Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by pwa »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Serious question I was wondering about.
How many people in Wales only speak Welsh you can't speak English?

Everyone who speaks Welsh can also speak English. And in my experience they are happy to do so when they find you don't speak Welsh. But naturally, if your grandparents speak Welsh at home and you were brought up in a home where Welsh was the language in the kitchen, you are going to feel at home with Welsh and you will probably want your kids to feel at home with it. It is a part of the community that you love. And you won't respond well to outsiders telling you that you should change.
Mike Sales
Posts: 7883
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Mike Sales »

I used to ride with a group including some monoglot English like myself and some who talked Welsh amongst themselves.
All were courteous enough to switch to English when I was around.
So much for the persistent paranoid myth about the drinkers switching to Welsh when an English tourist enters the bar.

I once (on my bike) hit a dog belonging to an old couple on a quiet lane in Ynys Mon. The old lady translated my English apology to her husband.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
No one is suggesting anyone should change to what they need doing if they like to conversed in their own local language.
More often than not I find myself late in the evening in a supermarket when I am the only English person apart from the staff.
It's definitely not English I think it's probably something like Polish not French for sure.
I've been to Wales several times, I walk into the shop and they start talking in Welsh, I have been told because this is because people like to listen to the Welsh language.
The shop thingy must be correct.
Like I said been to Wales quite a few times holidaying walking and motorcycle trials.
I remember looking through the list of competitors one day to be quite surprised how many Joneses there were?
Don't ever remember ever hearing any of them or anybody on that day talking in a language I could not understand.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
mattheus
Posts: 5044
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 12:57pm
Location: Western Europe

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by mattheus »

I watched a Welsh team recently, and was surprised how common the name Taulupe Faletau was.
Mike Sales
Posts: 7883
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Mike Sales »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
No one is suggesting anyone should change to what they need doing if they like to conversed in their own local language.
More often than not I find myself late in the evening in a supermarket when I am the only English person apart from the staff.
It's definitely not English I think it's probably something like Polish not French for sure.
I've been to Wales several times, I walk into the shop and they start talking in Welsh, I have been told because this is because people like to listen to the Welsh language.
The shop thingy must be correct.
Like I said been to Wales quite a few times holidaying walking and motorcycle trials.
I remember looking through the list of competitors one day to be quite surprised how many Joneses there were?
Don't ever remember ever hearing any of them or anybody on that day talking in a language I could not understand.


Many people with Welsh surnames cannot speak Welsh!
What do you think these people who normally speak English between themselves are hiding from you by switching tongues? Discussing you?
Did you catch the words "twll dyn pob sais"?
Unless they are dogmatic nationalists Welsh people are often polite enough to talk English in social situations that include monoglots.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by pwa »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
No one is suggesting anyone should change to what they need doing if they like to conversed in their own local language.
More often than not I find myself late in the evening in a supermarket when I am the only English person apart from the staff.
It's definitely not English I think it's probably something like Polish not French for sure.
I've been to Wales several times, I walk into the shop and they start talking in Welsh, I have been told because this is because people like to listen to the Welsh language.
The shop thingy must be correct.
Like I said been to Wales quite a few times holidaying walking and motorcycle trials.
I remember looking through the list of competitors one day to be quite surprised how many Joneses there were?
Don't ever remember ever hearing any of them or anybody on that day talking in a language I could not understand.

I visited Wales on holidays many times before I eventually came to live here, and I have never had any feeling of animosity from Welsh speakers. You are much less likely to meet an unfriendly person here in Wales than you are in an English city. Come back to Wales and talk to people and you will find almost all of them friendly. I've been here nearly 30 years and it feels like home. I have been in queues in shops where the person in front has been yacking to the person behind the counter in Welsh, then when my turn comes I get a warm smile from the person behind the counter and they talk to me in English. They find it natural to switch like that. They do it all the time, depending on who they are talking to.
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Probably there are very few welsh people in wales who do not speak english, granted.
But we now have the case all over uk that some foriegn workers have no intention to learn to speak english.
If I went to work / live etc in a non english speaking country, I would bend over back wards to learn the language.
Wales is not like that I have never had a welsh (I assume) speaking person address me.
If I am having a problem understanding NHS staff and banking staff at call centres, because their english is poor thats not good.
Or maybe some of you think that is acceptable?
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Some people, a few thousand maybe, around Y Bala, Caernarfon, rarely use English, no need
NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Serious question I was wondering about.
How many people in Wales only speak Welsh you can't speak English?

In the Welsh areas children learn Welsh first, if they live on a farm with extended family they may not have much English until they go to school, then they pick it up quickly
Some older people in very Welsh communities hardly use English, no need, simples, everything is done in Welsh, +1
Lots of people are perfect in both

Some Welsh people are not so good in English because they rarely need to use it, but still more bilingual than the likes of us :wink:
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by pwa »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Probably there are very few welsh people in wales who do not speak english, granted.
But we now have the case all over uk that some foriegn workers have no intention to learn to speak english.
If I went to work / live etc in a non english speaking country, I would bend over back wards to learn the language.
Wales is not like that I have never had a welsh (I assume) speaking person address me.
If I am having a problem understanding NHS staff and banking staff at call centres, because their english is poor thats not good.
Or maybe some of you think that is acceptable?


Being able to communicate easily in the language of your community is an important part of being a member of that community. That's true. If I lived in a part of Wales where Welsh is widely spoken I would learn the language to integrate better. And yes, it is a problem when you are dealing with people who don't speak in a way you can easily understand. I believe TEFL is far less well funded than it used to be, which is unfortunate.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I love South Wales too, many down there speak only English but with a lovely accent, +1
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Tuvia Tenenbom published a book describing his travels in the r UK
He experienced antisemitism in several countries but not in Wales, the people there were particularly friendly, open and welcoming
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Snaffled a beautiful daffodil in the woods (on the way home from the store with no toilet paper, without even a shelf for tp, there are other special offers there now :?)

Cymru am byyyytth!
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Had a look at twitter, Mark Drakeford our leader
All his posts are in both languages, quite short texts, a good way to improve ones Welsh. Or English :wink:
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Cyril Haearn wrote:Tuvia Tenenbom published a book describing his travels in the r UK
He experienced antisemitism in several countries but not in Wales, the people there were particularly friendly, open and welcoming

But could he speak welch? :)
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Cymru am byth - we love Wales!

Post by Jamesh »

Really good riding in Wales. Roads are empty.

Drivers are courteous or curious!

Great hills I'm south of Aberwyswyth SSO looking up take in the bigger hills later in the week.

B4337 from lampiter has a big climb in it so looking forward to riding that too. South to north.

Cheers James
Post Reply