Tuesday 1 March 2011

The Saint David’s Day Teaser: Yakki Da

Whooah … !

Now, there’s a thing.

I’ve got to admit, I almost forgot, until I actually got around to write today’s Teaser, that today is Saint David’s Day: the feast of of the patron saint of Wales.

So …

All the best to my Welsh readers!

That’s if I’ve got any … ?

Anyone … ?

Hmmm …

You know, I don’t know if I do or don’t.

But I do know it reminds me that the British Isles have a lot more native languages than people think.

English, Welsh, Manx, Cornish, Irish, and — depending on who you ask — up to two forms of Scots Gælic.

That’s before you include French, spoken largely on the Channel Isles.

»»•««

Of course, whether Jane Russell knew that … ?

I don’t know …

But to hear, today, that the 89 year-old screen legend died … ?

Is definitely sad …

I might just have to see what Movie Night Adrian and Kevin D say to digging up a copy of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

»»•««

Let’s move on, shall we … ?

Yes, lets.

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Kaiju and Debbi putting in their answers: with Kaiju bagging 6 out of 7 and Debbi bagging 7 out of 7, it also saw Debbi questioning whether ‘Dord’ was a word. (It wasn’t, Debbi, that’s why Websters were double checking … !)

It also saw Kaiju belatedly — very belatedly — putting in his answers for the day before and managing six out of six.

Lets see how they — and you — do with today’s Saint David’s Day questions: here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video

Q1) In which year did the Welsh Assembly declare Saint David’s Day to be a public holiday … ?

Q2) What’s the name of the National Welsh Music festival … ?

Q3) S4C — Britain’s only Welsh language TV station — started in which year … ?

Q4) ‘Wales’ and ‘Welsh’ are derived from an Anglo-saxon word meaning … what … ?

Q5) Moving on … 1st March, 1950, saw Klaus Fuchs jailed for spying: for which country … ?

Q6) 1st March, 1873, saw E. Remington and Sons begin production of the world’s first practical what … ?

Q7) And finally … 1st March, 1781 saw the US Continental Congress issue what: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, or the US Constitution … ?
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 28th February, 2007, saw NASA’s New Horizons probe fly past which planet?
A1) Jupiter.

Q2) More to the point, which planet is it heading for … ?
Q2) Pluto: which, strictly, is a dwarf planet.

Q3) Even more to the point, the object in Q2 is in — or part of — which belt … ?
A3) The Kuiper Belt.

Q4) While we’re astronomical … 28th February, 1997 saw GRB 970228 strike Earth. What was GRB 970228 … ?
A4) A Gamma Ray Burst.

Q5) 28th February, 1939, saw an investigation by Webster’s New English Dictionary after which erroneous word was discovered … ?
A5) Dord.

Q6) 28th February, 1925, saw the birth of Harry H. Corbett, OBE: in which film did he play Sergeant Sidney Bung?
A6) Carry On Screaming.

Q7) And finally … 28th February, 1993, saw who launch a raid on the Branch Davidian sect in Waco, Texas … ?
A7) The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later. After I’ve hugged a Welshman …



3 comments:

Kaiju said...

1. Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant: Cross-party support resulted in the National Assembly for Wales voting unanimously to make St. David's Day a public holiday in 2000, a stance supported by the Wales TUC.
2. The National Eisteddfod
3. 1982
4. The Anglo-Saxon word for 'foreign' or 'foreigner' was Waelisc and a 'foreign(er's) land' was called Wēalas. The modern English forms of these words with respect to the modern country are Welsh (the people) and Wales (the land), respectively. The modern Welsh name for themselves is Cymry, and Cymru is Welsh for "Land of the Cymry". The etymological origin of Cymry is from the Brythonic word combrogi, meaning "fellow-countrymen".
5. Soviet Union
6. typewriters ...after manufacturing firearms. Go figger.
7. The Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was the first constitution of the United States.

Nik Nak said...

Yeah, that sound’s about right, @Kaiju!

Actually, I seem to recall reading somewhere, that Henry Ford got the basic idea for production lines from a certain Mr Samuel Colt …

Debbi said...

1. 2000
2. The Eisteddfod
3. 1982
4. foreigner's land (based on the Anglo-Saxon word Wēalas) and foreign or foreigner (based on the Anglo-Saxon word Waelisc), respectively
5. Soviet Union
6. typewriter
7. The Articles of Confederation.

I still think dord would make a great word. lol A good way to describe an ordinary dork, maybe? :)