Very interesting examination Llinos. I have sometimes wondered why I, a 70 something, well educated progressive ex-pat Welshman would occasionally, in the company of other ex-pat boyos tell the joke “what do you call three sheep tied to a lampost in central Cardiff?
Despite the coarseness and crudity it feells good to be self deprecating in such an ironic way. Thank you for peeling back the layers and encouraging me to think more deeply about this cross cultural cliche.
Niall Griffith’s ironic use of “Sheepshagger’ as the title of a novel recontextualised the joke as an aspect of the language of exploitation by focusing on a character viewed in this light, but given a life of his own in spite of his characterisation. Broadening the data, not only to take the emphasis off the ubiquitous sheep of Wales, but also to other animals and places, helps to present the image not simply as an insult to an individual, but also as way of characterising the non-urban ‘other’ in a culture where urban values predominate .
Some years ago I came across one of David J V Jones' early works in which he analyses crime figures for Merionethshire. Very interesting stuff, but towards the end he mentions that there were a small number of miscellaneous cases that didn't fit into the other categories he used. Two of them were bestiality cases, a man with a cow and a woman with a dog. No sheep.
This is truly fantastic theoretical—and real; manifest; material—writing. Thank you so much.
Very interesting examination Llinos. I have sometimes wondered why I, a 70 something, well educated progressive ex-pat Welshman would occasionally, in the company of other ex-pat boyos tell the joke “what do you call three sheep tied to a lampost in central Cardiff?
Despite the coarseness and crudity it feells good to be self deprecating in such an ironic way. Thank you for peeling back the layers and encouraging me to think more deeply about this cross cultural cliche.
Niall Griffith’s ironic use of “Sheepshagger’ as the title of a novel recontextualised the joke as an aspect of the language of exploitation by focusing on a character viewed in this light, but given a life of his own in spite of his characterisation. Broadening the data, not only to take the emphasis off the ubiquitous sheep of Wales, but also to other animals and places, helps to present the image not simply as an insult to an individual, but also as way of characterising the non-urban ‘other’ in a culture where urban values predominate .
"I shagged ONE sheep..."
Some years ago I came across one of David J V Jones' early works in which he analyses crime figures for Merionethshire. Very interesting stuff, but towards the end he mentions that there were a small number of miscellaneous cases that didn't fit into the other categories he used. Two of them were bestiality cases, a man with a cow and a woman with a dog. No sheep.