CLANS

[Plumpett@aol.com]

Hi   Andrew ----

First , I do applaud the effort to expand the LIST discussions to include 
more data on the French and English ( incl. Welsh ) Sinclairs ( all spellings 
) !

Having said that , I hasten to say that I do not  mean to imply that I seek 
less discussion of the Scottish , Australian , etc . branches of the family .

I would also suggest that we of Sinclair ancestry are a clan , despite your 
assertion !!

e.g. clan --(1) "a group of families .... claiming a common ancestor . (2) a 
large group of relatives or associates ".THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY 1983

INDEED , IT COULD BE ASSERTED THAT WE LIST MEMBERS ARE A CLAN , BY VIRTUE OF 
OUR ASSOCIATION ??

e.g.clan -- (1)"clanship was thereby essentially defined as a product of 
local association , kinship and feudalism ....... the emergence of the clan 
less to do with ethnicity than with political turmoil and social opportunity 
. In the Highlands, however, clanship had an added cultural association with 
the Gaelic language ."
COLLINS ... CLANS AND TARTANS  1995

I suspect that the preceding will provoke some spirited discussion  ?? 

Incidentally , for all the " cousins " out there , when I studied Folklore as 
a sideline
at the University many years ago , I was amazed at the infomation that could 
be derived from families " Oral Traditions " , manner of dress , religious 
celebrations , method of building a farm fence , house , barn , etc. as clues 
to origin , both geographically , socially , ethnically , etc. 

What I am saying , is that an open mind may perceive some very valuable clues
 to ones ancestor's origins from the varied topics discussed from time to 
time 
in this list !

regards to all .

joe greigg
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