They All Speak English?

Amazon's message to Wales

2007-04-05T03:29:00.000-07:00

On the same weekend that I received the good news that Amazon is bringing 1,200 jobs to Wales (is there any sense in giving £9 million 'grant' to a company that made between $370 and $510 million profit?), I was sent back a cheque from the company with the following (very polite) message:

Dear Customer,

Please find enclosed your cheque for £22.93 as the words are written in Welsh. Sorry to ask but could you please amend and return to us so we may proceed with your order, as the bank may not be able to read it.

Kind regards
Billing Dept.

A very odd and old fashioned attitude I must say. I've been posting cheques in Welsh to BT for years without any problems. I've e-mailed my local AM (Rhodri Morgan), Alun Pugh and Andrew Davies ac well as the company itself, which has responded, just to confirm that yes, cheques have to be in English only. Not a very good way to endear themselves to the Welsh public!

amazon, abertawe, cymru, swansea, wales, cymraeg, welsh, grant
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Korrika

2007-03-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Song for the 14th Korrika in 2005

It began on the 22nd of March in Karrantza (Bizkaia) and it finishes in Iruña (Nafarroa) on the 1st of April. The Korrika ("race") is an exhibition race held every two years in the Basque Country to celebrate and support the Basque language.

The race is organised by the AEK, the association for education in Basque, and usually it is scheduled to last two weeks. The first Korrika was held in 1980, and each one follows a different course, though they always try to cover a large part of Euskal Herria, the historical territories of the Basque Country: Bizkaia, Araba, Gipuzkoa (the "official" version of the Basque Country), Nafarroa (Navarra) and also Lapurdi, Zuberoa and Benafarroa (the French Basque Country).

Euskal Herria

The race proceeds continuously without even stopping at night, and about 60,000 people take part in it. In order to raise money to promote the Basque language, each kilometer of the race is "sold" to a particular individual or company who will lead the race as it passes over the purchased kilometer, and as race leader will carry the original wooden baton from the first Korrika, adorned with the banner of the Basque Country, the Ikurriña.

The Ikurriña

Directly behind the leader other participants will carry a banner with the slogan Euskal Herria euskalduntzen. Ni ere bai! (Spreading the Basque language in the Basque Country. Me too!). The race is conducted in an extremely jovial, uncompetitive spirit, accompanied by music and general fanfare, with roads thronged with spectators. During the period, a great many cultural activities are organised to promote the use of Basque, with the support of the Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language).

The special theme of the race's 15th edition, in 2007, will be a tribute to Basque women, and the unique role they have played in guaranteeing the language's preservation

The song for this year's Korrika, the 15th edition

Siaradog.com

2007-03-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Something small but significant happened in the history of the Welsh Language yesterday, something that didn't get a lot of attention beyond the borders of the rhithfro: The first installment of Siaradog.com was broadcasted, a show that is exclusive to the web. Forget about Friday Night with Jonathon Ross, here's Friday Morning with Aneirin Karadog. The show is only 16 minutes long, but I'm pretty sure it will prove to be the first of many such web-based programmes to come.

Aneirin Karadog

As on Mr Ross's show, guests sit on a sofa and are interviewed in a relaxed atmosphere -although they aren't introduced by four gay men and a piano- and the programme closes with a live musical performance (at least it does on the first show).

On the sofa this time was Nia Medi (formerly of the Johnny Panics), a very attractive girl and a talented musician (Im going to describe all the girls on the show this way because Im in my thirties and single), and also Catrin Dafydd, the author of the book Pili Pala which is one of this year's candidates for the Welsh Book of the Year, a very attractive girl and a talented novelist (I told you so).

Well done Siaradog.com!

Comparing the Political Websites

2007-03-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

It's interesting to compare the differences between the various Welsh party-political websites, differences which may indicate just how important or not Wales, Welsh politics and the Welsh language are to our political representatives.

