Little Quiz

[NewOrder]

Most people get this question wrong, so let's see how you guys do it:

How many countries does the Iberian Peninsula have? What are they called?

After 10 or so responses, I'll give the right answer, no wikipedia please and trust your knowledge.

(This isn't a new game, just a little test I'd like to try out)

[landbeforetimelover]

Well I would definitely get this answer wrong.  I don't even know what the Iberian Peninsula is. :huh: I've never taken world history before and geography is not a requirement where I live so I guess that's why.

[Malte279]

Without looking it up I would say three, namely Portugal, Spain, and Andorra. There is also the British exclave of Gibraltar on the Iberian peninsula, but by itself that is not an independent state. I know of several people on the Iberian peninsula who strive for greater independence, for example the Basques and the Catalans (I made quite a couple of Catalans during my Scotland vacation and they told me about their situation).

[lbt/cty_lover]

I agree with Malte on the 3. Spain and Portugal are definitely there, and so is Andorra.

[The Chronicler]

I'd have to give multiple answers.

It depends on how the question is asked, as I'm not sure of it. I would most likely agree that there would be 3 countries: Spain, Portugal, and Andorra. However, Andorra is entirely within the Pyrenees Mountains, and if those mountains don't count as part of the Iberian Peninsula, then I'd have to say 2: Spain, and Portugal. However, Gibraltar is a part of Great Britain, and if only a small part of a country counts as a country in the Iberian peninsula, then I'd have to say 4: Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Great Britain (or 3: Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain).

I'm not sure which of these answers is correct, but I would definitely say that one of them is correct: 2(Spain, Portugal), 3(Spain, Portugal, Andorra), 3(Spain, Portugal, Great Britain), 4(Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Great Britain).

[Petrie.]

I didn't even know what the peninsula was until someone named some countries.

[Mumbling]

I didn't even know what the peninsula was until someone named some countries.

Same for me

[NewOrder]

Well, Malte got it right, I wasn't expecting that anyone would remember or even know Andorra existed, having a first right answer influences the next answers, oh well.

[Malte279]

I must point out that I learned about the location of Andorra during my students exchange to America. It was there in the excellent geography education (much better in comparison than that I got over here) that I learned about the location of Andorra, the capital of Liechtenstein and things like that.

[The Chronicler]

My answer was not influenced by Malte in any way, just so you know. I've been able to name practically all the countries in the world for a few years now. In fact, I can even identify most countries just by looking at its flag.

[Petrie.]

My answer was not influenced by Malte in any way, just so you know. I've been able to name practically all the countries in the world for a few years now. In fact, I can even identify most countries just by looking at its flag.

You're a literal Yakko Warner then, because he can do it too. :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDtdQ8bTvRc

[Malte279]

Awesome, we have another common hobby then Chronicler
I must admit though that I wouldn't know the flag of Andorra without looking it up. As for national anthems I once listened to a set of CDs with all the national anthems of the world (without the lyrics). Liking somewhat bombast music to some degree I found I liked the sound of many of those anthems. Reading the lyrics however I cannot help but feel that many of them are somewhat ill suited to be sung at events such as the soccer world-championship or the Olympics. Think about it, we have a celebration that is supposed to be peaceful competition and then stuff is sung like:

The bloodied banner is raised.
Do you hear in the countryside
The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
They come right here among us
To slaughter our sons and wives!

To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let's march, let's march!
May a tainted blood
Soak our furrows!

This example is from the French anthem la Marseillaise (I just love the tune, but the lyrics are not the best for peaceful events, are they?). In case of the German anthem several stanzas of the original song are by law prohibited to be sung over here because they are so radical and unconstitutional.
The Mexican anthem begins:

Mexicans, at the cry of war,
make ready the steel and the steed,
and may the earth tremble its centers
at the resounding roar of the cannon.
And may the earth tremble its centers
at the resounding roar of the cannon

Or here is a part of the Italian anthem:

Let us join in a cohort,
We are ready to die.
We are ready to die,
Italy has called.
Let us join in a cohort,
We are ready to die.
We are ready to die,
Italy has called!

And here of the Portuguese:

To arms, to arms!
Over the land, over the sea,
To arms, to arms!
To fight for our homeland!
Against the cannons, we march, we march!

To cut a long story short, many (not all) anthems are war songs or songs cheering the memory of war. Of course they reflect on the history of a country and must be seen in their original historical context, but I cannot help seeing a certain madness in the singing of lines calling for war being sung on perfectly peaceful occasions. Maybe there should be a peace and a war hymn lyrics for every country (or at best the war lyrics ought to be banished into history books right away <_<)

[NewOrder]

I think war anthems are suited for football and other sporting events. Sports are just an anthropological way for countries to reenact wars without any blood shed.
As for the Portuguese anthem, I particularly like this part:

Entre as brumas da memÛria,
” P·tria sente-se a voz
Dos teus egrÈgios avÛs
Que „o de guiar-te ‡ vitÛria!

Translated:

Through the mists of memory,
Oh homeland we feel the voice,
Of your noble grandfathers,
Who shall lead you to victory!

Another curious thing you might find interesting Malte, if you don't already know, the anthem itself (the song, not the lyrics) was created by Alfredo Keil, although he lived in Portugal his family was German.