Ambitious Plans to Increase Welsh Speakers in Wrexham Backed by Councillors
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Posts
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Thanks Rob.
However, just by walking around town and listening to people speak, it becomes clear that Welsh is hardly ever heard when compared with other European languages.
Being a border town doesn’t help the Welsh cause but something does need to be done to promote Welsh as it is (possibly) the oldest European language still spoken today.
Diolch
I was at an event recently where only Welsh was spoken. Just because Welsh, out of politeness, is not spoken in front of linguistically challenged Welsh people, doesn’t mean that it isn’t spoken elsewhere. Try telling people in other countries that they mustn’t speak in their own language. I disagree in bilingual everything though. People should have a choice as to which language they choose to receive their bills. A database is easy enough to set up in any business for regular recipients of literature. Place & street signs should only be in Welsh. Informational safety signs should be in Welsh & English.
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FACT: Welsh is in fourth place behind English, Polish and Portuguese in the languages spoken in Wrexham.
That comment was made in a meeting by Cllr Hugh Jones and made headlines – but when checked it was not the case, https://www.wrexham.com/news/wrexham-data-clarity-english-welsh-spoken-first-then-polish-and-portuguese-103100.html
Last week he distanced himself from those comments as well https://www.wrexham.com/news/wrexham-council-ready-to-rise-to-challenge-increase-number-of-welsh-speakers-back-to-2001-levels-120435.html
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In the 2nd. article the words “prefer the carrot to the stick” describing how to increase Welsh speaker numbers leads me to think they have a “stick” available to them, I wonder what that is? Sounds sinister to me. Should a council member, let alone the lead member even be talking about a “stick” in this context?
Another thing, “they” are “encouraging” the council staff to have (in an nonthreatening way!) lunch with Welsh speakers, nonthreatening eh? well good on them. Totalitarian type measures again.
IMO.they are so far up themselves over the issue they can’t see where they are going wrong.[quote quote=120765]It would appear that the only real way to make a difference would be through schools with Welsh being cumpulsory with through bilingual education.[/quote]
Welsh was compulsory when I was at school. Unfortunately because I’ve not had the opportunity to use in the many years since then I’ve forgotten most of it (same with the other languages I learnt at school for that matter).
If people use the language on a day to day basis then it’s useful to teach it at school.[quote quote=120790]I was at an event recently where only Welsh was spoken. Just because Welsh, out of politeness, is not spoken in front of linguistically challenged Welsh people, doesn’t mean that it isn’t spoken elsewhere. Try telling people in other countries that they mustn’t speak in their own language. I disagree in bilingual everything though. People should have a choice as to which language they choose to receive their bills. A database is easy enough to set up in any business for regular recipients of literature. Place & street signs should only be in Welsh. Informational safety signs should be in Welsh & English.
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well said Zing.
One thing people seem to ignore is the fact that it is not just Wrexham that you need to consider. I have worked throughout Wales and it is first language for a lot more people than you may think. If you think that your kids will just work solely in Wxm or as many people who knock the language think, that their kids will be working all over Europe, then fine. You may not need it ( even though many in Wxm do speak it ). If your kids will go on to work in other places in North or South Wales then they will find that they hear it a lot. For some jobs the ability to speak Welsh is esential to the post, because the public speak it as a first language. Why fight it? We are in Wales and it has two official languages. Welsh and English. Why can’t people accept that?
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I was at an event recently where only Welsh was spoken. Just because Welsh, out of politeness, is not spoken in front of linguistically challenged Welsh people, doesn’t mean that it isn’t spoken elsewhere. Try telling people in other countries that they mustn’t speak in their own language. I disagree in bilingual everything though. People should have a choice as to which language they choose to receive their bills. A database is easy enough to set up in any business for regular recipients of literature. Place & street signs should only be in Welsh. Informational safety signs should be in Welsh & English.
well said Zing.
One thing people seem to ignore is the fact that it is not just Wrexham that you need to consider. I have worked throughout Wales and it is first language for a lot more people than you may think. If you think that your kids will just work solely in Wxm or as many people who knock the language think, that their kids will be working all over Europe, then fine. You may not need it ( even though many in Wxm do speak it ). If your kids will go on to work in other places in North or South Wales then they will find that they hear it a lot. For some jobs the ability to speak Welsh is esential to the post, because the public speak it as a first language. Why fight it? We are in Wales and it has two official languages. Welsh and English. Why can’t people accept that?
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Fine, if you can accept cuts to vital services when at the same time the council is spending 100’s of 1000’s of pounds on supporting a dying language a language might i add that can only be used in one country on earth and then only by a (relatively) small number of people. Why fight it? it’s dying.
If kids are going to be taught a second language please make it a useful one.Let’s be clear on this the council are being pushed Into a corner by the Welsh government they are forcing the Welsh language policy through ,if the council don’t comply the fines that would be imposed would be far greater than the cost of complying in an ideal world the Welsh language policy is a must but wouldn’t it be better to put on hold until finances improve and austerity is lifted
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