of english, do not use it for anything other than necessary communication. you meet plenty of people throughout the world who use english without having never had to surrender to the crown. give it up.

my point is whenever something like this comes up you rail against colonial injustice without viewing it from any other angle i.e. that the worlds simply shrunk. i had a f***ing kebab last night but i dont feel in the slightest bit oppressed or culturally dominated by turkey.

anyway you must have won about 300 medals since this debate started. good job swimming doesnt require much thinking eh!

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

anyway you must have won about 300 medals since this debate started. good job swimming doesnt require much thinking eh!

Just a bit of sun and a lot of bikinis

 

[patchamalbion]

not really understanding BBCs most current table...we are now 4th,Canada are 3rd but yet we have one more medals,more golds and more silvers than them

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

I for one have really enjoyed the games so far. The table tennis has been brilliant! Its a shame not more people have actually turned up at the stadiums, but none the less its a long way from a failure in my book!

At the end of the day, its all just a bit of fun, as sports are meant to be.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Jenny Duncalf (squash) is a bit of a honey. The Ping Pong has been fun, yes.

 

[Everest]

Have been watching a lot of the coverage.

We are winning bucket loads of gold medals, it's great!

They're not medals in the buckets. It's the Delhi Belly.

 

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England rugby sevens sporting a fantastic 'away' kit this morning. Oh, and they are through to the semis (vs. New Zealand 7's).

Looks like Scotland are through to the semis too.

 

[strings]

Looks like Scotland are through to the semis too.

17-17 - I spoke too soon! Extra time now...

 

[8ace]

I enjoyed the pot plant incident. And the dog on the pitch. That is all I've watched of it.