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Posted
No it isn't.

 

Reykjavík or Nuuk, depending on if you're after an independant nation or constituent country.

 

It is the most northern urban area though (area with more than 1 million people). He can have that :)

Posted
Interesting...so what's the winter like then? Seems like Winnipeg is still on the same latitude as the UK and Ireland, i.e. more to the south than Finland.

 

Now that I look closer...there really aren't that many countries on the same latitude as Finland! :o Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Alaska (US) and Northern Canada...wow! No wonder people get surprised by the winters in here!

 

The average winter day here could be anywhere from -20C to -40C. We get lots of snow as well, which contributes to major flooding in the spring (which is actually happening right now just outside of the city).

 

Well if you find it an interesting fact, there should a number of Icelandic descents there in the early 1900's there was a "large" (thousands of people) emigration and Winnipeg was the most popular place to go to.

 

Only thing we learned about Canada in grade school.

 

I'm actually 1/8th Icelandic. I'm also apparently a decendent of this guy (as well as some people who fled to Iceland because of him):

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Bluetooth

Posted
Really, the trait we're most known for is a relaxed attitude towards everything! :heh:

 

The thing I most associate with Denmark is the concept of "Hygge", which is meant to be hard to explain.

 

Hygge ['hoo-ga'] – a deep sense of place & well-being; a feeling of friendship, warmth, contentment and peace with your immediate surroundings.

 

Hygge is a Danish concept which roughly describes that warm and fuzzy feeling when you’re surrounded by good food and good company. Hygge is an important element of the Danish mentality. The term is difficult to translate, but it is often, inadequately, translated as cosiness. Yet, it is much more than that because it encompasses many different words. Hygge can mean cosy, comfy, snug and having a good time according to the context the word is used in, but most of all hygge means all of that in one term which makes it such a unique Danish word.

 

http://danishweb.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/what-is-hygge/

 

However, I do love the idea and I'm pretty sure we've all felt it, even if we don't have a word for it. One occasion I remember was being on Southend seafront one evening: I was just utterly relaxed and happy to be there with my family. Is that it?

Posted

There used to be a fair few Portuguese people here, they've all been lynched, as they were part of the mafia.

 

I'm still standing strong, dammit! My sig is still a relic from that time :grin:

 

I'm part of this group. Except I'm from Lisbon. Oh yes. ^_^

 

Boa! Dá cá mais cinco! :grin:

 

Rivalry between northerners and moors Lisboets aside, it's always nice to see a fellow Lusitan :)

 

So you're actually from the city of Harbour, and your country is named Harbour of Gal / Gale / Cale? No wonder you like your cods xD So what's the adjective then, Galharbourian?

 

Indeed, Porto means harbour or port, in Portuguese. And indeed, it was called Portus Cale (Cale Harbour) back in the Roman Empire (and what Cale means, nobody knows).

When the surrounding region was conquered and awarded to a noble knight, it became "County of Portus Cale", and eventually became Portugal, and its own country.

 

Nowadays, Porto is one city, and Cale became another city: Vila Nova de Gaia (New Village of Gaia)

 

Naming our country is just one of the many qualities of our fine city :heh:

 

Well, I'm not one to talk really...My current town translates into River's Mouth, and the country name "Suomi" is speculated to have been originated from a word meaning just 'land'. So hi, I'm a Landian from the land of Land, city of River's Mouth xD

 

River's Mouth is pretty cool, actually. And Suomi being land... I'm sure there's worse out there :heh: But seriously, the original etymology has been lost in time at this point, right? If anything, it just shows how ancient your culture is, which is not a bad thing by any means.

 

Where does "Finns" come from, by the way? Are its origins also lost in time?

Posted
The thing I most associate with Denmark is the concept of "Hygge", which is meant to be hard to explain.

 

 

 

However, I do love the idea and I'm pretty sure we've all felt it, even if we don't have a word for it. One occasion I remember was being on Southend seafront one evening: I was just utterly relaxed and happy to be there with my family. Is that it?