Welsh Labour-Llafur Cymru

1. Despite the bilingual title, the website is monoglot English, with no preparation whatsoever for Welsh speaking visitors.
2. The homepage contents concentrate not on the achievments or aims of the party, but on portraying a rather personal and crude attack on Ieuan Wyn Jones
3. There's a link to "What Labour's done for you", but following the link -and depending on what constituency you pick- you arrive at either the contact details of a Labour MP (yes, MP, not AM) or you're presented with "Six things you can do to help Labour".
4. Apart from an "Elections 2007" logo the Welsh Assembly is almost completely ignored on the website itself. The logo has a link which leads on to some vague assertions about the party's success in the Assembly government, though from there you can download a PDF document with the title "250 Assembly Achievments", with details as to what Labour claims it has done since 1999. It is also from here that you can download a similar PDF file on the future intentions of Labour should they be re-elected. On the whole this is a poorly designed site and the dependence on PDF files makes things even more awkward.

Verdict: 1/4

Plaid Cymru

1. The website is 100% bilingual. What is more, it has a very professional look in terms of its design.
2. The homepage concentrates on Welsh political news, and it has easy-to-follow links to the aims, policies and campaigns of the party.
3. The aims and policies are easy to find, clear and legible. The policies are listed under the titles: A Bilingual Wales; A Free Wales; A Fair Wales; A Healthy Wales; A Learning Wales; A Sporting Wales; A Sustainable Wales; A Working Wales; An Equal Wales; Rural Wales; Wales and the World; Wales at Home; Wales on the Move; Wales in Europe.
4. The aims of the party are stated as:

To promote the constitutional advancement of Wales with a view to attaining Full National Status for Wales within the European Union.
To ensure economic prosperity, social justice and the health of the natural environment, based on decentralist socialism.
To build a national community based on equal citizenship, respect for different traditions and cultures and the equal worth of all individuals, whatever their race, nationality, gender, colour, creed, sexuality, age, ability or social background.
To create a bilingual society by promoting the revival of the Welsh language.
To promote Wales's contribution to the global community and to attain membership of the United Nations.

Without a doubt (and as you can see for yourselves), of all the party websites Plaid Cymru's is the best in both design and bilingualism.

Verdict: 4/4

Ceidwadwyr Cymreig/Welsh Conservatives

1. Apart from its five stated aims (see below), and the PDF policy files (also below), the webpage is monoglot English.
2.The "homepage" concentrates on news from Westminster, not Cardiff Bay.
3. This isn't an individual website, rather a couple of pages from the UK Conservative Party website. As in the case of Labour and the Lib-Dems, the Welsh Assembly is not visible. The link to policy, however, leads to a list of PDF files on Welsh Conservative policies regarding the Welsh Assembly Government, which, unlike the Labour PDF files, ARE bilingual.
4. The party aims (the only bilingual information available on the main webpage):

1. Making our economy more competitive
2. Improving our quality of life
3. Public service improvement
4. Protecting our security
5. Social justice

Verdict: 2/4

Welsh Liberal Democrats/ Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru

1. The website is mostly bilingual, but with gaps. As a result it has a very amateurish appearance.
2. The homepage contents concentrate on the party's last conference and on the fact that the Lib-Dems have one more seat than Plaid Cymru or the Conservatives in Westminster. As in the case of Labour and the Conservatives the Welsh Assembly has no role on the website.
3. There is no information on the party aims, and the link to party policy leads to a long list of conference speaches, not to any clear statements on policy.

Verdict: 1/4

Original Welsh version

We Are A Musical Nation

2007-03-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

Despite the growing visibility of Welsh within Wales, how many of you monoglot English speaking Welsh men and women know about what's going on in the Welsh speaking world? I'm not being critical here, by the way, just pointing out the obvious. We live in the same country, share the same roots, maybe even live on the same street, but to a certain extent both culturally and politically we live in two different dimensions. David Lynch would probably love us. But why harp on about it when instead we can share our realities?

