General Chat

Sylvia you should know by now that John dictates the subject on this thread as long he is able to post and keep posting about what he wants to which normally anything about him and what he has dreamed up in the last 15 mins then he will ignore you,

**whispers ** we all know John isnt even really Welsh the only real Welshman on this thread is Mr Daff ;-) **

bursts into life for no obvious reason!!!!! you keep lighting the flame

Oh Sylv...does it matter , you ( we ) probable won't believe the answer anyway , cos John is John, tongue in cheek . ;-) :-D

But you still have not answered the question John . , does your son speak welsh in Tesco?

AnnC I keep thinking that. But it has been a bit like the embers of a fire. Suddenly thread bursts into life for no obvious reason and then everyone gets fed up and removes posts etc. Then it bursts into life again.

Sometimes I think FGS. Other times I think, wow that was a good point (usually Sandie, MrD or Superstar). And other times I just quietly chuckle away - and often laugh out loud to consternation of family and neighbours. :-)

Edit. Jax. I took it that way too. I hope you enjoyed Cardiff, and you would always be made welcome in any part of Wales. You might see a lot more Welsh in Cardiff now. I certainly speak more Welsh if I am working in certain Cardiff suburbs. Lot of Welsh speakers now in places like Llandaff and Pontcanna

I was just interested thats all, Sandie :-)

I dont know much about Wales only been there once in 1976, stayed in Cardiff with ex fiance's rellies....I dont remember them speaking Welsh

would be good if this thread died - going over old ground ad nauseum :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

Jax~~
This thread has has many topics and all been fun :-) ;-)....well some of them !!

Awh....Don't question poor John again , bless him. ;-)

Ydych chi'n siarad Cymraeg ?

Jax. That just is not the issue at all. In most parts of Wales, it is often difficult to find a cashier who can speak Welsh. Often they have to wear badges.

If I want to speak Welsh in the Valleys, there are very few opportunities. In fact, it seemed to be much easier to use Welsh when I lived in London as I spent almost all weekends speaking only Welsh - London Welsh, Welsh chapel, Welsh pub etc..

In Pwllheli, most cashiers will be bilingual. Naturally Welsh speakers as first language, but also very good in English - particularly in holiday areas. I can choose usually which language to speak in in that sort of Welsh town. I usually speak to people in Welsh in Welsh speaking areas, just cos I can and they prefer it. And, if they said the amount in English in a Welsh conversation, I might give cashier a look of surprise.

Don't think they have ever used English with me when we have been using Welsh, but I have heard that they do say the money in English in some shops. A little bit iritating perhaps, but not enough to cause a big fuss. Perhaps Robyn Lewis has not yet developed a "look".

As this thread is all about a shop assistant not speaking Welsh when asked...you say your son works in Tesco John? As an English born person living in Wales, is he able to change from English to Welsh when asked?

Surely many words have been phoneticised or whatever into English. Many French words, and certainly Latin and Greek.

We want a cup of char - should it not be something like tchai? It was never spelt char when I was in India. Difficult to see how something from Mahon in Minorca (pronounced something like Marne) could wind up as May-on-aise.

Welsh is phonetic so would look weird if it tried to follow English which is far from phonetic. A child might read one of these Welsh books and read am-bee-lan-say (with stress on lan) and then be quite cross when they realised what the vehicle was in the story. Am-biw-lans (with stress on biw) is how we say that.

I think there are loads more words to learn in English, and often we have to say several words to say something short in English. For example, os gwelwch yn dda (if you see well) and s'il vous plait in French - and please in English. Diolch yn fawr, merci beaucoup, ta. Un ar bymtheg ar bedwar ugain, 96.

