Difference between revisions of "Culture of Candelaria And Marquez"

Revision as of 12:37, 27 September 2007

'Candelariasian', 'Candelarias', 'C&M' and 'Candelaria And Marquez' culture are umbrella terms all used, generally interchangeably, to encompass the artistic, musical, literary, culinary, political and social elements that are representative of both the islands of the Candelarias group, and the modern state of Candelaria And Marquez.

Initial Candelariasian culture was overwhelmingly British and Spanish in nature, split almost completely with the predominately Marquez-based Hispanics (the usual preferred term for Candelariasian Latinos) and the majority British population on the rest of the islands. There was no aboriginal inhabitation prior to the arrival of Europeans in the late eighteenth century, nor is there any evidence of there ever having been.

Over time, the initial two communities have become more integrated; though still maintain a significant degree of cultural separation. An arguably greater impact on the dominant Candelarias British (or 'Anglo') culture has been the arrival of many waves of immigrants - from the Italians and Czechs in the very earliest days, to the modern communities of Chinese and Muslims, of various backgrounds. Modern C&M culture has therefore been shaped by waves of migration that have combined to form a unique blend of cultures, customs and traditions; though it must be stressed that whatever the ethnic heritage of the islands' inhabitants, the country to this day retains a distinctly British feel despite its generally left-leaning politics and outlook.

National Identity

Main article(s): National identity of Candelaria And Marquez

The early decades of British colonisation of the Candelarias were marked by a notion of building a "second England". Even with the advent of partial self-rule, many inhabitants saw the country as a continuation of Britain overseas, with its own government at times being seen as something of an unnecessary annoyance to proper relations with the United Kingdom. Despite the mass immigration of non-Britons that began in the second half of the 19th century; this attitude persisted greatly and to some extent, particularly in the under populated west of Candelaria, continues to this day. Culturally, the new nation long not only remained indistinct from Britain, but grew closer to it; a phenomenon which managed to thrive throughout a time when public opinion was turning rapidly against the British government, monarchy and the institutions of the motherland.

The process was all but completed by the early twentieth century, though it would not be until the end of the Second World War that all formal ties with the UK were severed. However, a real sense of Britishness - or certainly that of a historical variety - is greatly retained in the islands today, despite all the many and varied influences of world and regional culture on the islands. Though multiculturalism is a fondly considered concept on the islands; the Candelarias and modern C&M have predominately avoided the idea of 'multi-communitism', with new immigrants: individuals, families and their cultural heritage, being consistently well integrated into the whole; with the cuisine, music, dress, traditions and less tangible values being assimilated into the country's pre-existing culture and identity rather than supplanting it nor, in general, acting as a distinct set of traditions alongside it.

Though an undeniably tolerant, open people; Candelariasians of all backgrounds have struggled in adapting to the realities of the modern world. The fashion in which large nations may slip in and out of existence, and the presence even within C&M's neighbours of sentient, intelligent non-humans; are concepts among many which have proven difficult to gain common acceptance both among the people and government. When the journalist Davey Stockton used the phrase, "an extraordinarily average nation of really rather above average people," in the early 1990s he was being quietly ironic, but the notion has appealed very much to the C&M psyche. Natives tend to be greatly proud of what they see as their sheer normality in the face of a world of weirdness; seeing themselves as a compassionate, pleasant people against a backdrop of increasingly bizarre anarchy slowly engulfing the multiverse.

Multiculturalism

C&M's multiculturalism is enshrined in the Second Constitution and a concept much trumpeted by successive governments as central to the islands' modern identity. In cities such as Albrecht, Arrigo, Bove, Clotaire and Melin, multiculturalism itself is the cultural norm and diversity the force that unites the community. In most of the rest of the country however this diversity is rather less in evidence. In these areas, the varied cultures and attitudes of the many different groups to have been assimilated into Candelariasian society still survive only to a modest extent, with non-British surnames often the only obvious signs of the peoples’ complex heritage. More recent immigrants, particularly those of non-White ethnicity, have tended to marry - though not necessarily live - within their own communities, retain their mother tongues as a first language for several generations, and hold more closely to the culture of their home countries. There has been some degree of state encouragement for them to do so, an issue that remains a hot topic in C&M with the right-wing of the country in particular. Many such "new Candelariasians" also complain however that state encouragement for them to preserve their historical identities represents an insidious, if probably unwittingly, form of racism.