Those of you who -not knowing the lingo- never watch S4/C digidol nor listen to Radio Cymru may be quite oblivious to just how much the Welsh Language music scene has flourished since entering the 21st century. 10 years ago there were some good bands but there was also a lot of, well, shall we say not-so-good bands (to be polite). Now what we have is a more musically diverse and plentiful supply of young musicians with the same musical standards as their English counterparts. So without any further ado here's a small selection for your delight and pleasure:

Sibrydion: Chiwawas

Drymbago: Anian

Genod Droog: Dal Ni Lawr

Radio Luxembourg: Os Chi'n Lladd Cindy

Sibrydion: Rhedeg i Ffwrdd

Gwilym Morus: Ar Ddisberod

Dan Amor: Lluniau Du a Gwyn

Swci Boscawen: Adar y Nefoedd

Rhian Mostyn: Hawl y Mynydd

Y Llongau: Rheoli Amser

Dan Amor: Cofiadau

Perceptions

2006-07-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

Speaking Welsh
This blog has already mentioned on at least two occasions the phenomena of the Englishman who, on entering a Welsh pub, complains that the local pub-goers start speaking Welsh as soon as he enters, as if speaking Welsh were some kind of pastime we do on a whim to annoy outsiders. But this perception goes far beyond the "Englishman enters pub" example, and is one shared across the British Isles. I remember meeting an Irish couple who had once shared a holiday on a yacht with a Welsh speaking couple; They remarked that they themselves had learned Irish at school and could -if they were so inclined- be fully conversant in that language. Yet they complained that the Welsh couple spoke Welsh with one another all the time, as if to do so was to be over the top! They did not for an instance consider this to be a natural act of people speaking their mother tongue, because for them to do so was indeed something you did to show off your identity to the English (rather like a Scotsman wearing a kilt and brandishing a claymore in Basingstoke).

Colonisation
Try explaining to "outsiders" the threat posed by colonisation to Welsh speaking communities and 9 times out of 10 the response will be a shrug combined with such words as "Well, that's the way of the world." An easy sentiment for one who's language and quality of life is in ascendence, but hardly one that will secure the survival of our species, nor one that would have inspired social change in the past!

Silly Words
Ah, those quaint little Welsh folk, who take sound English words like ambulance and chocolate and change them to ambiwlans and siocled, how amusing. Well, if you find that amusing you'll find the Spanish ambulancia and the German Schokolade absolutely hilarious.

Welsh Language Act Rally, Aberystwyth: 10/6/06

2006-05-11T02:08:00.000-07:00

Simultaneous translation available during main speeches. If you'd like to place a banner similar to the one at the top of this blog on yours, you can get the code by scrolling to the bottom of this thread on maes-e.

To book a place on a bus to the event, contact Angharad for buses from the south and Dewi for buses from the north.

Disgusted of Llanfairpwll

2006-04-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

Aida Edemariam from the Guardian reckons the Welsh are the touchiest people on earth. How dare she insult us so!

This isn't really a matter of the Welsh wanting to be treated differently from anyone else, but of racists being treated the same whomever they choose to offend. Under laws that were not decided by the Welsh, the police in Britain have a duty to look into these matters.

A brief switcheroo of Welsh to Pakistani gives us the following:

Are Pakistanis the touchiest people on earth?

They certainly seem to be working quite hard at it. Over the weekend it emerged that columnist Cristina Odone has become the latest to fall foul of Pakistani sensitivities, for referring (in inverted commas, one might add) to "little Pakistanis" on Question Time. She has received a talking-to from the Pakistani constabulary - thus joining Anne Robinson ("what are the Pakistanis for?") and Tony Blair (overheard referring to the "fucking Pakistanis") in being investigated by the boys in blue for supposedly insulting Pakistani honour. AA Gill ("Pakistanis are stunted, bigoted, dark, ugly, pugnacious little trolls") and Jeremy Clarkson (who put a map of Pakistan in a microwave) were referred to the Press Complaints Commission.

Would that be referred to the Press Complaints Commission? It would probably end with Clarkson hurtling down the motorway tied to the fender of one of his beloved cars. Not because Pakistanis are 'touchy' but because they've got balls, something which the Welsh seem to have been lacking for a long time.

But, I hear you cry, it's OK to be racist against white people! Our fair skin is a shield that deflects the barbiest taunts. Well, that is true to some extent, because ethnic minorities in Britain are not on home turf and are therefore more vurneable.

So the truth is we just hate Anne Robinson, Tony Blair, AA Gill and Jeremy Clarkson, and like to see them get into trouble. And who left Janet Street-Porter off the list? Surely it's only a matter of time before she opens her trap and we can start on her too.

