General Chat

John, you have added to many threads & contradicted yourself on nearly all of them. Many members have given you good advice to do research on the subjects you add too, It's clear you don't, you just C&P things you find. You seem to enjoy winding others up on here for your own entertainment. Just because you live in Wales does not mean you know everything about Wales & the people in it. You don't know who on here lives or lived in Wales & might know more than you do. That said when lots of people tell you that you are wrong just accept that fact, it's better than making yourself look silly. IMHO

I have been to Wales a number of times and no matter where I've been I've met friendly, warm people who have been happy to help me pronounce the names of different words and towns. This with much laulghter. Most people I have encountered have been interested in Australia and the fact that I was born in England - this in small villages and large towns.

Sorry Lynda :-(

Should I have added I was on the outsource lay panel for Dyfed/Powys policing policy?

and

I was a contributor to Pembrokeshire Health for 5 years?

and.........................*bored*

:-D :-D :-D

SueMaid. I wish I had posted the OP. Everyone would have disagreed with me and the status of the Welsh language would have leapt forward. Any English holidaymakers (and Aussies) would have been expected to get phrase book out and speak Welsh - or spend a night in the cells in Llanfair plus another 50 letters. Anyway, you can be assured of a warm welcome next time you climb into the mountainous and beautiful principality.

Due a lot of apologies if it transpires that Conrad Davies or his cashier were the naughty ones in this silly row.

Sue. That is excellent integration. Sounds like you are very happy where you live.
Each part of Wales is very different, isn't it? . I know North Wales pretty well. And a bil farms on Welsh borders not far from Welshpool. And my mil was born in the Vale of Glamorgan in the middle of a wealthy agricultural area (not far from the Welsh folk museum).

But the Valleys are something else. Totally overpowering and very very Welsh. I remember my first time down here in 1967 as a young and shy student. In the pub, it was "stand on the table and sing a solo in Welsh". The only words I could think of in my panic were Sospan Fach (little sospan). I was hopeless and tuneless but they clapped me to the rafters for my pluck. Moving down here 6 years ago has been a wonderful move. Not saying I would not like to pop my clogs in Colwyn Bay where my parents and grandparents are buried, but quite happy to stay here and have ashes sent to Colwyn Bay by Royal Mail eventually :-D

I will in future Lynda - but you know how wise and wonderful our Sue is. Why would we think for ourselves?

Does Dr lew is really think that all welsh live in Wales?

secondly,some welsh will not speak in English if an english person is present,
i work from an office in and out all day,my workmates of which four are welsh speakers never change to English while im present and i can only share the conversation by my understanding of some words and guessing the rest ,not an ideal situation,but one thats becoming much more common here in north wales.
:-(

I think you should of made much more of an effort Sue :-D

I'm sorry John - I like others don't have a mind of my own and blindly follow Sue's opening posts. It's so much easier not having to have opinions on anything but I will try in future to think for myself.

Thank you for apologising John, perhaps a little fact checking is in order before you speak.

The article just proves that Dr. Lewis is a stirrer!

Exactly the same happened to SIL in Lampeter a few months ago at a stag weekend even though he has conversational Welsh he was verbally threatened by (it turned out) the uncle of the groom! I think I mentioned Lampeter earlier on this thread and the road signs, missing or covered in graffiti.

I'll speak for myself.

All our children attended the Welsh school.
I joined Merched Y Wawr and gave a thank you speech in Welsh (with jokes) after 5 months
I attended Welsh evening classes
I was the fund raiser for a year for the local swmming club
I was the MC (Hubby provided all the equipment) for charity events in our village hall for specific clubs
Hubby started a business and employed Welsh/English staff 50/50
I was secretary for a year for the village bowling club
Our children all attended Urdd events
Youngest was a steward at any Welsh music events she could get to
I represented our village on the parents rota for the Welsh Grammar school
We all helped local farms during potato harvest and Christmas turkey culling and they helped us during hay harvest and dipped our sheep for us.
Eldest belonged to Young Farmers
I hosted the Welsh version of Question Time at the hotel
We attended the church next door
etc.etc.,

Now I would call that integration, wouldn't you?

what time does MOTD start :-D

Sue. First, humble apologies. It was not you who told me where you lived in Valleys back in August. Truthfully, I thought it was.
Second, we would have called son Robin or Robyn anyway cos of his red hair - he looked like a little robin. I just liked the spelling Robyn after seeing it on Robyn Lewis's cover of his excellent book. Had not even thought about Dr Lewis since until you posted your thread - which everyone was expected to agree with, it seems. Also, I noticed in a Nottingham Museum that Robyn Hood spelt his first name with a y - so he must have come from Bavaria, India or wherever as Robyn and Robin are apparently not British names.

