The Medium of Welsh

[securespark]

I would like to take this opportunity to remind folk that I was born in Aberystwyth, and wear my red rugby shirt with pride...

[Why are you pelting me with tomatoes?]

 

[gangman]

When I peg it, the wife said she'd bury me in my Welsh shirt. I thought that was really nice of her, but as she's English maybe it's her way of getting rid of it.

Not a gog, I'm a hwntws.

 

[wanabechippie]

Not a gog, I'm a hwntws.

Never mind, eh? We all have a cross to bear...

I remember when I was in the Air Cadets, I went to a Gliding school in Staffordshire. These Staff cadets based there wanted to have a badge with their Squadron ID and a Bulldog b u g g e r i n g a Red Dragon (obvious reference..) to go on the sleeve of their flying suits. They found out that I spoke Welsh and asked me what 'Screw the Welsh' was in Welsh. Being the helpful chappie wot I is, I told them it was 'Twll Tin, bob Sais'. They wrote this down and scampered off gleefully.

They went and had 100 of these made up to give to their mates in other sqn's around the country!





let's see who speaks the lingo then..

 

[gangman]

Wanabe that was a bit wicked, but then little victories are sometimes better savoured.

These days with my wife being English and children half Welsh and half English I'd have to say dim pob Sais

As to gogs and hwntws, to the rest of the world we're just taffs.

 

[wanabechippie]

He He!

Don't get me wrong, I quite happily get on with anybody, regardless of where there from. Just take point with anyone slating my country for no reason. eg:

'You're all just sheep shagging *******...'

I'm not a ******!

Well meaning banter is just fine, tho (Moz) !


I'm not one of them Plaid/BNP weirdo's, mind. Isolationist screwballs, one and all!

 

[empip]

All Saxons are barstewards not sphincters..
Pen-y-graig.

 

[securespark]

I'm not a ******!

But you're partial to a bit of ovine company....

 

[JohnD]

 

[Scrit]

My God! Every red-blooded welshman's dream! (Same goes for people from Glossop, though )

And as for Anglo Saxons being a***h*l*s, the Celts aren't much better from my experience - but then I'm only saddled with a Welsh surname

Personally I feel that whilst retaining a dead language and dying culture may have it's defenders, the problem with minorities such as Welsh speakers is that they seem to think it grants them some sort of handle over the rest of the UK (I feel exactly the same about those people who insist on speaking Urdu or Punjabi and having everything translated). At times it does, but it only really engenders at best dislike and at worst hatred for these cultural elitists.

Scrit

 

[wanabechippie]

My God! Every red-blooded welshman's dream! (Same goes for people from Glossop, though )

I'll second that, boyo! Phwoor...

Personally I feel that whilst retaining a dead language and dying culture may have it's defenders,

Guess I'm one of them defenders then. Have you ever been to Wales (And I don't mean just a wet weekend in grimmest Rhyl )? I'd have to argue that the Welsh language is most definitely not dead, nor is our culture. It is on something of a decline, I grant you, but I'd say this is largely down to Non-Welsh speaking folks moving into Wales and not learning the lingo (fair enough) as well as increasing media influences (Internet, TV, radio etc) in the past 30odd years that's made Welsh unfashionable amongst the under 25's. The fact that it's only now that the Welsh Assembly is making the learning of welsh compulsory throughout Wales for under 14's may indicate the strength of the revival of the Welsh Language and the change in attitude towards our cultural Identity.

the problem with minorities such as Welsh speakers is that they seem to think it grants them some sort of handle over the rest of the UK

Maybe it's because we're on different sides of the border, but I really don't get that impression. What demands for accommodation do Welsh folks make outside of Wales? We ask for the right to be able to speak Welsh in our own country without being discriminated against as well as the right to have Government publications, newspapers, TV news, radio and travel information made available in Welsh. How are we supposed to prevent the Welsh language from going the way of Latin, Cornish and Newcastlian.. (what ever it was called ) if the various public and private bodies in Wales can't be bothered to translate due to the fact that they can't afford it?

(I feel exactly the same about those people who insist on speaking Urdu or Punjabi and having everything translated).

Whilst in England/UK?

I agree with you.

If you're in the country, you should be prepared to speak the language of that country or at least respect other's rights to speak it and not demand that everything be made to accommodate you.

I don't know you, Scrit mate, but I'm going to take a guess that your Punjabi or Urdu aint too hot.

Ever been to India?


I'd say that there's always going to be cultural differences. It'd be a bit scary if there wasn't! I'm thinking that whatever English folks think of the Welsh, the Welsh are thinking the same right back (apart from the sheep-love, that is! ) Yeah, we're a wee bit backward, and yeah we have a language that sounds like a cross between Klingon and that noise you make when you get a fish bone stuck in yer throat but I love Wales. It may rain all the time, have a crap NHS, practically no public transport and place-names with more letters in than residents but I wouldn't live anywhere else.



Apart from Australia, USA, Cyprus, Ireland, .....



.... Oh, and Scotland's meant to be nice this time of year....


... Or Norway, Norway's lovely......

 

[JohnD]

. The fact that it's only now that the Welsh Assembly is making the learning of welsh compulsory throughout Wales for under 14's may indicate the strength of the revival of the Welsh Language and the change in attitude towards our cultural Identity.

Maybe making it compulsory shows how popular it is

 

[wanabechippie]

. The fact that it's only now that the Welsh Assembly is making the learning of welsh compulsory throughout Wales for under 14's may indicate the strength of the revival of the Welsh Language and the change in attitude towards our cultural Identity.

Maybe making it compulsory shows how popular it is

Oh it's always been compulsory in 95% of schools in Wales. It's just it used to be down to the individual LEAs to decide if they wanted Welsh to be taught as a compulsory subject up to GCSE. WAG has just taken away the LEAs prerogative to choose.

There's a growing number of both private and state comprehensive schools that teach only through the medium of Welsh. Near me, there are two Welsh language school's (one private, on State comp) that are full to capacity with substantial 'wish lists', whilst the English language school 3 miles away is only at 80% capacity.

 

[gangman]

In reply to scrit I have to say that Welsh is not a dead language, it is still widely used. I know that in the valley I'm from it's very difficult to get your children into the Welsh medium schools, there's just not enough places. Even non Welsh speakers want their children to speak Welsh.

As for the Welsh culture that's not dying, changing yes. Most people in the UK don't have a clue about Welsh culture, rugby, druids and male voice choirs, that's all they think it is because that all the media puts forward.

There are plenty of people in the UK who worried about what would be lost by having closer ties with Europe. How many would rather the Euro than the pound, what else could be lost, Morris Men banned because of the witchcraft connection. Keeping your culture and traditions is important don't you think.

I read in the papers someone in goverment had said the Cross of St George shouldn't flown incase it offends people. So I put one up in my garden, just my small statement that you should not be stopped from showing pride in your country. How many Englishmen did the same as me, not enough. If you're English, don't worry about the Welsh culture it's time to start looking after your own.