Gene Detectives

[Chris Paton]

I stand corrected! lol

Mind you, we never used to greet - we gurned our eyes out...!

Chris

[DavidWW]

I stand corrected! lol

Mind you, we never used to greet - we gurned our eyes out...!

Chris

But fair dos, - "A poke o' chips"


Up to a couple of years ago, for 10 years, I spent a lot of time in Ireland, mostly NI; and used to read the Assembly adverts in the Ulster-Scots version with great interest, - except that's a lie as I couldn't understand them just from looking, - I had to read the words to hear the Lallans !!, some of the spelling being very different

But give me an Antrim coast accent any day as opposed to Banbridge


BTW It's not a "u", it's an "i", as in girn (gûrn)
intr.v. girned, girn·ing, girns Scots
1. To complain in a whining voice.
2. To contort one's face; grimace.
[Middle English girnen, variant of grinnen, grennan; see grin.]


I came across a cracker in the census the other day, Paw and Maw born in the Irish Co. of Farmanagh which was probably exactly how the census enumerator heard it

David

[Chris Paton]

I had a similar experience at PRONI in Belfast about a year and a half ago. When leaving, I noticed some sign written trilingually for the exit. The English was either Exit or Way Out; the Gaelic was Sli Amach; and the third was, if I remember correctly, Ootgang or Gang Oot. It took me a few seconds to twig it was Ullans!

Whilst we all use certain Scots words in Antrim (gutties, pokes, hallions etc), it has to be said that the whole Ullans thing does amuse a few of us from Ulster. The DUP keep telling us that we all use it, and that it is on a par with Ulster Gaelic... err, no! It is all so politically motivated, mainly because of the funding Irish gets in Belfast these days. Read any good account of the Plantations, and you'll find that 10% of the Scottish Protestants planted in Ulster came from the South West and were Scots Gaelic speakers, but you don't see anyone clambering to raise signs in Scots Gaelic back home as well....!

Funnily enough though, when I was at university in Bristol, I did a project on the use of Irish in Ulster, and and discovered that the second most spoken language in Northern Ireland after English was... Chinese!

Which puts it all into context really! lol

Chris

[StewL]

Chris

Mandarin or Cantonese

[Chris Paton]

Can't remember, it was 14 years ago - it's all Greek to me!

Chris

[Chris Paton]

Response from the BBC re: complaint....


Dear Mr Paton

Thank you for your e-mail regarding 'Gene Detectives'.

Firstly, I apologise for the delay in our reply. We know our correspondents appreciate a quick response, and it is a matter of regret to us that you have had to wait for so long on this occasion.

I understand that you are unhappy with the premise of this programme.

Genealogy is one of Britain's fastest growing pastimes and the subject of family history is consequently becoming increasingly popular in the media. Gene Detectives, a new two-week day time show by Freeform Productions for BBC One, follows this growing fascination and hunger that now exists for finding out more about who we are and where we came from. The premise of the programme is to help people who are searching for long lost relatives and people who have already dedicated a considerable amount of their lives to finding their family members.

With the involvement of expert genealogist, Anthony Adolph, the programme was able to conduct its search for long lost relatives using both conventional and more experimental genetic methods. General registration, electoral registers, phone directories and existing clues such as dates and places of birth were used to begin the search. We then undertook a series of further tests to help narrow the search down to the right relative. The point of this was to fully illustrate - in an entertaining and informative way - techniques that test physical similarities, such as lung capacity, height, blood pressure, eye-sight, voice recognition, facial mapping and a "Deep Ancestry" DNA test.

The contributors were fully compliant in this entire process and were aware from the beginning that there would be more than one person for them to select from. A Councillor was on hand to support the contributors at all stages of this search, before during and after the studio tests, when they were reunited for the very first time - it would have been irresponsible to reunite any relatives without proper counselling beforehand. As a result, we have twenty contributors who are delighted to have finally reached the end of their all-consuming searches.

