Genetics of British Ancestry - LexiLine Journal 522

Modern genetic studies are in part confirming and in part challenging established ideas about mankind's ancient migrations.

A case in point is provided by Myths of British ancestry, an article by Stephen Oppenheimer at Prospect magazine online, where he writes, for example, that:

"[T]here is no agreement among historians or archaeologists on the meaning of the words "Celtic" or "Anglo-Saxon." What is more, new evidence from genetic analysis (see note below) indicates that the Anglo-Saxons and Celts, to the extent that they can be defined genetically, were both small immigrant minorities. Neither group had much more impact on the British Isles gene pool than the Vikings, the Normans or, indeed, immigrants of the past 50 years."

Read the article and the update Myths of British ancestry revisited, with reader comments,
as well as First Drafts, the Prospect magazine blog and the posting there at The Origins of Modern Man: Q and A with Stephen Oppenheimer by Brian Semple.

Hat tip to John Gartside who also provides us with the following link:
How Old is English? - at http://www.proto-english.org/index.html