Hispanic Marquez

Whilst the majority of immigrant groups of all colours and creeds live in a thoroughly Anglophone and Anglo-Saxon world, the statehood of Candelaria And Marquez embraces the Hispanic cultural element that makes up nearly one half of the population of the island of Marquez, a people who settled the island some time prior to the arrival of other foreigners, and have long been marked by their refusal to integrate fully into the Anglo-centric society of most of the rest of the country. Children of this group are permitted to be taught solely in Spanish at school (though as with English-speaking C&M children they are expected to be proficient in both national languages of the country), and similarly conduct their work and social life in concordance to their pre-British heritage. Many Hispanic Marquezians, and particularly supporters of the Marquez National Party, refer to themselves as "indigenous Candelarians", though this claim is hard to sustain; the original Spanish settlers having arrived on the islands between the 1770s and 1870s, with the British arriving between the 1820s and early 1900s. Precise figures of the country's Hispanic population are readily bandied about by groups and individuals of various political leanings, but are in truth hard to come by. Those who claim Spanish as a first language make up around 18% of C&M's population, though this group includes people living outside of Marquez and well as many individuals not of Spanish ethnic origin - most notably South Americans arriving in the early 20th century but also western Europeans, including Britons, who settled in Spanish-speaking areas of the country. Equally, there are many citizens of Hispanic origin across the Candelarias, including Marquez, with no particular affinity to their ethno-cultural heritage, as well as those who are not Spanish-speaking nor of Hispanic ethnic origin that still support the cause of Marquezian "nationalism".

Whatever their numbers, Hispanic Marquezians remain a highly influential group in C&M society with their own distinct culture and attitudes. With the exception of the large towns of Castillo and Miranda, which are both dominated by Spanish-speakers; most Latino Marquezians live in the cities of Arrigo, Bass and El din, or in small villages and hamlets in the north-east of the island that are often entirely separate in feel from the rest of the Candelarias.

Though the country's bilingualism and dual-culturalism was officially recognised in the earliest days of the Dominion; the Candelarias' Spanish-speakers have long suffered from a degree of discrimination verging on outright racism. Prior to the late twentieth century, there was a very obvious lack of Hispanic names and faces within the country's government, law makers, and top businessmen etcetera; whilst despite specific laws against such an occurrence, a number of public entities openly practised anti-Hispanic segregation well into the 1970s. Certainly the worst outlet of this was the National Eugenics Council of the 1950s and '60s, a semi-governmental body operation to encourage abortions and sterilization among young, lower class, and unmarried and/or mentally retarded women, particularly of non-Anglophone parentage. It should be noted that much of the NEC's activities were often carried out with the tactic support of Hispanic community leaders - particularly those of a religious background.

The situation has improved beyond all measure in recent years however, with the educational achievements and occupational status of Hispanics well in line with their social background and measured intelligence.

Regional Differences

With the obvious exceptions noted above; C&M's culture is fairly uniform across the country, even allowing for inevitable differences between urban, suburban, subrural and rural communities; while the economic and class status of the country's people is similarly such. Indeed, the country operates no structured regional, provincial or county boundaries; with smaller towns and villages being referred to as, e.g. "Melvorne, near (or “nr”) Abiodun" or "Scottisvillla, north-east Candelaria". There has emerged however a definite disparity between the south- and north-east of Candelaria itself; with cities and towns such as Albrecht, Allemali, Bove, Dyce and Warne (as well as many of the cities of western Marquez with whom they constitute "the Strip") showing a consistently more socially conservative consensus among their inhabitants that the "Gang of Four" in the north-east; Alvery, Caires, Clotaire and Khatib, where there are far more nightclubs and casinos, and, for example, rather more children born out of wedlock to single mothers. All the cities on the eastern half of the largest island are however more ethnically and culturally diverse, and generally more internationalist in outlook that those of the less-populated west in cities such as Brayton, Hanlon, Maidment, Saurin and Vo.

Merchantism

The writer, philosopher and - briefly - Prime Minister; Reuben Merchant has come to be seen by many as the "father of the nation". Though far from widely known outside of the Candelarias; in his adopted country Merchant's works, principally Discussions on the Past and Future of the Species came to be seen in the late 19th century as the country's unofficial constitution. In modern times, there is a general consensus among C&M historians and philosophers that his writings retain very little merit in and of themselves; and whist his era continues to supply a large part of National History on the country's curriculum at all age groups; Discussions and his other well-known efforts are seldom read in any form outside of universities.

