More Adults in the UK speak Portuguese Than Welsh

Perhaps we should have the road signs in Portuguese instead of welsh , that really is an unnecessary expense, there are no welsh speakers that can't read a road sign written in English
 
I always wonder why the hell they put Croesu am Cymru on the signs as you enter Wales - surely a simple Welcome to Wales would make more sense (to more people!)
 
Oh I can feel the need for popcorn coming on.

Perhaps in this multicultural society we now find ourselves in, its because a vastly larger amount of people globally speak Portuguese than do Welsh. ...and thus many of them make their way here eventually.
 
wack61 said:
Perhaps we should have the road signs in Portuguese instead of welsh , that really is an unnecessary expense, there are no welsh speakers that can't read a road sign written in English
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You sure about that?
 
viv1969 said:
Oh I can feel the need for popcorn coming on.

Perhaps in this multicultural society we now find ourselves in, its because a vastly larger amount of people globally speak Portuguese than do Welsh. ...and thus many of them make their way here eventually.
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Don't think I've met anyone who can speak either.
 
Gaz J said:
You sure about that?
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100% there isn't a welsh man or woman that can't read English because they have schools that teach English , same as the rest of the UK, poppity ping
 
wack61 said:
100% there isn't a welsh man or woman that can't read English because they have schools that teach English , same as the rest of the UK, poppity ping
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Errrr, French and German is taught in many English schools, I have yet to hear any Englishmen conversing in either,unless of course you are on holiday and everyone tries to carry on a conversation in the local accent....microwave?

""I always wonder why the hell they put Croesu am Cymru on the signs as you enter Wales - surely a simple Welcome to Wales would make more sense (to more people!)""

We thought about "Bet your glad to be leaving that dump aka England" but then it was decided that Croeso i Cymru has a much warmer feeling, don't you think?
 
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French or German is taught as a first language in British schools

Are you really saying that or just being obtuse

Every child leaving school in Wales can read English so can read a road sign in English , it's an unnecessary expense to have them in welsh as well

I've typed the word black, is it black or dark grey
 
I can think of dafter things than spending money having signs in both languages.
Everyone else seems to have a "God" given right to have thier heritage recognised, why not the Welsh?
 
Nod said:
I always wonder why the hell they put Croesu am Cymru on the signs as you enter Wales - surely a simple Welcome to Wales would make more sense (to more people!)
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Don't even need signs up, the fact it starts raining is big enough clue for me, it's rained every time I've been. :0
 
Nod said:
I always wonder why the hell they put Croesu am Cymru on the signs as you enter Wales - surely a simple Welcome to Wales would make more sense (to more people!)
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Bet you didn't realise you were bilingual
 
wack61 said:
100% there isn't a welsh man or woman that can't read English because they have schools that teach English , same as the rest of the UK, poppity ping
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Well you're wrong. 100% wrong.
 
Gaz J said:
Well you're wrong. 100% wrong.
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Source ?

Can you take a driving test in just welsh or can all welsh drivers read the signs,
 
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Source? The fact that I know at least three couples that cannot speak English. Never have and never will.

And they can drive legally.

You can take your rest in English Welsh or sign language.
 
Gaz J said:
Source? The fact that I know at least three couples that cannot speak English. Never have and never will.

And they can drive legally.

You can take your rest in English Welsh or sign language.
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They must be cracking on a bit.
Even Welsh medium schools have to teach English as a second language.
 
wack61 said:
100% there isn't a welsh man or woman that can't read English because they have schools that teach English , same as the rest of the UK, poppity ping
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I've bumped into more than one person in North Wales that has difficulties speaking English and would always prefer to read/write/speak in Welsh. I work with a girl who has great difficult conveying her emotions in English to the point where it becomes extremely frustrating for her when she can't find the words to describe how she is feeling.
 
viv1969 said:
They must be cracking on a bit.
Even Welsh medium schools have to teach English as a second language.
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That's a rather ignorant view. There are entire families that live and work their entire lives in remote parts of the North/Mid-Wales countryside. They've only ever known or indeed needed to speak Welsh. Why would they choose to use English, even if they knew it (which they aren't required to)?
 