Perhaps it's another symptom of Wales's ongoing crisis of confidence.

Now we're into deeper territory, and unfortunately Aida doesn't substantiate this comment so it's hard to know where to start. Just, please, don't expect Wales to act like the bullied little brother who puts up with the abuse so that he can hang with the 'cool kids'. We don't have a crisis of confidence, we have one projected onto us by a country which sees 'not wanting to be like us' as a crisis of confidence.

Touchy? No, just tired of ignorance.

BBQ

2006-04-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

As recent incidents in Ireland disturb the ghosts of a bloody past, Wales has had its own taste of bitter nostalgia. A summer home has been burnt to the ground. No, not the fancy beachside manor of an English lord - but a humble caravan.

This blog has the shocking pictures (the elderly, pregnant and members of the National Caravan Council should avert their eyes).

The caravan's crime was to have the words 'Speak Our Language!' daubed on its side in big white letters by Cymuned, who campaign for the rights of Welsh speakers in Wales.

I doubt if this caravan was a great loss to their campaign. People who move into Wales usually have no idea about the language and the culture attached to it. Shouting at them isn't going to change that.

It might have been better if the caravan had 'Pick up a pamphlet' or 'Ffrwchnedd - if you want to know what the hell this means, inquire within' painted on it. Or it might have been better to do away with the message altogether, because, let's face it, anyone stupid enough to obey the command of a caravan probably isn't worth converting to our cause.

I can't help but think the arsonists did Cymuned a favour by getting rid of the painted message. But they could have done that with paint remover, not by burning down the bloody caravan - they were lucky they didn't kill anyone, the idiots.

The Commission for Racial Equality has condemned the attack, saying:

Everyone involved has a responsibility to make sure that they are putting forward their views in constructive ways rather than in ways that lead to confrontation, closed minds and misunderstanding.

Perhaps the arsonists weren't able to afford their own painted caravans to make their opinions known?

(If anyone's counting, Pro-Welsh nutters - 200 summer homes, Anti-Welsh Nutters - 1 caravan. Our home grown disturbed pyromaniacs are obviously superior.)

Cambrophobia

2006-03-15T02:12:00.000-08:00

If I had a pint of Guiness for every time I heard an English speaker say "I walked into the pub then everybody started speaking Welsh", I'd probably never be sober ever again. Another variant is the widespread belief that people speaking in Welsh behind you are sure to be talking about you. The technical term for this is paranoia (unless you happen to be an attractive example of the opposite sex, in which case you may very well be the topic of conversation. Lucky you).
Perhaps monoglot English pub-goers should ponder the improbability of their belief. Unless they're entering some remote backwaters pub where no one of sound mind normally ever goes they will find that Welsh speaking pub-goers have plenty of things to talk about without having to wait for a topic of conversation to walk through the door. And perhaps they should consider the fact that Welsh speakers are bilingual, and like all bilingual people the world over they tend to use both languages to some degree in any given sentence (especially when under the influence of a a few pints and a debate about just how evil Jose Morinho is). And perhaps the unwitting would-be eavesdropper should remember that private conversations are just that: private.

I was saddened but not surprised to hear that two lovely girls from Caernarfon on a night out in Blackpool were asked by the staff of the Richmond Hotel -where they were staying- not to speak Welsh to eachother. It isn't the first time that such a thing has happened and it surely won't be the last. But it is strange that after 16 centuries of cohabitation on this island that such xenophobia still exists. 590 years have passed since the last full-on Anglo-Welsh war came to an end, yet cambrophobia is still alive and well amongst our Anglo-Saxon neighbours. Indeed, it is quite evident that the English version of Political Correctness does not quite cover the Welsh (or the "Fucking Welsh" as Tony would say).
Perhaps such establishments as the Richmond Hotel should simply put up a sign saying "No Welsh Here Please" so that decent hardworking Welsh folk can take their custom elsewhere. Or perhaps they should just get a life.

Working as a team for Catalonia

2006-02-21T16:14:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Barcelona Football Club asked (and were successful in their request) to have the time of their match moved to a later time in order that their supporters could attend the huge "Som una nació i tenim el dret de decidir" (We are a nation and have the right to decide)" rally which took place on Saturday. The rally was organised in response to the recent animosity within Spain to the Catalonian aspirations for self-government. Considering that the Nou Camp holds 98,000 people, this may well have helped boost the crowds at the demonstration which were estimated at up to 700,000.