With all this said, however, as a figure he retains a sense of the Candelarias embodied. 'Reuben' re-established itself as the most popular name in the islands for newborn boys in the mid-seventies (it has also become modestly popular for girls), and his Three Central Precepts for Better Living appear framed on the walls of many offices, schools and homes; and on t-shirts. These are horribly wordy, as was the style at the time, but can best be summed up according to the modern-day writer Joseph Ness as;

1. Do unto others as you believe to the best of your abilities they would wish to be done by providing this doesn't greatly impinge of the wishes of any third party or parties.

2. It is highly improbable that there is an afterlife or any form of end-time judgement, and it is wise not to consider there such. Be good, because it can only be the right thing to do, not because you will be rewarded or punished for your behaviour be it in this life or the next. If it gets you into heaven, that's just a happy bonus not a means to an end.

3. Try not to be a dick.

This is generally agreed to be distressingly accurate.

The Name of the Nation

The matter of the country's official designation is worth noting, since it has long proven a sticking point in the country's unity. Prior to the Civil War and Second Constitution, when the country was known as the Dominion (and later Republic) of the Candelarias; the terms "the Candelarias" and "Candelaria" were used pretty much interchangeably, few seeing a real need to give the island group's largest island a distinctive name. The concept of a 'Marquez' distinct from 'Candelaria' (i.e., everyone else), began to come into use among Marquezian Hispanics in the early 20th century, and was soon adopted equally by many Anglophone Marquezians, angered by economic policies coming from Albrecht which they saw as strongly in favour of those living on the 'main' island. At some point in this century, those living on the largest island began to adopt the term 'Candelarian' as being exclusive to themselves, leading in due course to the revoltingly unwieldy national adjective of 'Candelariasian' to describe all people of the islands, be they from Candelaria, Marquez, or the Outlying Islands.

Following the Civil War, the short-lived Republic of Marquez returned to the newly re-established country of the Republic of Candelaria and Marquez (later Candelaria And Marquez). The sentiments at play that resulted in this new name are far from clear - it will likely forever remain uncertain as to whether those involved saw 'Candelaria' as referring to all the islands bar Marquez; or whether they were acknowledging the declarations of independence from the majority of the Outliers, and not officially including them in the new Republic.

Whichever, the Outliers would become represented on the new flag, send representatives to the House in Albrecht and accept the general direction set by the government on the largest island; while the term 'Candelaria' as referring exclusively to that island soon came to stick.

Generally, the accepted short form of the modern Republic's name, C&M, is also used as the national adjective, where it seems appropriate. 'Candelariasian' is still in regular use, particularly among the elder generation; while 'Candelarian', though now strictly speaking incorrect and highly offensive to certain Marquezians, is regularly used; particularly by foreigners.

Flag

C&M's modern flag, in official use from the Declaration of Independence in 1947, was designed by Clotaire schoolgirl Annie Pannel as part of a nationwide competition earlier that year; a decision which rankled professional flag designers at the time and to some degree still does to this day. Essentially an update of the former colonial flag; the Union Jack was removed while the three green stars became two circles and an oblong (altered by general agreement to an oval shortly before its official adoption). The original stars represented a major company involved the establishment of the British Candelarias, but were long taken to represent Candelaria Island, Marquez and the Outliers, and the new shapes have continued to be considered such. Likewise, their green colouring is now taken to refer to the country's (theoretically) lush foliage. The navy blue background of the original flag, used by many British colonies, was changed to a brighter blue more reminiscent of the islands' surrounding waters.

Anthem

The islands' most celebrated poet is Luis Fernando Fernandéz Rodriquez, a lowly bank clerk for most of his life, self-published a single volume of his work, The Spartan Slope and Other Odes in 1862. It failed to sell all twenty printed copies, and he died a pauper eight years later. His work was popularised by the islands' self-proclaimed laureate, Thomas Paige, who devoted many years to the search for Fernandez Rodriquez's lost works. In 1944, one such poem, O, Sweet Nation was set to music by the composer Kenneth Park, and was officially adopted as C&M's national anthem in 1961. Unfortunately, O, Sweet Nation is generally agreed to be an over-long, tuneless, dirge. It doesn't help that the original poem upon which it's based was, alongside the odd bit of social commentary, a wistful ode likening a country to a woman of such beauty that the poet could never hope to make her his. The second verse gets a more lusty treatment from sports crowds, being positively carnal in nature, including several thinly-veiled references to breasts. Most people's favourite bit is when he likens her 'prized rosettes' to the hill-forts once built by the British as a base from which to attacks Spanish-held territory.

There have been innumerable attempts to create a more tubthumping anthem following the end of British rule, including the amusingly jingoistic Stand up Straight, Thee of the Candelarias, in use officially between 1947 and 1961 and the most popular choice of the most patriotic. More recent efforts have similarly failed to capture the public imagination, with the country's most popular themes remaining the late nineteenth century; Sing, Little Fanny and Brave Men of the Candelarias, Stay Not at the Rear!, though possibly not for the right reasons. Most Candelariasians just can't bring themselves to sing any song, particularly about a country, too seriously.

Motto

The country's official motto became Solidarity of the Nation in 1931. Nobody knows who exactly coined it or what, when all's said and done, it actually means. When has that ever been important, though?

The Size of the Nation

A significant discrepancy exists between the stated population of C&M by the United Nations, and that suggested by national censuses. It remains highly debatable who is actually right, but it's the Candelariasian government. Really. It’s ever so important.

National Character

Main article(s): National character of Candelaria And Marquez

Modern Candelaria And Marquez is a difficult country to pigeonhole on its social attitudes. Since its earliest settlement, prior even to its time as an official Dominion, the people of the islands have lent strongly towards a socialist ideal. Early Candelariasians tended to distrust the mentality of aspiration of other British colonies; valuing modesty and disliking those who are deemed to consider themselves "better" or more deserving than others based on their talents or achievements. The country was among the first to adopt a welfare-state system whole-heartedly, its population feeling entirely comfortable to entrust their high taxes to the (usually Liberal Party) government. As a predominately rural economy up until the mid-20th century, most Candelariasians had little time for suggestions of dramatic social upheaval.

Politics

That said, the country's population has generally been ambivalent to the idea of the "working man's paradise" espoused by the otherwise wildly popular National Unionist movement of the early 20th century. If C&M can be said to be an innately socialist country, it is today in a thoroughly bourgeois way. C&M is, after all, today a country of small cities and large towns, rather than the agricultural and mining communities that once dominated. The country has long maintained only a small variation of financial well-being and notion of class, and has never been characterised by extremes of wealth or poverty. The media and general public alike can be extraordinarily sharp towards the country's small moneyed classes as well as the urban and rural poor, particularly on Marquez where there exists greater extremes of relative wealth.

Though traumatic to the country's identity as well as the many millions directly affected; the horrors committed during the short Socialist Party dictatorship and the Civil War had relatively little effect on the populus' basic outlook on the world and politics, and did little to divide the country any further along socio-cultural lines. In the long-term, the events served only to strengthen the resolve towards gaining political consensus wherever possible; maintaining a few press; and hardening the people's hearts towards the military.

In contrast to all this however, C&M has always seen conservative social policies from successive governments matching the outlook of much of the country. Throughout the twentieth century, and particularly the latter period, the country has been characterised by a slowness of adopt the liberal attitudes of much of the rest of the Western world, and the subsequent zeal in which many of views are belatedly taken up. Certainly, it would now be fair to consider modern C&M to be a progressively liberal state, with a leftist consensus dominating the media and general public life. Left-leaning values have been in place in the country long enough for them to become considered "traditional", enshrined in Law; and therefore appropriated by many of those who might consider themselves "conservative".

The small right-wing media rails daily against the "wicked triplets" of "political correctness", "do-gooders", and the "ban-it brigade". This sector, dominated by the Albrecht Mercury tabloid and its regional, more upmarket, cousins as well as the TTO television network; wavers between what can be generally classified as conservative and libertarian outlooks. Though most are united in their demonisation of immigrants and condemnation of sexual impropriety (whilst printing endless, lurid stories of celebrity sex scandals in explicit detail); their influence is limited by the various media outlets' vastly differing attitude to capitalism, the worthiness of "our political elite", and, perhaps most crucially, the morality of excess.

