Welsh language policy

Bassano, I am not surprised at the cost of the consultation by the WAG. If there is a way of wasting money, they will find it. All I can say is God forbid that they get extra powers.

Alangh, I don't know if you are aware that there is currently a convention taking place to assess whether the time is right for a referendum to decide whether we get a Welsh Parliament, It is a consultation exercise costing £1.5m. I'm waiting to be asked for my views - but not holding my breath. Politicians, Church hierarchy, the media briefed by a prominent PR company are all united in their aim to achieve devolution of full law making powers. All they are concerned about is how to pursuade civil society that this is what is necessary and get them to vote for it - some democracy! I don't think they will be happy until the only people who have any power here are Welsh speakers.

Bassano, You echo my sentiments exactly, and people who live outside Wales do not appreciate that the whole Welsh language issue is being forced upon the majority of NON Welsh speaking residents in Wales.
In a democracy, it is usually the will of the majority that rules the day. However, in Wales it is the minority who make the rules for the majority to follow. I remember when the Welsh language terrorists were setting fire to non- Welsh speakers houses, of homes of people from outside Wales (whether holiday homes or not), and the Government eventually caved in and foist the Welsh Language act upon us, so it is now a case of the tail wagging the dog in this matter.
I also live in a border area where the number of welsh speakers are almost non existent, yet we must tollerate the waste generated by the Welsh language Act in the form of Bi-lingualism.
There are probably more peple who speak Hini in this area than there are who speak welsh.
Culture is all very well when it is not to the detriment of other more essential sevices.
As I have always said, I am not against those who wish to keep the language alive but it should not be forced onto the majority who do not wish to use it.

MikeP, current policy regarding the Welsh language does not take into account the indiginous sensitivities of people who were born here in the border areas, most of whose ancestors did not speak Welsh. It became a political matter when politicians chose to inflict it on us, and it is being imposed right across the country in response to the terrorist activities of a few fanatics in the 1960's. You have to live here to realise how irritating it is to have your environment, and indeed job prospects, completely changed in this way - and to be told - either learn Welsh or go to England to live. The added cost of promoting the language IS significant because it means our essential services are worse than in the rest of the UK. I now understand the concept of partition. If you live outside Wales you could not possibly understand, but perhaps you should reflect that YOUR taxes are also helping to fund what is, in my view, a pointless exercise. Re-introduction of Latin into the school curriculum would be far more useful, than the generously funded Welsh-medium schools, where children use English to communicate in the playground and at home!

I think the maintenance of minority languages and ethnic cultures is important, particularly now that the idiots at the EU are trying to suppress national identities.

Road signage is only a symbol of the initiative to retain Welsh, and I spend quite a bit of time driving in Wales and whilst I agree that bilingual signs can confuse, many countries cope with this so I see no reason why Wales shouldn't. It is probably a waste of money, but compared to the billions squandered by the government elsewhere it's insignificant.

It should remain a cultural issue and not become politicised, once politicians are involved in anything then the result is disagreement and bitterness.

Perhaps you'll all be happy when Brussels has insisted that everyone in Europe drinks Stella Artois and speaks Walloon.

Bassano, I cannot fault your comments at all I oppose bi lingual raod signs totally, not only for obvious safety reasons, but also on the cost. The Bi-lingual road signs on the M4 in wales cost twice the amount they do on the english side of the Severn bridge,
That unneccessary horrendously expensive layer of Government in Cardiff and imposed on Wales after the Robert Mugabi style referendum is obsessed with "promoting" the welsh language to the detriment of other more important and deserving matters ( if memory serves me correctly; in the last Welsh Buget the amount of EXTRA cash awarded to promoting the Welsh Language was INCREASED by an extra £28 million). With power hungry Plaid Cymru in coalition with the Labour party the Language situation will only get worse for English only speakers, and I agree, the Majority English speakers in Wales are already being marginalised by the Minority Welsh Language activists,
The welsh TV channels have a lot to answer for too, because they tend to give the impression that the the ability to speak the Welsh language important, which it is certainly not.
Do you remember that awful Welsh tourist board advert regarding Bi lingual road signs, where they gave the impression that everyone in Wales spoke the ruddy Language, and English road signs were provided for tourists.

I'm glad you agree with my comments, all my friends and family do, too. We must oppose Welsh first on road signs in predominantly English-speaking areas - it's very dangerous - a case of ideology before safety! Unfortunately, it can only get worse, as the coalition government in Cardiff Bay are signed up to yet another Welsh Language Act. I think it is time that English-speakers had some representation, as we are becoming marginalised in our own communities. I would urge you to write to your MP to make your voice heard. Heaven help us if the WAG gets even more law making powers devolved from Westminster. There is a very real danger of this - I would recommend you visit http://www.tomorrow-wales.co.uk/

I agree with everything you have said Bassano, I have also noticed that in respect of road signs, and notices on public buildings (even Supermarkets) the Welsh Language has taken precedence over English, with the Welsh printed above the English. Not a big point some would say, but this it leads to greater confusion on the roads and in everyday life.
Like you, I have learned another "usefull" language I have a usefull command of both German and Spanish, BUT, I have NO intention of wasting my time learning Welsh just to please the Welsh Language Taffia.

What I really object to is that I cannot watch TV, listen to the radio, drive my car, do my shopping, make a phone call, receive an official letter, visit the theatre, or, in fact,do anything without the latest Welsh Language Board (funded by WAG to the tune of £12m per year)initiative telling me overtly or covertly that I should be learning Welsh. I have learned Italian and French and a bit of German, all of these I use regularly when I travel in Europe, and as I am now retired I think I have earned the right to use my time as I see fit. I have noticed recently that bi-lingual road signs are appearing in Welsh first in this area, which is almost completely English-speaking. I raised concerns about potential safety issues, and have received vitriolic and abusive mail from Welsh language zealots telling me to either learn Welsh or go to England to live. Divisions are certainly growing in this country that I love, and I find it all very sad. Could we not join forces and oppose these policies?

Sorry, made an error in my last message, it should have been .... "The facts are that ONLY 20% of the TOTAL population of Wales speak Welsh",(20% NOT 80%)

Ian, The facts are that ONLY 80% of the TOTAL population of Wales speak Welsh, not just in the North. Please remember that Wales extends beyond Snowdon; even as far as the Bristol channel in the south!
The Welsh language may be an ancient language, but it has not really evolved into a modern language in all that time, but English has evolved over the centuries incorporating not only German, French, and Danish. but many parts of Latin, and Arabic, and far eastern Eastern languages too. Welsh language has not evolved, and despite protestations that it is a pure ancient language by it's exponents, I find it funny how many English words it too has adopted.
However, my original theme for this gripe was not people using the Welsh language if they wish to do so, BUT the fact that it is being foist onto the MAJORITY of the population who are either against it, or totally dis-interested in the language, and the costs and waste generated by the Welsh language policy ( particularly since that site for the Welsh Language Mafia was set up at Cardiff - namely - The Welsh Assembly).
It is time that common sense prevailed and the cash used for "promoting" the Welsh language was put to far better use in other public services used by EVERYONE, not just an elitist minority.

Monkey grumping is one of the oldest grunts in the world. If you go up North Borneo you would hear 80% of monkeys grumping. Down south in Sumatra the gibbons groan. I don't know where I got these figures. I suppose you might call me a spiteful old man, sad and alone. I don't care. What would you say if I said the Anglo Saxons were to come and conquer Britannia and told you to abolish the Brythonic language and signs.