Can you imagine something like this happening in Wales? Appropriating the St.Davids flag as your football team's banner is one thing but this is something else altogether!

This is the list of Catalan towns, groups and individuals that supported and went on the march. What is incredible over there is the sheer amount of support coming such a wide variety of civil groups.

Co-operating for a cause. Something we in Wales could and should learn from the Catalan people I think.

[Watch a 3-minute video clip of the demo]

Accidentally Right

2006-02-15T12:47:00.000-08:00

A few days ago someone pointed out this anti-Welsh letter in the Western Mail (scroll halfway down):

Welsh, why bother?
SIR - Wales is already blessed with a worldwide language - English.

Why should Wales waste its minute financial resources on a minor unintelligible dialect?

This waste to the Welsh economy is due to the costs of backing the Welsh language and his political party by Rhodri Morgan.

English is the main language in Wales and completely used in education at all levels in Wales.

Why alter a good system?

English is the ideal language of commercial, technical, medical and artistic usage for most of the inhabitants of our planet.

Why should not Wales follow the rest of the world?

Throughout my lengthy working spells in many countries I have been often required to help inhabitants to improve their knowledge and usage of English.

One such international assignment managed by myself lasted over three years in China. Funded by a World Bank offshoot, it utilised German, Italian, Japanese and American engineers and equipment and was made a great deal easier by trading English lessons with my Chinese colleagues.

So beneficial to the project were these lessons, that my wife and children were allowed to visit China as honoured guests.
DAVID J COLES
Old Pen-y-Garn, Pontypool

The WM seems to print more anti-Welsh letters than is really necessary, but then you can't defeat an argument without it being out in the open. I decided to send in a letter spoofing the above (scroll to bottom):

English is pointless
SIR - I am concerned by the fact that Welsh pupils are having such a pointless and out-of-date language thrust upon them in our schools.

Our school curriculum continues to force the English language upon our children despite clear evidence that Spanish and Mandarin are the languages of the future.

The main reason given for learning English is that it is a worldwide language essential for communicating with our neighbours. By the time these children are in their twenties that will have ceased to be the case.

It is enough work for our children to have to learn a language in addition to Welsh without having to learn yet another within 10 years time.

England should continue to speak English - it is important that they preserve their indigenous culture, as we have over the past few centuries - but let us not miss the boat and continue pointlessly teaching it out of a sense of duty.

Why should Wales waste its minute financial resources on an Anglo-Saxon dialect that will be out of use within the next decade?

IFAN MORGAN JONES
Westbourne Avenue, Gateshead

Yes, the two letters were printed a week apart, a bit long for it to be an obvious spoof, and the title WM has put on it spoils the punchline. But it seems I might have been accidentally right after all. This has been widely discussed at work and it is generally felt that we should all learn either Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic if we are to get much further in our journalistic careers. But which?

The point is clear. When we start talking about language in terms of how many people speak it and so on the future isn't promising for Welsh or English. We should preserve languages for their culture and history, not by the number who speak it. English has had it easy for hundreds of years, but will the speakers' attitude to their language and culture change when it comes under threat? Or will they abandon thousands of years of English history?

Needless to say, if English does fall into terminal decline I will be fighting for it's survival with as much vigour as I'm fighting for Welsh.

Gwenno in prison

2006-02-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

BBC: Language protester given custody. 19 year old Cymdeithas yr Iaith member Gwenno Teifi is tonight starting a 5 day prison sentence for her part in the protests against Radio Carmarthenshire. The station has repeatedly refused to reflect and promote the culture of Carmarthenshire, and has a policy of playing only "popular" (i.e. English language) chart music. I am listening to the Human League as I type this, who haven't been in the charts for 20 years, but obviously are more relevant to the good burghers of Carmarthen than anything recorded in the Welsh language in the interim.

I'm listening to their webcast at the moment, just to see if their news bulletin mentions the fact that a teenager has gone to prison trying to change their playlists.

Now playing: Easy Like Sunday Morning.