Women

The socially restrained nature of general C&M society has never been explicitly religious in nature, and at no time has that been less the case than now. An obvious example surrounds the status of women in Candelarias society. Women were not given full suffrage until 1953, and though the part they played in the country's establishment (with figures such as April Langley and Lyra de Jong) was always acknowledged and valued; the image of the devoted housewife and mother as the female ideal lingered long into the second half of the twentieth century, in no doubt partly due to the relative lack of social upheaval caused by the Second World War in other western countries. This patronising attitude was equalled in the general public however by a disgust towards men who used prostitutes, and/or generally treated women as sex objects. The era of the sexual revolution coincided with a loosening of attitudes to this kind of morality, and the proliferation of lap-dancing clubs and similar establishments; but this quickly gave way to a new-found, thoroughly liberal, belief in the evils of misogyny. Seen by some to be an example of the political correctness that has supposedly gripped the nation in recent times; it is undoubted that modern society expects men to bend over backwards, as it were, in order to avoid causing offence to the weaker sex. In general, the concept of the macho "man's man" is not well regarded; with C&M men having adopted a thoroughly Scandinavian attitude to child-rearing, etc.

It should be noted that after recent decades in which the concept - and take-up - of the "career woman" has grown dramatically, and with a subsequent decline in children born to the professional middle classes and a vast increase in instances of divorce; there has been a recent swing in favour of "wedded bliss", with President Anderson's Unionist Party angering many on all sides of the political spectrum by formally promoting the idea of the "stay-at-home mum" as a valid career choice, emphasising its benefits to man, woman and children alike.

Social Views

The post-war success and popularity of the Unionist Party indeed best illustrates the dichotomy at the heart of Candelarias; being an at times highly authoritarian party with socially restrictive - though far from pro-Christian - attitudes to morality (especially drink and drugs), being combined with a commitment to the welfare state and a mixed economy; distrust of unregulated capitalism, and compassion towards the poor and the "criminal class". Of any major party, the Unionists are also the most supportive of "alternative" forms of government, backing undemocratic foreign regimes deemed to respect human rights in a way other states that proudly trumpet their "freedoms" and "liberties" do not. The Unionists reflect majority attitudes in not placing issues such as abortion and stem cell research high on their agenda - both being legal but subject to considerable regulation.

For all its liberalisation however, C&M still claims, in relation to other western nations, high rates of marriage (particularly involving under-25s), and low rates of teenage promiscuity, divorce, and extra-marital relations. The country's populous is generally tolerant - rather than fully excepting - of "out 'n' proud" homosexuals, though this is as much down to a general dislike in society of public expressions of a person's private sexual preferences and habits.

The islands are also marked for the entrenched opposition to drug use, with even the Social Democratic and Green Party opposing any major programme of de-criminalisation. Similarly, and despite the popularity of English-style pubs, the country has adopted a Latin-style attitude to taking of alcohol and the shamefulness of public drunkenness.

All of this, though largely unchanged since the islands' settlement, is attributed to an almost unnoticed shift in moral attitudes between the political right and left. One of the few thoroughly left-wing notions to become truly embedded in the national psyche is the immense dislike, verging on hatred, of animal cruelty. For a country so heavily influenced traditionally by its farming heritage this is remarkable; but polls none the less show deep opposition to most forms of hunting, and an unusually high degree of vegetarianism. Meat eating is considered highly unpleasant by many in the affluent middle class; though the industry that surrounds it is grudgingly tolerated since beef and dairy products are among C&M's most profitable exports.

Cynicism

Candelariasians consider themselves a sceptical - if not out-right cynical – people; believing they have learnt the lessons of the mid-twentieth century dictatorship of James McManus and the Socialist Party. As a people they are considered to show a disinclination to follow the "official" line on events; but are also suspicious of the agendas of the media, private companies, religious organisations, self-proclaimed "community leaders", and perhaps most importantly, the power of the "mob" that is "public opinion". Candelariasians tend, however, to trust "experts" in various fields, particularly medicine; and feel deeply cheated when such individuals’ proclamations turn out to be flawed.

There remains a particular suspicion of large companies, with many preferring to buy from small, family businesses - or at least what they see as such. This dislike extends into politics, where all parties are now largely state-funded; and sport, where most supporters fell deeply uneasy with the naming rights of stadia and competitions going to large and/or multinational companies.

General C&M culture maintains a fairly cynical attitude to politics and politicians, with most deeply uncomfortable with grandstanding, charismatic figures for their leaders. However, the apolitical background of many modern politicians has led to the country's people feeling closer to their representatives than in many nations; and as a consequence the general public and media outlets are generally relatively polite and respectful towards them.