 

Ah, yes, we're quite famous for that word. It's also a concept that helps explain the Danish mentality. To outsiders we can seem very unfriendly, but it's only until people get closer to us - then they see the well-known Danish hospitality. :)

 

I'd say your experience sounds like a typical example of hygge, yes. It's a feeling of cosiness, security and comfortability stemming from being together with people you love. :)

 

The only thing that doesn't make sense is the listed pronunciation. :heh: It's pronounced [ˈhygə]. The vowel is the same as the German ü.

Posted

I'm actually 1/8th Icelandic. I'm also apparently a decendent of this guy (as well as some people who fled to Iceland because of him):

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Bluetooth

 

Yeah because they refused to take up Christianity right?

Going to the west was apparently a common answer when people were unhappy with their living conditions way back there.

Posted
Yeah because they refused to take up Christianity right?

Going to the west was apparently a common answer when people were unhappy with their living conditions way back there.

 

Cue images in my head of old Scandinavians going: "Fuck this shit! We're heading west!" :D

Posted
I'd say your experience sounds like a typical example of hygge, yes. It's a feeling of cosiness, security and comfortability stemming from being together with people you love. :)

 

Sounds like contentedness to me.

Posted
n.ireland here :D

 

was weird. for the census my dad put down he was british but i put down i was northern irish :P hah >.>

 

But NI isn't part of Britain. (Assuming your dad is from NI.)

Posted

Ya i know (that was my point) but due to alot of the .. conflicts?... some people dont like to say that theyre Irish. They wanna be british so they call themselves british. its very confusing. lol

 

If yer from N.ireland its like the derry / londonderry argument all over again

Posted
Ya i know (that was my point) but due to alot of the .. conflicts?... some people dont like to say that theyre Irish. They wanna be british so they call themselves british. its very confusing. lol

 

Interesting. I assumed most people from NI wouldn't want to call themselves British.

 

Nationalism is certainly an interesting debate in UK. A lot of people prefer to say English/Welsh/Scottish rather than British or UK.

 

I used to consider myself a bit of a nationalist. But then I moved to Wales and realised how utterly retarded nationalism is.

Posted
Interesting. I assumed most people from NI wouldn't want to call themselves British.

 

Nationalism is certainly an interesting debate in UK. A lot of people prefer to say English/Welsh/Scottish rather than British or UK.

 

I used to consider myself a bit of a nationalist. But then I moved to Wales and realised how utterly retarded nationalism is.

 

Not to generalise, but most protestants call themselves British... most Catholics call themselves Irish. i just stick myself in the middle n call myself Northern Irish cause i dont identify myself as either lol. So i get told off from both sets of friends cause of that.

 

I wanna move out of N.Ireland at some point so who knows what ill call myself then. xD

Posted

 

Or

 

 

Either's good.

 

I did consider posting the Pet Shop Boys one. :D Didn't actually realise it was originally by the Village People.

 

Sounds like contentedness to me.

 

Hm, not really. Cosiness is more accurate, though it still doesn't capture the essense entirely.

 

But NI isn't part of Britain. (Assuming your dad is from NI.)

 

Isn't (Great) Britain often used in the same meaning as United Kingdom?

Posted
I did consider posting the Pet Shop Boys one. :D Didn't actually realise it was originally by the Village People.

 

 

 

Hm, not really. Cosiness is more accurate, though it still doesn't capture the essense entirely.

 

 

 

Isn't (Great) Britain often used in the same meaning as United Kingdom?

 

Great Britain is England Scotland and Wales... United kingdom is Great Britain + N. Ireland.

 

i think anyway

Posted
Not to generalise, but most protestants call themselves British... most Catholics call themselves Irish. i just stick myself in the middle n call myself Northern Irish cause i dont identify myself as either lol. So i get told off from both sets of friends cause of that.

 

I wanna move out of N.Ireland at some point so who knows what ill call myself then. xD

 

Strictly speaking, they, like you and I, are British, in the sense that we're all from the British Isles. From a more practical (and less can-of-worms-opening) point of view, I think the general rule is that if you're from the Eire you're Irish, if you're from England, Scotland or Wales your British (but generally don't call yourself as such) and if you're from Northern Ireland it's an or/and situation, I guess.

 

It's funny that the people who most want to call themselves British (Unionists in NI) don't live on Great Britain...


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