Finally, since the programme transmitted we have had nearly 3,000 requests from people wanting us to help them find their relatives. The Gene Detectives has obviously struck a chord with the Great British Public.

You may rest assured that your comments have been registered.

Regards

Dermot Lynn
BBC Information


I'll leave you to make your own minds up about it...!!!

Chris

[Chris Paton]

oops - double post

[joette]

Still awaiting mine but will let you know what they have to say.
My point was it was exploiting the desperation of people & that they were making it look good by providing counselling which I thought was the most cynical part of the whole concept.
"in case it all goes belly-up we will have provided a counsellor for them".
Cynical moi??

[DavidWW]

Following the clear validation of the "more experimental" genetic family tree tracing methods by the BBC, used in their "Genes Detectives" programme, such as physical similarities, including lung capacity, height, blood pressure, eye-sight, voice recognition, facial mapping and a "Deep Ancestry" DNA test, we are proud to announce the launch of our new family history research service.....

Gene Detective Family Tracing Ltd ^©®

Please send us the following information.

1. Photographs, both full face and profile
2. A tape of your voice.
3. Details of your physical quirks, e.g. ability to rub head and stomach in different directions simultaneously, touch the tip of your nose with your tongue, etc., etc.,
4. Lung capacity, height, blood pressure, eye sight.
5. "Deep ancestry" DNA test results.
6. Skin color, - see attached chart.

Based on this infomation Gene Detective Family Tracing Ltd ^©® researchers will travel around London Underground for two days, and guarantee to come up with a match for you, and therefore your probable ancestry.

There is no need at all to supply Gene Detective Family Tracing Ltd ^©® with any details that you already have on your parents, grandparents, etc., etc.

Guaranteed Results

NO more listening to boring old farts droning on how about how you need to read a book on family history. Books - outdated, who needs 'em?

NO more need to visit dreary old Record Offices or waste your precious time looking at boring bits of paper covered in squiggly writing that you can't understand anyway.

NO more need to listen to self-appointed, so-called experts who try to tell you they can help you just because they've been in genealogy since March 1897 and who will try and persuade you to join a family history society where you will meet hordes of equally boring people who also think they know it all.

NO need at all to do any actual conventional research.

We absolutely guarantee you a family tree you can be proud of, one that will show your descent from such famous historical figures as Mary Queen of Scots, Oliver Cromwell, Sir Francis Drake, William the Conqueror, Charlemagne, the Norse god Woden, Charles II's head coachman's illegitimate son, a 4th cousin twice removed of Henry VIII, Cyril the Incontinent of Babylon, Frederick the Flatulent of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Baron Frankenstein, Joan Collins and the Man in the Off-Licence Round the Corner.

[The preceding 5 paras copyright and courtesy of Roy Stockdill!]

How do we do it?

We just take your details as above and travel round the London Underground looking for matches. This doesn't usually take longer than 48 hours.

If no match is found on the London Underground, similar techniques on the public transport systems of other cities in the UK, Europe, N America and Australasia are fully guaranteed to produce a result

The "London Underground" Service is available at the low, low cost of US$5,000.

The "Premium All Cities Worldwide Service" only costs US$15,000

Contact us today and find your ancestors via the BBC approved process of matching (a) Photographs, both full face and profile; (b) A tape of your voice; (c) Details of your physical quirks, e.g. ability to rub head and stomach in different directions simultaneously, touch the tip of your nose with your tongue, etc., etc., (d) Lung capacity, height, blood pressure, eye sight; (e) "Deep ancestry" DNA test results; and (f) skin color details; and we can guarantee to get your tree back to at least back to Nebuchadnezzar the Daft of Outer Mongolia in the 3rd century BC before you can say "IGI" !!!

We look forward to being of service in tracing your family tree via these BBC validated research techniques.

John W Ross

CEO Gene Detective Family Tracing Ltd ^©®

[joette]

Where's the emoticons for crossed legs???Oh well this will have to do.