It was good to see the Welsh Language Board baring its teeth (however so rotten and loose they maybe at this present moment in time) on Thursday by publishing their "Position Statement on the Legislative Position of the Welsh Language" (click here to download the full statement). It's worth reading, and its content is very encouraging, even if it only puts some institutional pressure on the Welsh Assembly Government on the matter. It's good to have someone other than protest or pressure groups putting down clearly, on paper, some of the steps that need to be taken in order to normalise the use of the Welsh language.

It was disappointing, though not unexpected, to hear the abrasive and dismissive response by Alun Pugh's spokeswoman on the matter:

"No Labour government now or in the future would support the idea of new primary legislation focused only on the rights of people who already speak Welsh."

Source: BBC News Wales

It appears that it was Cathy Owens, Mr Pugh's "special adviser", who made the remarks which sum up the disgraceful attitude of a large proportion of the Welsh Labour Party towards an intelligent contribution to the discussion on linguistic rights for Welsh speakers.

But following on from this I read an article in Saturday's WM (where the Tories, of all people, complain about the inflammatory nature of her remarks!) that she went yet further than the above by saying:

"It's for elected politicians to agree the way forward for public policy in Wales. We are talking about a situation where English speakers have rights too. Turkeys don't vote for Christmas but no one voted for the Language Board either."

English speakers have rights too? Yes, near enough the whole fucking lot at present. They have the right to go into a post office and not feel like a twat because they start speaking Welsh and get "uh?" for an answer. They have the right not to feel inferior when taking a driving theory test which is completely unintelligible due to a nonsensical translation, knowing that this situation would never crop up for anybody else within that same room. They have the right not to have to go out of their way each fucking time they want a service in their own language. Why should I feel in the wrong for wanting to use my own language in my own country, just as they do?

"No-one voted for the Language Board?" I've got news for you Cathy, no-one voted for you either.

Who does she think she is, voicing her opinion so presumptuously about a contribution to a discussion which is so important to so many people and which is (supposedly) a part of her boss's core brief (although, it does look like it's her that wears the cycling shorts in that office) - namely sport, culture and the Welsh Language. Yes, the language, and when the Welsh Language Board, a body appointed as experts in the field, publish a paper such as this, Mr Pugh and his minions should take heed and make a concerted attempt to understand what is going on.

But alas Labour is Labour, and this, as well as the scandalous attempt to get their dirty mits on the arts is just additional ammunition to shoot them down from their crows nest some day. I hope.

Let's hear a little more about our dear Cathy: according to this article in the WM 30/07/03 which discusses her appointment, it was said "It's an attempt to improve communications".

Hmmm, improve communication? Communicating what exactly? That this government is never going to support the Welsh language and Welsh speaking communities? That a sneering attitude like this towards the Welsh language can exist within the department that should be protecting it? That we need to fight harder than ever to secure fairness for Welsh speakers?

And whilst I'm on the subject, here's another interesting article from the Mule (February 2004) reporting how the Assembly Government had to apologise to the civil service union, Prospect, after they put in a formal complaint regarding the "hectoring" and "abrasive" way in which they were treated by our lovable Cathy. (More on this one Aberdare Online.)

And yet more news just in! "All journalists are bastards" says she of the silver tongue!...in a mistaken call to Martin Shipton's voice mail. Yes, that's right, only the chief reporter of the Western Mail!

Time for Cathy's annual job review I believe Mr Pugh...

Right, suppose I better post something as well then.

What does it mean to live in a bi-lingual country? To me, being bi-lingual means using the two languages how and when I want. There are people in Wales who prefer using English and there are others who prefer using Welsh. I use Welsh at every opportunity, and it's the langugae I socialise in (yes, I do socialise now and again!). You'd think what language I socialise in is my business, but in Wales things are never that simple.

This post is going to be about the politics of pub quizes.

I go to the Cayo Arms every sunday to take part in the pub quiz. The team comprises of myself, my girfriend and our two friends who are a couple. Both my girfriend and I can speak Welsh but our friends do not, even though both have attempted to learn - so we converse in English. The quiz is also in English, although the quizmaster is a fluent Welsh speaker and some weeks almost half the teams are made up of Welsh speakers. A nice touch is that all teams call their scores out in Welsh between rounds.

There are about 90 pubs in cardiff that hold quiz nights (you can count them here). All these quizes are in English I assume. As far as I know there are two pubs who hold a monthly pub quiz in Welsh, the Mochyn Du and the Goat Major. To be honest, I'm no good at quizes but turn up for the beer. Last night I went to the monthly quiz which my friends Geraint and Dwlwen have been organising for 16 months. It was bound to happen I suppose, and it's only a surprise that it's taken this long but as Geraint started reading out the questions, a guy at the bar started shouting things like:

The Welsh language has got a lot of catching up to do with the English, doesn't it?

fairly harmless I suppose, then his mate joins in with

Why don't you do it in a language English speakers can understand?

Right, 90 English pub quizes a week aren't enough for him, the only 2 quizes a month which are in Welsh also have to be in English as well. Linguistic intolerance is alive and well in the capital of Wales.

Sorry I haven't posted anything here yet. Here's a copy of a letter which has just dropped into my inbox.

I am writing on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) to inform you
that the Cardiff branch is currently waging a direct action campaign against your company's
advertisement campaign for "Bonus Top-ups".

Since last week we have been actively targeting your advertisements in Bus Stops and other spaces
across Cardiff with stickers asking "Ble Mae'r Gymraeg?" - "Where is the Welsh?" to draw the publics
attention to your total lack of Welsh language provisions. To date, 12 of your advertisements have
been plastered with our stickers.

We demand that Orange provide the following services in Welsh:

• Billing
• Correspondence
• Customer care.
• Comprehensive signage in your shops in Wales
• General literature.

Until these services are provided we will continue to deliberately sabotage your advertisement
campaigns in Wales.

Orange profits for it's business operations in Wales but shows utter contempt towards the Welsh
language by not providing services in Welsh. It is not unreasonable to expect major companies to use
the Welsh language - If British Telecom can provides Customer Services, billing, correspondence and
general literature in Welsh why can't you?

PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THIS MESSAGE.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yn gywir

Steffan Cravos
Chairman, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg