How to speak Welsh?

[Vorpal]

Worcestershire

[roubaixtuesday]

Worcestershire

Slaithwaite

[richardfm]

Worcestershire

Slaithwaite

Slough

[richardfm]

Thank you all for your observations. I should have indicated that my frustration with the language came about during planning to go to the Welsh Cycling Festival on my bike, so it had everything to do with cycling. I was trying to read out the places on the proposed route on the phone to a friend but he could not understand I word I was saying.So naturally I emailed him but got so lost trying to spell the names of the places I gave up.

I would just add we went to France instead, French being so much easier. We cycled to the port and onwards via Rouen. So still to do with
cycling.

You said "since the country has decided to put all its place names in Welsh I no longer go"
When did you last go?
Places that have English and Welsh names have had road signs in English and Welsh for about 50 years?
You make is sound as if using the Welsh version is a recent phenomenon, can you give us an example. Hint, copy and pasting is a useful technique if you are having trouble typing it

[mattheus]

Thank you all for your observations. I should have indicated that my frustration with the language came about during planning to go to the Welsh Cycling Festival on my bike, so it had everything to do with cycling. I was trying to read out the places on the proposed route on the phone to a friend but he could not understand I word I was saying.So naturally I emailed him but got so lost trying to spell the names of the places I gave up.

I would just add we went to France instead, French being so much easier. We cycled to the port and onwards via Rouen. So still to do with
cycling.

Have you been to Reims yet?

[rogerzilla]

Worcestershire

Leominster
Herstmonceux

And the double-bluff

Theydon Bois

[Cowsham]

I used to go to Wales regularly but since the country has decided to put all its place names in Welsh I no longer go. They are now meaningless, as I cannot understand or pronounce them.

When next in Wales wear a poncho before asking for directions.

[Debs]

I used to go to Wales regularly but since the country has decided to put all its place names in Welsh I no longer go. They are now meaningless, as I cannot understand or pronounce them.

When next in Wales wear a poncho before asking for directions.

Clint Pren-Dwyrain?

[Cowsham]

I used to go to Wales regularly but since the country has decided to put all its place names in Welsh I no longer go. They are now meaningless, as I cannot understand or pronounce them.

When next in Wales wear a poncho before asking for directions.

Clint Pren-Dwyrain?

no just keeps you dry while your listening to all the double L's in the instructions.

[Debs]

no just keeps you dry while your listening to all the double L's in the instructions.

I thought you meant the type worn by the man with no Welsh name

[Cowsham]

no just keeps you dry while your listening to all the double L's in the instructions.

I thought you meant the type worn by the man with no Welsh name

Roy Hattersley?

[Carlton green]

I used to go to Wales regularly but since the country has decided to put all its place names in Welsh I no longer go. They are now meaningless, as I cannot understand or pronounce them.

And yes I do go to mainland Europe because they have not changed the language of their place names, and with a bit of effort they are mostly pronounceable.

The Welsh like to maintain and celebrate their heritage, well some of them do and others can’t see the point in the Welsh language and resent having to learn it. Me, I just find it a confusion and an inconvenience which discourages me from going there - other folk might find different and if so they’re welcome to their opinion too, but only so long as they respect mine.

Now if I were to go to say France then I might not understand that language either, but on the other hand learning to speak French could be rather useful to me whereas Welsh wouldn’t have particular value unless I lived in Wales - which I have - and even then it’s a lot of trouble for (typically) minimal advantage.

France or Wales for a holiday, either would be a good choice and I do like Wales - obviously staying in England is best. The Welsh place names can be difficult but nearly everyone speaks English … at times Welsh is a pain (to me) but I’ll get by and they’ve more English tourists than they know what to do with. Maybe I should be glad of whatever the Welsh do to put the hordes off .

[roubaixtuesday]

Me, I just find it a confusion and an inconvenience which discourages me from going there - other folk might find different and if so they’re welcome to their opinion too, but only so long as they respect mine.

OK, so I think it's time for me to take some time out from this forum.

Recent posts have included boasting about drinking (thankfully moderated in the end) on a thread about alcoholism; this thread objecting to the Welsh using their own language and various xenophobia elsewhere. It's just unpleasant, and despite best efforts or moderators, it's normal here, and people feel safe posting such.

I know I should resist responding to these, but not doing so seems to be condoning it, rightly or wrongly.

I'll take a look back after an upcoming cycle tour, might feel differently then.

Enjoy the ride.

[peetee]

I’m totally in favour of place names adopting their true spelling. I’ve always found modification to accommodate foreign preferences rather irritating; Londres, by the French, for example.
Welsh-origin spelling on road signs might make life awkward for the uninitiated but that’s hardly unique to Cymru - Try travelling in Eastern Europe.
There are plenty of frequently mis-pronounced place names in England; Alresford, Chop Gate, Happisburgh are but three. In this day of digital mapping and navigation one’s inability to pronounce the word is far less of an issue than it was when we would have to clutch a paper map, point our finger and ask directions of a local yokel.
It’s not beyond the realms of science to provide a phonetic alternative alongside a place name should the trend on road signs be taken up by Satnav too.

[Carlton green]

Me, I just find it a confusion and an inconvenience which discourages me from going there - other folk might find different and if so they’re welcome to their opinion too, but only so long as they respect mine.

OK, so I think it's time for me to take some time out from this forum.

Recent posts have included boasting about drinking (thankfully moderated in the end) on a thread about alcoholism; this thread objecting to the Welsh using their own language and various xenophobia elsewhere. It's just unpleasant, and despite best efforts or moderators, it's normal here, and people feel safe posting such.

I know I should resist responding to these, but not doing so seems to be condoning it, rightly or wrongly.

I'll take a look back after an upcoming cycle tour, might feel differently then.

Enjoy the ride.

Moderation should be left to the moderators; as views on topics vary they can have a difficult job deciding whether what’s posted is within the acceptable spectrum or not. The actions of Trolls aside one thing that should not be acceptable on any forum is intolerance of the views of others, folk who don’t feel able to accommodate views divergent from their own are destined to be unhappy - or destructively overbearing - in places where people come for conversation. Conversation is what this place is about, as far as I’m aware nobody comes here to be told what to think; people come here to hear others and to offer comment. The OP offered comment on his experience and how it made him feel.

Enjoy your time away.