meeting people from England in the US...

[Dafydd Owain Hughes]

..is it just my experience, but does anyone else born in Wales who meets an English person in the States have to go through that awkward moment when they call you a "sheep shagger", then laugh like they were the first person ever to say it, and expect you to take it with a "what yo old boy!"? Just wondering, because a couple of my best friends over here are English; but other English people who I have met randomnly (we have a lot of tourism from the UK down in Charleston, SC) think this is absolutely okay to say to any Welsh person they meet?

[Ceri Shaw]

You might remind them what the "sheepshagger" in the Niall Griffiths book of the same name did to the English tourists at the Glyndwr Covenant Stones.

[Harold Powell]

I think the Chicago Tafia has it right. Embrace the slur and make it yours. Many Italians consider the term "Mafia" a slur. We all know, however, that according to the former director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, the "Mafia" is a fictitous organization and doesn't exist. Ha! And...the price of real estate never goes down.

[Ian Price]

Some of the most charming people I've ever met were English - and some of the worst. If the sheep shagger nonsense comes up again admit to it and tell them that's why lamb tastes slimey when they eat it. Or better still remind them that the Welsh often went across the border to England to give the women a taste of Welsh manhood. Of course they often followed us back because they never had such a good time. Naturally your Anglo Saxon male just stood on the border and called us names.

[Dafydd Owain Hughes]

Agreed, as I said a couple of my best friends are English, it just surprises me sometimes that there is an assumed comfort level there that some of them feel. I just wouldn't ever think of saying something xenophobic to a complete stranger; granted after you become friends a little cross border ribbing is acceptable during the 6 nations etc.

[Mike]

You don't have to live in the States - every time I leave my house and go anywhere up the M4 after the bridge I get it. It's definitely not a term of endearment, although they are English, you have to let them have something!

[Gareth Williams]

As we do have their land

Piled up and hidden by calling the piles hills and mountains

[Carwyn Lloyd Edwards]

Interesting question!??!

With many English people in Arizona as long as we talk about football, beer and curry I seem to get along pretty well with them!!
If they have some affection to Wales childhood holidays etc then their is a bond. But if they are pretty ignorant beyond their english garden then you have a culture clash!!
We have to talk generally here but it's more of a class thing as the Welsh population is 90% working class they tend to get along with English people of similar background the conflict occurs when the English Imperial middle/upper class types who feel they are above socially to the Cymry!!

Can't say the Scots are much better over here as well!!!

I remember when I was dating a english girl once back home her Father looked petrified presuming I was planning to burn his house down!!!

The relationship between the Welsh and the English is a subject which should be explored and written about much more!! Well done for starting the debate!!!

[The Chicago Tafia Welsh Society]

It's all friendly banter for the most part, I can honestly say I have never encountered any real insults by the English in all the time i've lived in Wales, England or the US.

We always have a good laugh during the Wales v England games with some of the lads from the consulate here in Chicago, and a load of our supporters here are English, John Burnett a DJ on WDCB always gives us a shout on St. David's Day, and Pat up at the Yorkshire Rose in Iowa has been a big pal to the group.

Oddly enough the only time I have been called a sheepshagger was by a Kiwi when I lived in London!

[Ian Price]

That's rich! A New zealander calling the Welsh sheep shaggers. They should know better.

[The Chicago Tafia Welsh Society]

I thinks thats what my response was! More bloody sheep their mate!

[gaabi]

All the New Zealanders I've ever met have been lovely, wonderful people but...

http://adultsheepfinder.com/

and I remember a PR course I was taking in LA, we all had to get up and give a ten-minute presentation on any subject we knew well, and this sweet little young guy from Christchurch, about 22 and all shiny and new started his with: "I'm from New Zealand, where there are 6 sheep to every man!" and then was so confused and crestfallen when we all burst into laughter and couldn't stop.

[Dafydd Owain Hughes]

Agreed Tafia. I don't really take the word itself as a real insult; I just think that it is the idea of it being something that you would say to a completely stranger is a bit off. Maybe it's just the psyche of growing up Welsh, but it is just not my first impulse to pull out an archaeic slur the first time I meet someone from another country. Again this maybe just my personal experience, but this has happened to me on many occasions. I was in a Blockbuster Video once with my little boy in Charleston, and a Cockney that was working there called me a sheepshagger in front of the other customers as I was checking out a dvd with him!!