(Edit.) If you would like to support Cymdeithas' campaign to raise awareness of the Welsh language music scene in Carmarthen - because, let's face it, you wouldn't know any such thing existed from listening to "Radio Sir Gâr" - there's a gig in the Carmarthen Quins Rugby Club on 25 February. Heather Jones, Brigyn, Eusebio. 8pm, £5 on the door.

In the meantime, you can drop Gwenno a message of support:

Gwenno Teifi Ffransis
Young Offenders Wing
HMP Eastwood Park
Felfield
Wotton-under-Edge
Gloucestershire
GL12 8DB

Diolch yn fawr.

Negativity

2006-02-03T07:58:00.000-08:00

I often like to compare the position of the Welsh Language with minority languages in similar situations on mainland Europe, particularly in Spain. But one thing that uniquely qualifies the Welsh Language is the level of negativity associated with and directed at it. It's normal for Spaniards outside of Catalonia and the Basque Country to make negative remarks about the Basque and Catalan languages, or for immigrants (mostly Spaniards from Andalucia) living in or around Barcelona to do so, but this resentment is far from being as prevalent as that which occurs in Wales. What is more, this negativity is a manifold one: it is not just the negativity of the English, nor that of non-Welsh speakers among the Welsh, but also that of Welsh speakers themselves.

The resentment of English people towards Welsh is at best based on ignorance, and at worst beneath contempt and therefore not fit for intelligent discussion. That of the Cymry di-Gymraeg (Welsh people who can't speak Welsh) is more complex: in the South it is both a resentment fuelled by percieved elitist attitudes among middle class Welsh speakers and one actively encouraged by successive pro-Unionist Labour Party governments both on a local and a national level. In the North it is to a some extent the bitter spawn of English colonisation, but it is also caused by a percieved connection between the local lingo and the dire economic situation prevalent in the area (ie "This place is crap, therefore Wales and the Welsh Language are crap too").
Some of this has seeped into the consciousness of Welsh Speakers themselves, who consequently decide to abandon their language and cut their children off from their linguistic inheritance. Such attitudes are hard to find amongst the Basques. The Basque Country has an almost identical ratio as Wales in terms of who speaks the native tongue and who doesn't. Yet there is little or no negativity felt by monoglot Spanish speakers towards Euskara, and they are quite happy that their children are educated in that language (Then again, the Basques have jobs).
But there is another aspect to the negativity of Welsh speakers towards their own language: for many, it is the language one uses when talking to friends, family, and old acquaintances, but it is not to be used with strangers, even when they're speaking to you in Welsh! This can be both an obstacle and a major pain in the arse to learners!
As i have said, the resentment of the English isn't worth talking about, but the overcoming of negative attitudes amongst the Welsh themselves is of vital importance to the success and survival of the language.

New Welsh Language Act: Teeth, Turkeys and Tantrums

2006-01-25T14:03:00.000-08:00

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...

Squirrel Politics

2006-01-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

"I'm a red squirrel but I don't live in a tree. Once we had a forest and enough trees to share with everybody. In it we hunted, buried and gnawed nuts and looked for more. A typical healthy red squirrel's life. When the grays came we asked if we could keep some of the trees rather than lose them all. But that was racist, the grays said. They said we didn't have the right. I'm just a red squirrel without a tree."

That's my pretty crappy translation of one of Robin Llywelyn's oddments of micro-fiction. It seems the gray squirrel may now be culled to save the endangered native red population. This cull is necessary because you can't reason with the gray squirrel; it doesn't know the harm it's doing, wiping out all those red squirrels .

But you can reason with people. If we're concerned enough to cull thousands of squirrels in the name of variety, surely we can find it in our hearts to save a thousand year old language and culture that doesn't need any culling to survive, just a change in attitudes. That way, I suppose, no squirrel is without a tree.

(Note: I'm moving home at the moment so, yes, a patronisingly simplistic tale about squirrels is the best I could muster. The Welsh word for squirrel is 'wiwer', btw.)

