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Comment by leoc | Hacker News Reader

In the UK, 'Plaid', capitalised and in writing, usually refers to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid_Cymru . It's not pronounced the same as 'plaid' though.

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Yes this link was not what I initially expected. My first thought was that Plaid Cymru was expanding to the whole of the UK, not just Wales.

Interesting to understand what you imagined the objectives of such an expansion would be?

Welsh expansionism; the Welshmen need Lebensraum.

Joking aside, I also read the title as referring to Plaid Cymru and was very confused.

The Irish Nationalist Party once got an MP elected in Liverpool:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._P._O%27Connor

In that case, the objective was to argue for home rule for Ireland. And to look out for the large Irish community in Liverpool.

From what I gather, green policies and opposition to austerity are higher up on the Plaid agenda than Welsh independence right now, so the objective of your hypothetical expansion would pretty much be to duplicate the green party.

Independence for, or expansion into, ancient Northumbria and Mercia perhaps?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercia

A lot of people in England has long pleaded with the SNP to stand in English seats rather than just Scotland, because of their other views, so it would not be so strange to see one of the other "regional" parties decide to try to increase their influence by standing throughout the UK.

My first thought was that Plaid launched in the UK a long long time ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid_(band)

I thought it was about a remake of Dead Men Don't Need Plaid.

I think the Scots might object to assuming the entirety of the UK makes precisely that association:

http://www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/modern/flypla...

Capitalised? I'd be surprised.

Exactly.

Well I'm Scots and when I hear 'plaid' I think of the colour from 'A Deepness In the Sky'. ;-)

I think of rest proof clockwork.

I'm en-gb native and I pronounce both of those pretty close to "played" though in the case of the political party it's quite near to "plied" too, think "played" but in a Brum accent.

"Plad" [ie tartan-y cloth] is USA pronounciation to me; which I assume is what you mean in your second sentence?

"Played" of course also means "to be conned".

It's from the Gaelic word "plaide" which rhymes approximately with "badger" in most English accents, and means blanket. "plad" is the preferred pronunciation of the English loan word. English spelling is a mess, so mistakes are understandable.

"Plaid" in "Plaid Cymru" is pronounced like "plied" in English.

I thought they were both pronounced 'plad'?

Is Plaid Cymru pronounced 'Pllad' ;)

'Plyed' AFAICT. At least that's how they always say it on the TV.

I did go to check this and you are right, I am from the UK, so should really know, I guess I just auto (in)corrected the non English pronunciation?

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