Humour

In general, the Candelariasian sense of humour is considered a little dry by many foreigners, though it would be unfair to call them humourless. Many in C&M take great pride in their ability to treat the world, themselves, and other people with seriousness but irreverence, and their keen sense for the cliché. The country's television channels in particular provide many hours of comedy programming a week, from the coarse and slapstick to high satire. It must be said however that in 2006, almost three-quarters of this output from the four largest TV networks was of foreign origin, and the country is not renowned for its great humorists. Much of the country's own humour is derived from pop culture catchphrases repeated ad nauseam until they become funny. Foreigners should make no attempt to understand why, for example, strangled cries of "We're clean out of ham, Sarah!" or "Dungarees! Dungarees! By God, he's wearing dungarees!" will reduce many C&M natives to fits of laughter. On the whole however, Candelariasians are usually seen as being on the cheerful side of neutral in their outlook on life, and not especially given to angst and pessimism.

Social Etiquette

Be it at home or abroad, Candelariasians as a type are far from gregarious and tend to prefer their own company, within the context of the nuclear family. Whilst being fairly open and friendly, and finding stiff formality slightly risible; they are none the less not given to great shows of emotion, tending to be stoic in times of difficulty and appreciating others who remain defiantly so without locking away their personal problems entirely. Certainly, counsellors and similar late-20th century beings have made a relatively comfortable trade in the islands in recent years.

Social relations are generally casual, and most from the islands are seldom quick to take offence; but politeness, consideration and good manners are respected. C&M people also tend to shy away from physical intimacy with strangers, disliking the hand shake so common across the western world and preferring mutual acknowledgement through vague and variable hand signals. Between friends; a 'matey' slap on the back is the common greeting, regardless of gender: young Candelariasians in particular are uncomfortable with 'air kisses', never mind an actual kiss on the cheek or elsewhere, and the practise should generally be avoided. Female visitors in particular should refrain from offering a hand for a man to kiss. Similarly, men should give up seats on public transport only to the elderly, disabled or pregnant; while the swing doors that infest most public buildings should be held open for anyone immediately behind the initial opener; man, woman or child, in order to stop said door permanently damaging their nose.

While these socialization norms are common to most of the country, it should be noted that in Hispanic Marquez the conventions are somewhat different. Here, a handshake is deemed to show respect, while a brief embrace with a kiss on the cheek is also common between women, or a man and woman who are even remotely well acquainted. Like the Anglophone majority; eye contact in considered important, though Hispanic Marquezians also tend to touch each other or stand close during a conversation. Friends and neighbours have a habit of dropping in on each other unannounced, something not considered especially polite elsewhere in the country.

Locals, including officials of various sorts, expect to be greeted before conversation ensues. The rules as detailed above apply here, with a friendly "Mornin'!", "Arta-noon!" or "Evenin'!" the most common greetings, as appropriate. "¡Buenos días!" and its equivalents are similarly the most common greetings in Hispanic Marquez. Foreigners however are advised to talk in English, and use the terms "Mr" and "Mrs" rather than "Señor" and "Señora", for example; unless they are entirely sure as to the linguistic or cultural background of an individual – for as discussed earlier; physical appearance is seldom an accurate guide.

Names

Place Names

Most of the earliest Candelarias British place names came from the usual sources of settler's surnames, descriptions of the terrain and Old World towns and cities. A great many settlements in the islands still carry such names; it being largely down to chance that most of the modern country's largest cities carry some of the most disfigured names in the Candelarias. Many of these are deliberate, late 19th century, concoctions created to help provide the new nation with a clear and separate identity. The likes of Bove (formally Bovington), Abiodun (Abingdon), Clotaire (Clement's Town) and Lesperance (Leicester) possess such bastardisations. Certain place names have however come from opposite sources; the Albrecht former municipalities of Lexaton and Hoxton, for example, both coming ultimately from German surnames.

Many place names of Spanish origin, not only on Marquez and the Outliers but Candelaria island itself, were altered to more English-sounding words, or simply messed around with by ignorant Anglophone outsiders; these new identities having largely become the most common in general usage but still inspiring passionate opposition from Spanish-speakers.

It is also worth noting that the existence of names such as Albrecht, Allemali and Di Alfonso speaks volumes for the multi-national make-up of the Candelarias' original settlers; never mind later waves of immigration.

