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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