Forums » The Lounge

Alternate History of England

    • 952 posts
    October 22, 2012 3:42 AM EDT

    I think they would still be a country yes, since the reason the revolution started was because the people couldn't speak French, and the fact that the government frowned upon their religion wasn't any better. In fact we even had more population than the north yet we barely had anything to say, and the majority of the army was from the south as well. If they would have treated us fair it wouldn't have come to a revolution, but that's always the case.

    • 80 posts
    December 1, 2012 10:58 PM EST

    Wow! My intention was to spark debate. Seems like it eventually worked, although the subject matter has completely changed.  OK, so what if in 1844, the Frisians had swarmed off their islands in a wave of conquest, and taken over Belgium, the Nederlands, and all of Northern France? How would the world be different today? You have thirty minutes to write a 300 word essay--GO!

    • 966 posts
    December 2, 2012 7:33 AM EST

    In 1844? That wouldn't even have been possible, besides, Friesland is not an island. But if they would have done that, they would've become a minor power, not major because Frisians don't share some of the Dutch traits that made them great like being masters of trade and and boasting quite alot military, mainly naval prowess. They would have alot of rich lands, even though the 19th century is possibly the worst century for the lowlands since the dark ages. Also the EU would never have been created, alot of earlier versions like the EEC would also have never been formed.

    And then theres France, well Paris is still in northern France, so they would control that. That can have alot of implecations.

    All in all, the Frisians would have the power to be one of the most important countries in history, but I don't think they could do it. The Frisians are idependent, but haven't really moved on with times, even their language is outdated as they never improved it, so it isn't really a modern language, or a modern people for that matter. No, they couldn't hold on to it, theres too few of them anyway, back then probably around 800.000 people. Can't see them conquering all that much less keeping control of it.

    • 80 posts
    December 3, 2012 11:14 PM EST

    Wow. Thanks for a well thought out answer.  I have to apologize. Really, I was just trolling my own post, since it had moved so far from the original topic.

    • 966 posts
    December 4, 2012 1:15 AM EST

    Still, funny thought. Ysgramor *the one on the blog* would very much like to see it happen.

    • 162 posts
    December 4, 2012 2:58 AM EST

    Wow, do ha in rike fantasij, Alduin.

    Friezen hawwe dan wol soad kij, mar dat makket sa noch net dom. Ûnder Fryske regear soe nederlân machtich en ryk syn. Elkenien mei gewoan bliuwe dwaan en prate lykas hja sels wolle, lykas der mar genôch jild nei Ljouwert streamt. Of lykas hja dêr sizze, Fryslân boppe!

    Hoesa is de Fryske taal út de tiid? Syn Deensk, Noarsk en Sweedsk dan ek allegearre âlderwetskDo komt fêst út Amsterdam, net?

     

    • 966 posts
    December 4, 2012 9:43 AM EST

    Het is niet met de tijd als in het is niet modern Nederlands, Deens, Noors en Sweeds hebben allemaal herformeringen in de taal gehad, Nederlands ook, heel veel zelfs, maar Fries heeft niet echt veel meegepakt, waardoor het in iedergeval in mijn ogen een wat minder ontwikkelde taal is.

    En nee, niet Amsterdam. Zwolle in het oosten, geboren en getogen. 

    Maar het echte probleem is natuurlijk dat veel Friesen geen ABN zijn aangeleerd, dus in tegenstelling tot de meesten anderen die ook dialect hebben (inclusief ik, Zwolls FTW) niet altijd even goed met elkaar kunnen communiceren.

    Ik ken persoonlijk 8 friezen, 6 daarvan blijven dit jaar zitten en nog 1 die moest al herexamen doen.

    • 162 posts
    December 4, 2012 10:48 AM EST

    Zwolle? Zonder dolle?

    • 966 posts
    December 4, 2012 11:00 AM EST

    Nee, heel veel dolle, maarja, nieuwe generatie he. We hebben nu teminste echte muzieksmaak.

    • 80 posts
    December 4, 2012 7:01 PM EST

    I have heard it said that Frisian is the closest living language to what English would have been without the French influence.  That's how this relates to my original post.

    • 162 posts
    December 5, 2012 3:25 AM EST

    Old Frisian seems to have an close relation to Old English and to Old Dutch and Old Saxon also. Old Frisian was spoken in a few different dialects through the Middle Ages in an area going along the northren shores of The Netherlands and Germany up to Denmark. The idea that Frisians can read "Beowulf" or Brits can recite the "Ús heit" is however a myth.

    Maybe you're interested in An Introduction to Old Frisian written by Rolf H.Bremmer jr. from the University of Leiden.

     

    • 80 posts
    December 5, 2012 6:14 PM EST

    Awesome! Thank you.