Rose. Big problem always in predominantly Welsh speaking areas. Locals in a shop with 30 Welsh speakers and one English speaker will often change to English to look poilite (the exact opposite of what a lot of English people think). And if people move to any new area and dive in without absorbing local customs, it can make them a bit unpopular.

Shropshire is one of my favourite counties. But Telford is a bit of a goitre in the midst imo - a "wen" as Cobbett would have said if he was rural riding these days. A sort of extension of the Black Country. I think it is possible to absorb an invasion of incomers, but it does need to be planned fairly well. The valleys where I live are largely English speaking today (well, Wenglish probably) and the residents consider themselves to be very Welsh. Yet they are descendants of Irish, Scots, Italians and English who flooded in over many years to work in coal mines and iron works.

I do think there is a very strong Welsh identity that unites all parts of Wales and the Welsh diaspora abroad. And connects us to other countries in Celtic fringes in particular ("Nollaig Shona" to all our Irish friends for next year). The language is quite an important part of that..

But we do have to be careful not to be too zealous and antagonise anyone over language issues. I blame Conrad Davies (without knowing full details). Everyone else on this thread appears to follow OP and blame Robyn Lewis.

It would have therefore been a very short thread if I had not added my spoke. ;-)

Just to add to this thread.........i wonder if the said man watches TV ?

If so he can only watch S4C as that's the only Welsh speaking TV Channel.

:-D :-D :-D Hayley.

I am off to watch the programme on BBC2 now ;-) just because there isn't one about Druids :-D

Aye up our Sue our Cats middle name is after Cilla Black but if she is in the wrong she is in the wrong and I will say it :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

John, I DID NOT SEND YOU A PM ABOUT WHERE I LIVE SO RETRACT THAT IMMEDIATELY PLEASE!

You didn't read what I said properly which was 'I live 19 miles from John in the Valleys but 90 miles when I go home to West Wales' go back and check!

If my memory serves didn't you name your son after this individual? if true it's no wonder you will defend him until hell freezes over.

These modern druids should not be confused with the ancients druids, they've only been around since the 18thC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/society/language_druids.shtml

Sue. You said on another post that you lived 19 miles from me. So silly me assumed you did. And you sent me a pm in August asking which valley I lived in and told me how many valleys across you lived in. Or am I as old and confused as my druidic friend.

To be a druid is a very great honour. One I have not achieved.....yet!!

The first level is to wear green (ovate). Next up is blue (bard). The real stars of Welsh society (like our First Minister) are permitted to wear gwisg gwyn (white robes) and are called druids. Queen Elizabeth II became a member in 1946 - don't know if Prince Charles has been elected

The top man is the Archdruid who wears gwisg aur (gold robes). Robyn Lewis was appointed in 2003 - the only Archdruid to ever have been elected by all the Gorsedd unanimously. And first winner of the Literature Medal to become Archdruid (since 1792). A very distinguished man in Wales - not that that excuses his behaviour if he really was off with the cashier in Spar..

I'm from the south of England and I am now thinking of moving to Wales if the houses are that cheap....and HID can go and work for Spar at £7p.h which is only 50p less than he is earning now.....not planning on learning to speak a language I cannot even read though.

I am only joking by the way, I like where I live

Going back to thread,
I don't think he would give the Welsh a bad reputation, more likely the few ignorant Welsh people.

Last time we were in Wales, near Lampeter, we went into a pub for lunch, went to the bar and ordered drinks, the other people in the bar were talking in English when we went in but started talking in Welsh, that is ignorant.
One of our company speaks welsh, so he told them what he thought....they were embarrassed, it's that type of thing that damages Wales reputation as a welcoming place.

George

I am, thankfully, speechless.