All about communication in the end. What you feel comfortable with. When English speaking people go to Spain to live, most can say a few words and ask for things in Spanish, children learn naturally at school. It breaks down barriers, people smile. :-) :-)

There are lots of words that don't 'exist' in Welsh and have been 'phoneticised', or are even unchanged:

Bom atomig
penecillin
ffliw
polio
menengitis
niwclear
syphallis ....

as we were on the 'scientific' track ....... :-D

Next Round ...... ;-)

:-D yes ;-)

potasiwm nitrad

clorid bariwm

clorad

calsiwm

sylffwr

hydroclorig

sylffwrig



See what I mean lol

John, Roger 'crooked pen' Lewis has hardly gone off to fight, unless it's against his 'own people'. Doesn't that make him a traitor?
Your above is accurate enough, but it's not the whole of the folk song, which is a sad farewell, as the title indicates.

:-)

Edit: Should I say Roger 'Pen gam' instead ? :-D

If my SIL says popty ping daughter goes nuts and tells him there is no such name!

Science equipment names did not appear to have a true welsh translation. Also there is no need to bastardise chemical names although there was a short lived attempt.

In the big wide world you'd sound really silly using the invented or wenglish words when playing in the fume cupboard ;-)

Sorry MrD. Had just realised what you meant. Was just about to edit (correctly, Sandie) when I saw your post. Getting a bit late for me.:-( :-(

Not sure who Roger Lewis is. There is the famous one who won us the Six Nations single handed - a sort of Lord Coe on speed. And there is a journalist who is quite well known. But journo is from Newport area, whereas this ones claims to be from Caerphilly, I think. :-S :-S

He will have got a big fee from the Daily Drivel for writing that piece. Have you heard:

Ffarwel i blwyf Llangower
A'r Bala dirion deg
Ffarwel fannwyl cariad
Dwi ddim yn enwi neb

Dwi'n mynd i wlad y Saeson
Hefo fy nghalon fel y plwm
I ganu o flaen y delyn
Ac i ddawnsio o flaen y drwm

Farewell to Llangower
And fair and lovely Bala
Farewell to my sweetheart
Who I will not name

I am off to the land of the Saxons
With my heart like lead
To sing in front of the harp
And dance in front of the drum

That is what Roger has done, in my view :-( Many of us do it (me included) if the money is better. What a shame money so governs our lives.

ps I have not c and pd. It is from memory - something I said very often when I worked in London area for Tesco. And translation is mine. So sorry if not very good.

No, John, I'm talking about Roger Lewis ((what a thought !!!!)). Unfortunate they have the same initial and Surname, isn't it !...

Sandie. You are right, of course. No such word as boilio. Sounds like he had never played rugby or been to a pub.

A lot of words in science are German, aren't they? And ambiwlans and Tacsi are similar in very many languages. I think it was Tacsi in India (Malalayam language)

MrD. Are you talking about the end of the letter in OP as reported by the Daily Drivel. It is not necessarily what the dear doctor said anyway. I think attendance will be up at the August Eisteddfod (just with number of posters who want to have a word), but we will keep dear Robyn safe from accusers. I doubt Spar or the Daily Drivel will be represented on Y Maes (The Field).

Robyn is a Welsh treasure - his gold braid is worth over £5k at current bullion prices :-D

Sue -welcome back <3

However ..... :-) ... intrigued by your ref to 'invented names' regarding science. Is this 'really invented', or the necessity in Welsh to 'adapt' words because they don't actually exist in Welsh (e.g. Taxi and ambulance?). Just interested.

For Rose earlier, for I see no-one answered your question, the best I could do with the 'Gizzard worm' ((is it a disease??)) is " Ymydyn lasog" ,but I stand to be corrected :-\

As for the amoebic R Lewis, his little throw away line about taxes, right at the end of his green-eyed, spittle covered puny article, really REALLY got my back up. I would just luuurv to meet this 'thing' and 'discuss' the matter further :-P

And as far as 'boilio' is concerned.......said teacher needs a visit from the Wicker man. No such word, that I know of, in Welsh -quite right, it's 'berwi'.

Oh dear, my collar is getting tight - hope I don't start turning green again """" :-S