Personal Names

As a country with multicultural sympathies from the off; most immigrants to the Candelarias of non- British or Spanish origin have felt it acceptable to retain their original surnames, with few alterations for ease of pronounciation. That said; Angalizations have not been uncommon, as witnessed by the high percentage of Anglo-Saxon Occupational and Patronomyc surnames within the population. Surnames are invariably handed down through the father's (or step-father's) line: double-barreled names have found little currency while the use of the unmarried mother's name still retains a socially undesirable overtone. Non-British surnames are believed to make up a slightly larger percentage of the modern population than is reflected in its actual ancestral make-up; rather more than half of such settlers being male whilst the country appealed for female arrivals predominately from Britain.

Choice of first names has been influenced by most of the world's preemininent historical English-speaking cultures, and as a result there is no obviously settled pattern for Candelariasian Christian names. Affectations such as the integral middle initial or initialisations of several forenames, or a suffix of eg. 'IV' and 'Jr.'; have been used throughout the decades without gaining mainstream popularity. In general, English-speaking Candelariasians chose between the very traditional, names popular in the British Isles at the time; and more inventive concoctions, mostly the transferred use of surnames. Candelariasians of non-British origin generally chose from the same group of names as their Anglo neighbours. In later years, C&M natives have become more adventurous with their choices; often now using names from their ancestral heritage, be they ones which clash with or complement the surname.

Candelarias English

Despite - or perhaps because of - the significant influxes of non-Anglophones over the decades; the form of English spoken and written in the islands has diverged relatively little from its British origins. The media and publishing industry have remained almost ludicrously loyal to the "correct" forms of the 'Old Country', retaining traditional British spellings and resisting the creep of many New World words.

In accent, CE varies not inconsiderably across the country, being influenced by pockets of late 19th and early 20th century immigration. Many Candelariasians, particularly those of an "upper-class" bearing, pride themselves on their "cut-glass" English accents, though these are often complimented by the over-enunciation of certain syllables, particularly t. In general however, the Candelariasian accent most closely resembles that of the English West County. However, many of the grammatical and syntactical notables have all but disappeared outside the most rural areas in recent years, undoubtedly as a result of a certain amount of social stigmatism. These included the use of thee and thou, the use of to to denote location (i.e. Where's that to? = "Where's that?"), the use of be in the present tense (i.e. Where you be going to? = "Where are you going?"), and the swapping around of an "r" and the following vowel in words such as gurt (great) and chillurn (children).

Small amounts of the traditional vocabulary of that part of England is retained such as "acker" (friend), "hark" instead of "listen", "beast" instead of "animal" (particularly cattle) and "ooh, ar?" (for "oh, yes?").

The etymological reason for all this remains somewhat obscure, since it was the north-west and midlands of England that supplied the original Anglophone settlers in the greatest numbers. It seems probable however that those from the south-west that did arrive tended - by blind chance as much as anything - to remain in communities of their own rather than participate in the melting pot of elsewhere in the islands, thus helping to retain their speech patterns. Quite how they became so prevalent however remains uncertain.

The equally inexplicable influence of the Cockney accent and dialect - including its "rhyming slang" - has also often been noted, with expression such as "giz a butchers" (let me have a look), and words such as barnet, syrup, berk and cobblers still commonly heard today, particularly in medium-sized towns.

Also worth noting is the common Candelariasian habit of dropping redundant "I mean"s into a stream of consciousness.

The influence of other languages, even including Spanish, has been relatively low and, besides the obvious siesta, guerrilla, macho and other Spanish words adopted into world English, only a smattering have entered common Candelarias English; among them:

• Linda ~ the archetypal Candelarian woman featuring in the country's culture from the late 19th century onwards - blonde, tanned from a lifetime spent in the sunshine, demure and chaste yet quietly spirited and independent. Now more generally used to describe any "hot" woman, the word almost certainly comes from the Spanish feminine form of lindo, pretty.

• Makker ~ one who consistently makes a fool of himself, a lovable simpleton. From majadero, a fool.

• Liron ~ an early-evening siesta, from lirón, dormouse (and colloquially, "sleepyhead".)

• Surcar ~ with the emphasis on the first syllable; a snow plough or, latterly, any obnoxiously large vehicle. From the verb "to plough".

• Bisbisaring ~ to spread rumours. From the verb bisbisar, "to whisper".

• Ongo ~ really bad luck. From hongo, fungi.

• Cuatro... tres... dos... uno... Despeque! ~ the countdown for a rocket's lift-off. Used instead of the English equivalent for reasons no-one has plausibly explained.