Eddzz!! said:
That's a rather ignorant view. There are entire families that live and work their entire lives in remote parts of the North/Mid-Wales countryside. They've only ever known or indeed needed to speak Welsh. Why would they choose to use English, even if they knew it (which they aren't required to)?
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I simply mean that unless they were home schooled, then they were taught at least some English at school.
 
wack61 said:
French or German is taught as a first language in British schools

Are you really saying that or just being obtuse

Every child leaving school in Wales can read English so can read a road sign in English , it's an unnecessary expense to have them in welsh as well

I've typed the word black, is it black or dark grey
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Are you English? You must be to have a bloody arrogant patronising attitude like that.
 
viv1969 said:
They must be cracking on a bit.
Even Welsh medium schools have to teach English as a second language.
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Yes they are Ruth. Several generations of hill farmers. Go to market once a week where they meet other hill farmers. Welsh is their language, all business conducted in Welsh Their children and grand children speak English but when they visit they speak Welsh. It's really good to see the respect that the children have for their grand parents language.
 
Gaz J said:
Yes they are Ruth. Several generations of hill farmers. Go to market once a week where they meet other hill farmers. Welsh is their language, all business conducted in Welsh Their children and grand children speak English but when they visit they speak Welsh. It's really good to see the respect that the children have for their grand parents language.
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Indeed, getting rarer too, no doubt.
I saw a TV documentary (in Welsh - with subtitles) a while back about hill farming in Wales.
Bloody tough life!
 
I'm going back a few years but when I lived in Wales (1990-1994) I knew a few folk who spoke little or no English.
 
dinners said:
I'm going back a few years but when I lived in Wales (1990-1994) I knew a few folk who spoke little or no English.
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Theres certain parts of North Wales where as an english tourist - no-one seems to understand english and speak only welsh ;)
 
Im a southerner that moved to north Wales more than 20 years ago
I wouldn't go back down south now:)
Any letters or paperwork we get from local authorities etc are in Welsh and English and it does seem to be a waste of money but I understand that they are trying to preserve the Welsh language
To be honest everyone I know just speaks English
 
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wack61 said:
No good at at dancing ,I'd only let them down

Reading it back I am being a bit of an arse , sorry
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It's a good man who will admit he's made a mistake. Credit for that.

LCPete said:
Im a southerner that moved to north Wales more than 20 years ago
I wouldn't go back down south now:)
Any letters or paperwork we get from local authorities etc are in Welsh and English and it does seem to be a waste of money but I understand that they are trying to preserve the Welsh language
To be honest everyone I know just speaks English
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You just need to go to the right places. If I drive 15 miles on market day I would say that Welsh makes up 75 % of the conversation.
 
Eddzz!! said:
That's a rather ignorant view. There are entire families that live and work their entire lives in remote parts of the North/Mid-Wales countryside. They've only ever known or indeed needed to speak Welsh. Why would they choose to use English, even if they knew it (which they aren't required to)?
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This. Yes they do exist. Right outside the irritating little Cheshireite haven that is Abersoch you'll find locals who can barely string an English sentence together. I fail to see how some of you can't grasp that people in a country with a language of its own actually speak that language?
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
This. Yes they do exist. Right outside the irritating little Cheshireite haven that is Abersoch you'll find locals who can barely string an English sentence together. I fail to see how some of you can't grasp that people in a country with a language of its own actually speak that language?
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Yndw. Da iawn Alan.
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
This. Yes they do exist. Right outside the irritating little Cheshireite haven that is Abersoch you'll find locals who can barely string an English sentence together. I fail to see how some of you can't grasp that people in a country with a language of its own actually speak that language?
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Some of us grasp that concept entirely.
 
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