Angland

Angland
Angland
	Flag
	Motto: "Borrowed words are not needed."
Status	Active
Official languages	Anglish
Recognised regional languages	English
Demonym(s)	Anglish
Government	Aristocracy of Lords
• Lord/Lordship	Leadership distributed equally among lords.
Establishment
• Founding	21 April 2023
Population
• 2023 census	173
Currency	Shat
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy

Angland is an unrecognized, self-proclaimed sovereign state established upon the idea of opposition of foreign influence on the English language, commonly known as Anglish. Currently, Angland holds no claims to any land due to its small citizen count and income, but aims to expand in the future. In the meantime, the personal space of the Anglish citizens is thought of as the decentralized territory of Angland.

The society of Angland is made up of three major and two minor roles. Angland's major roles are Outsiders, who are curious about the country and what Anglish is, consisting mostly of English speakers; the Anglish, individuals who have entered the state and are learning and speaking Anglish; and Lords, individuals who actively invest in and lead the state. Angland's minor roles are Wards, the primary guardians of Angland, in both internal and external conflicts, and Speechwards, who guide newcomers into properly speaking the Anglish tongue.

Etymology

The name "Angland" is derived from the word for the language, "Anglish", and reflects the goal of Anglish speakers to one day have a land to call their own.

History

While the state of Angland is a modern-day formation established in 2023, the concept of an English language free of foreign words has existed since the middle of the 11th century, after the Norman invasion of England in 1066 introduced many foreign terms to the language. The term "Anglish" itself was coined by British author Paul Jennings in 1966.

Many English writers throughout history have spoken out against the use of "Inkhorn terms" or the needless borrowing of words from foreign languages as a fashion statement. English scholar John Cheke wrote in the 16th century "I am of this opinion that our own tung should be written cleane and pure, unmixt and unmangeled with borowing of other tunges; wherein if we take not heed by tiim, ever borowing and never paying, she shall be fain to keep her house as bankrupt."

William Barnes, a writer and poet from the 19th century, famously called for the removal of Latin, French and Greek vocabulary from English, and promoted Anglo-Saxon substitutes, such as wortlore for botany, and welkinfire for meteor.

In the 20th century, William Strunk Jr. wrote in The Elements of Style, "Do not be tempted by a twenty-dollar word when there is a ten-center handy, ready and able. Anglo-Saxon is a livelier tongue than Latin, so use Anglo-Saxon words."

More recently in the 21st century, author David Cowley has released his book called "How We'd Talk If the English Had Won in 1066", among others, that goes into depth on the vocabulary and sound changes that happened to English as a result of Norman influence. (Though it is worth noting that some linguists disagree and think English still would have borrowed many French words anyway).

Cowley is not the only one making new writings in and about Anglish. Broader Angland is made up of many communities from YouTube to Reddit to Discord that generate new Anglish works on a regular basis as a means of preserving and growing their culture. Many creators see this form of Constrained writing as inspirational and challenging to their creativity.

Politics and government

The government of Angland is run by an aristocracy of Lords. The lords are the ones in the society who have invested personal wealth into the growth of the nation. Many of the lords are also members of the Anglish Brotherhood, though it is not a requirement. Gatherings take place in the Hall of Lords to discuss the state of the nation and any changes the lords wish to introduce. If there is a conflict in opinion on a given change, a vote can be held among the lords to make the decision. As the lords are all seen as equals they have equal voting power on any issues that come up, however the aim of discussions is to come to unanimous decisions so that a vote is not needed. While other members of the society are not admitted into the Hall of Lords for gatherings, their opinions and desires are taken into account by the lords. The opinions and desires of Wards and Speechwards have more sway than the rest of the general population, as although they have not contributed financially, they have given their labor for the country.

Law and order

There are three levels to the legal system of Angland:

1. Lords. The Lords have the final say on any unique decisions that come up, or if any major changes are proposed. 2. Wards. The Wards defend Angland from external attacks and also keep peace internally. 3. Speechwards. The Speechwards monitor the speech of Angland and assist newcomers in correctly speaking Anglish, as this is an important part of the culture.

Military

Angland remains pacifist unelss it is for the purpose of self defense. So far, Angland has not been attacked by a foreign nation or any organized groups. Lone attackers have invaded Angland for the purposes of spreading unpleasant media or insulting Anglish citizens, however these one off attacks have been easily handled by the Wards. In the event of a greater attack, Speechwards may be called upon to be promoted to wards to aid in defending the nation.

Ministries

The main ministry of Angland is the Ministry of Media, headed by The Anglish Times, and the newspaper's editing team. But also includes the government YouTube channel, Twitter page, and select creative works generated by Anglish citizens.

Foreign relations

Mutual recognition

Informal relations

Empire of Aeternia - has partly inspired Angland, however no formal diplomatic relations have been established yet.
Kingdom of Scynja - currently has informal relations with Angland that could develop into more serious ties.
Saspearian - currently has informal relations with Angland that are under development to become more serious.

Economy

The economy of Angland is primarily made up of cultural products, such as written works and films that are distributed by the Ministry of Media. The majority of income is generated through subscriptions to the state media. In addition to the media, there are also physical wares available for both citizens and foreigners. As of right now, the physical wares represent less than 10% of the nation's overall income, but one of the goals of the Lords is to grow this realm of the economy.

Culture

The culture of Angland is very diverse with people from all over the world. However the one thing all Anglish citizens have in common is a desire for the growth and development of the Anglish language. The culture of Angland is arguably the most valued aspect of Angland, and is the country's primary export. Citizens take great pride in using the Anglish wordbook to generate written, visual, and audio artifacts in the Anglish language. The process of creating Anglish works both maintains Anglish as a living culture, and helps it grow into something greater.

Religion

The citizens of Angland have a wide range of beliefs, from Christian to Pagan to Atheist, and some more obscure philosophies. The leadership of the nation seeks to promote tolerance between these different worldviews, while focusing on what is held in common by the citizens, namely the Anglish language.

External links