I’d Rather Be English than British

2006-01-14T12:23:00.000-08:00

Today Gordon Brown made a speech about the importance of embracing our shared Britishness and saluting the Union Flag. He proposed that Remembrance Sunday should be made a national day of patriotism to celebrate British history, achievements and culture. After the July 7 bombing many were left furiously scratching their heads. “What does it mean to be British?” they asked, jolted out of their stupor to find themselves in an unfamiliar nation where fellow Brits wanted us exploded. Gordon Brown aims to answer that question.

Unfortunately, Gordon Brown has taken a step backwards on the path to solve this conundrum. Britishness is the cause of our identity crisis rather than the cure for it. Britain is all about placing Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, four different countries all with their own individual sense of identity, under one uniform umbrella. My question is, is this umbrella really necessary? The answer is no.

I’ve been called narrow minded for wanting a Britain made up on independent nations. But I say that it is those who cannot tolerate cultural difference and want us all to be identical that are truly narrow-minded. Is it really a problem for the English if the Welsh speak their own language and go to the Eisteddfod? Is it really a problem for the Welsh if the English take such pride in the Royal Family and their sweet chariot? Ireland is not part of Britain; are you on less friendly terms with them because of it? Trying to show an united front when you’re different is a tricky business.

There are plenty of arguments for unity however. Difference creates conflict. If we were all the same, all had the same culture, and all spoke the same language, conflict would surely be avoided. But history tells us that conflict is created not by those who wish to preserve their way of life, but by those who seek to push their way of life on others. Countless empires and stillborn attempts at empires have all believed themselves to be culturally superior and all others to be inferior and savage. Much of the conflict in the Middle East today arises from the fact that some radical Muslims want the whole world to be Muslim like them, while some radical Westerners want the whole world to submit to their western culture. It is in seeking to unite people against their will that conflict is created. Real unity comes through a mutual respect for each other’s differences.

The question of unity has been raised often in the wake of the July 7^th bombings. It is clear that many segments of the Muslim population in Britain do not feel part of the whole. Immigration can only work if there is compromise on both sides. They must attempt to integrate into the culture they are moving into, learn the language, and so on. However, the country that welcomes the immigrants must do so with open arms – they won’t bother integrating if you shun them – and, most importantly, be open to what new influences they bring to your culture. There’s no contradiction between Welsh culture and being a Muslim, or English culture and being a Muslim. The Welsh culture has managed to absorb new influences over thousands of years without losing any of its unique perspective and colour. It’s when people move in with no intention of integrating that conflict is created. The problem is compounded further when the country they move into has no intention of tolerating their point of view.

I’m moving to Newcastle this month, to live outside Wales for the first time in my life. England has a lovely culture with a long and interesting history. The country has lost much of its identity to Britishness, as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have. Unfortunately, while nationalism is acceptable in all other parts of the UK, English nationalism is associated with racism, and skinhead hooligans. The English need to take pride in their history and culture, not be embarrased by it. I wouldn’t want England to be more like Wales at all. I love it for what it is.

As Gordon Brown said, it is time for us to think about what our nation stand for. The Welsh flag stands for Welsh history and culture, the English flag stands for English history and culture, and so on. The British flag stands for the belief that you should sweep culture aside in the name of unity. Are the cultural differences between our different countries and peoples so great that we must tear them down to be united? Or can we respect and enjoy each other’s cultures and allow them to endure?

Quized?

2006-01-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

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.

Sleifar calling Orange, Come in Orange

2006-01-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

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

Welsh F.S.G.

2006-01-04T05:47:00.000-08:00

An F.S.G. is a bit like a F.A.Q., but in fact stands for ‘Frequently Stated Gibberish’. Unfortunately when it comes to other cultures people are quicker to assume things than they are to ask about them. We all do it; my stereotypical views about the quaint practices of other cultures have often landed me in hot water (my attempt to walk like an Egyptian didn’t impress the guards at Luxor airport). Here are some of the most common frequently stated nuggets of gibberish about the Welsh people, their culture, and their language. Enjoy!

The Welsh are All Sheep Shaggers

There are an abundance of sheep in Wales. It’s a mountainous country with little arable land so our fluffy friends are essential to farmers. But no, we don’t engage in sexual intercourse with them. Since 24 hour drinking came into effect it’s easier to bag some drunken minger down the pub than trudge up into the mountains in a raincoat and a heavy set of wellingtons, anyway.

