# What dopers have committed Welsh acts?'
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [March 11, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031 "2005-03-11T15:18:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/1 "2005-03-11T15:18:29Z")
What users of the operating system[BeOS](http://www.bedoper.com/bedoper/2005/thirtyfirst.htm) , people who cheat at horse races, drug users,[saints](http://limburgchurches.tripod.com/nieuwstadtjohannes.html) and people who post here are Welsh?
Not me, that’s for sure.
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### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/2 "2005-03-11T15:31:10Z")
Am I being whooshed here?
I have no idea what the BeOs and saints have to do with anything, but you seem to be implying that those of us of Welsh heritage are cheats and drug users.
Please clarify your statements and intention.
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### Author:  [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/3 "2005-03-11T15:39:03Z")
His intention is to find a job but doesn’t seem to be doing very well at the moment.
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### Author:  [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/4 "2005-03-11T15:40:18Z")
No, I am not whoosing you, I am asking if there are any dopers here from Wales.
However, while posting I realized that a doper is not just the nickname for a poster here, but also applies to those who give horse drugs to win races, drug users, the name of a webpage promoting an underrated computer operating system ( Stupid BeDoper Message Board), and the name of a church, presumably named after St. Johannes de Doper. I thought that it would be funny to give those alternate meanings, and to provide links to the non-drug related meanings.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/5 "2005-03-11T16:07:50Z")
uh-oh tangled webs are being woven, offence is being taken.
**Scott\_plaid** remember that the verb ‘to welch or welsh’ means ‘to avoid payment of a debt especially a bet’ and to call someone ‘a welcher / welsher’ is an insult. Now the expression probably came from Llewellyn the Great’s habit of swearing allegiance to King John then going back on his word once the English army had safely moved on again, but, basically lad it was a tad risky to refer to “people who cheat at horse races” and then ask if anyone was Welsh. :rolleyes: You were being a bit to clever for your own good.
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### Author:  [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/6 "2005-03-11T16:11:31Z")
Ok, got it. Now, are you Welsh?
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### Author:  [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/7 "2005-03-11T16:34:47Z")
Is this really a GQ? It seems to more fit the height of mundanity.
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### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/8 "2005-03-11T16:42:09Z")
Since this is a sort of survey, I’ll move the thread to our forum for that sort of thing, In My Humble Opinion.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
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### Author:  [@Lady\_Venom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Venom)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/9 "2005-03-11T17:53:32Z")
My last name is Welsh, but I’m irish.
Does that count?
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### Author:  [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/10 "2005-03-11T17:55:55Z")
Oh dear dog, a real answer. Finally!
::breaks down weeping tears of happiness::
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### Author:  [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/11 "2005-03-11T21:55:56Z")
> [@Cat Jones](#):
>
> uh-oh tangled webs are being woven, offence is being taken.
>
> **Scott\_plaid** remember that the verb ‘to welch or welsh’ means ‘to avoid payment of a debt especially a bet’ and to call someone ‘a welcher / welsher’ is an insult. Now the expression probably came from Llewellyn the Great’s habit of swearing allegiance to King John then going back on his word once the English army had safely moved on again, but, basically lad it was a tad risky to refer to “people who cheat at horse races” and then ask if anyone was Welsh. :rolleyes: You were being a bit to clever for your own good.
Nice story but not true I’m afraid 😉
It’s been suggested that the term comes from the name of a corrupt bookmaker who worked at Epsom races (a certain “Mr Welch”, suprisingly).
That’s not right either, although it’s on the right lines.
According to Collins Dictionary the term “to welch” refers to bookmakers who cheat by absconding from race courses without paying out on winning bets - it’s from the German word _welken_ meaning “to fade”.
Still not advisable to use the term in Wales though - the fight against ignorance on this particular misconception still needs work.
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### Author:  [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/12 "2005-03-11T23:48:26Z")
I have it on good authority that the goat used in the initiation cerimony for new dopers is Welsh.
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### Author:  [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2005, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/13 "2005-03-11T23:53:01Z")
If I am what I eat, then yes, as I’ve been subjected to Welsh Rarebit.
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### Author:  [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/14 "2005-03-12T00:17:41Z")
'fraid not. Although my great-grandfather was born in **Clyro, Wales** , he was a son of English interlopers.
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### Author:  [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/15 "2005-03-12T04:37:42Z")
I’m of Welsh ancestry, does that count? My maiden name comes from the name of a castle in Northeast Wales. Mr. Neville and I went to see this castle last summer on our trip to the British Isles. It’s not one of the famous ones you can go inside, but we did get to see it from the outside.
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### Author:  [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/16 "2005-03-12T04:41:18Z")
I’m not Welsh but I’m moving to Wales in ten months.
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### Author:  [@Sample\_the\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sample_the_Dog)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2005, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/17 "2005-03-12T04:47:42Z")
> [@Scott\_plaid](#):
>
> Oh dear dog, a real answer. Finally!
> ::breaks down weeping tears of happiness::
Stop calling me dear… I don’t know you that well.
As for the goat, “welch” isn’t exactly the word you’re looking for, **Bippy**. I think you’re suffering from repressed memory.
::Goes looking for a hypnotherapist for **Bippy** ::
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### Author:  [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2005, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/18 "2005-03-12T05:27:36Z")
I’m of Welsh descent, as well, but I’ve never actually visited the place. My paternal grandfather’s family immigrated here a rather long time ago.
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### Author:  [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2005, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/19 "2005-03-12T11:16:30Z")
I’m one-quarter Welsh: my maternal grandmother was from Pwhelli. I could play rugby for Wales, although for the first time in 25 years they don’t seem to be needing my services.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dopers-have-committed-welsh-acts/294031/20 "2005-03-12T11:41:19Z")
> [@e-logic](#):
>
> Nice story but not true I’m afraid 😉
>
> It’s been suggested that the term comes from the name of a corrupt bookmaker who worked at Epsom races (a certain “Mr Welch”, suprisingly).
>
> That’s not right either, although it’s on the right lines.
>
> According to Collins Dictionary the term “to welch” refers to bookmakers who cheat by absconding from race courses without paying out on winning bets - it’s from the German word _welken_ meaning “to fade”.
>
> Still not advisable to use the term in Wales though - the fight against ignorance on this particular misconception still needs work.
That’s reassuring **e-logic**. I wasn’t too sure actually but thought since so many people associate Welsh and ‘to welch’ that Scott\_plaid should know 🙂
**Lisa-go-blind** I’m jealous, whereabouts ?
Me, I’m only 50% Welsh geneticallly but, let’s face it, would you be English if you had a choice 😃
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