It Always Rains in Wales

The grass of home wouldn’t be so green if we didn’t water it so often. It’s no worse than the rest of Britain, especially up north.

Everyone Has the Surname ‘Jones’

I’d try to convince you otherwise, but since my surname is Jones I don’t think I’d have much success.

The Welsh Language is a Dialect of English

This is incorrect. It is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic spoken in Wales and parts of Argentina. The word Brythonic comes from the Welsh word Brython, for an indigenous Briton (i.e. those that were here before the pesky Saxons invaded). The language is all Greek to any other non-Brythonic language speakers, including the Greeks.

The Welsh and Breton Can Understand Each Other Perfectly Well

The two languages are closely related, but the Welsh can only understand Breton as well as the English can understand French or German. Cornish, another Celtic language, can be understood in part by a Welsh speaker.

Welsh is Dead as a Doornail Carved From a Dodo’s Skull

Incorrect. Over six hundred thousand people speak Welsh; twenty percent of the Welsh population. The 2001 census saw a rise, not a decline, in the numbers that spoke the language.

Everyone Who Speaks Welsh is Over 75

Forty percent of Welsh speakers are under the age of fifteen.

They Only Start Speaking Welsh When I Walk In the Pub

My good friend Dylan Llyr has already posted a hefty article regarding this subject on the BBC website. Here’s a sample from it:

1) Why does the listener assume that they were speaking English beforehand if he's only just entered the room?

2) Perhaps they are part of a group comprised of a mix of Welsh and English speakers? When I find myself in such company, when including the English speakers in the dialogue I use English (even if it feels rather uncomfortable to speak English with Welsh friends), but if speaking merely to the Welsh speakers directly then naturally I will use Welsh.

3) Much colloquial Welsh contains a smattering of lazy English borrowings (usually when perfectly fine Welsh equivalents are available) so the listener may mishear and only realise they're actually speaking Welsh as (s)he gets closer.

4) How on earth would they know you could not speak Welsh? Do you wear a large fluorescent "English-only" sign?

They Don’t Actually Use the Language From Day to Day

Of course we do, it’s a living language. At home I talk to my family in Welsh, down the pub I chat to my friends in Welsh, and so too with any strangers or co-workers I come across who know the language. It is not a language that is dusted off for special occasions, but one that is spoken day in day out just as you would use yours.

There’s No Point Speaking Welsh

The Welsh language culture is thousands of years old, full of prose, poetry and song, unique to Europe, and continues strongly today. The highlight of the year is the National Eisteddfod, a druidic festival dating back to the 12 Century, which attracts thousands of visitors. There really is something for everyone, all part of the same thriving community. Culture, be it literature, song, acting, sport, or rock music, is very important to the Welsh. Speaking the Welsh language opens up a whole new world, and plenty of interesting new words.

If, on the other hand, people stopped speaking it, that whole culture would go down the toilet. Imagine everything in English, such as Shakespeare, Miller, Spears, everything you’ve ever enjoyed in that language, being erased for ever. A bit of a waste, eh?

Of course, all Welsh speakers have their own reasons for speaking the language. These are just mine.

The Welsh Are Missing Out On a World of English Culture

Since we can speak both Welsh and English, we have both worlds of culture to enjoy.

Why Are Your Words So Long?

They aren’t. The longest Welsh word, gwrthddatgysylltiadaeth, is shorter than it's English translation antidisestablishmentarianism. We’d say such ignorant remarks are useless, but that would be floccinaucinihilipilification.

Say Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!

No, we’re not performing monkeys. We wouldn’t ask you to pronounce Leominster for our amusement. Llanfairpwll is a humorous invention made up to attract tourists, like the Royal Family.

Welcome

2005-12-05T03:44:00.000-08:00

This is a new group blog where bloggers from the Rhithfro (i.e. those who blog in Welsh) will post a translated version (in English) of certain posts.

It has been noticable for some time that issues relating to the politics of language are rarely discussed in the medium of English (either in the media or in the blogosphere), although everyone in Wales must surely have an opinion regarding the Welsh language whether they speak it or not. Around six bloggers have shown an interest in contributing so far and hopefully this will grow.