Lost in translation

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What I find more amusing is that the original request was in english for a welsh translation, so why send a holding reply in welsh. Shouldn't it be obvious that the originator can't speak/write welsh.!!
 
Quite right, it does confuse having two languages. So as Welsh is far from a dead language (it helps if facts are checked before writing) it makes sense to remove the English translations from all Welsh signs. After all how else would you know you have entered Wales.

Write the signs in a Language that 80% of the population cannot understand?

That is borderline genocide.
 
Amusing original post which as usual has descended into abuse. I wish that some people would think a little harder about things before committing them to the forum.

My late Grandad was welsh, he didn't speak the language but his parents did. I'm more than happy to have .000002p of my taxes go towards maintaining something of a cultural heritage. What a ridiculous thing to get ****y about.


Ade
 
Write the signs in a Language that 80% of the population cannot understand?

That is borderline genocide.

That bit was written with tongue in cheek for goodness sake.
 
I am Welsh and live in Wales, I don't speak a lot of Welsh myself but don't mind the bilingual signs and feel strongly that Welsh should survive as a language and a culture.

Being the only Welsh person in every team I have worked in I have endured all the jokes possible and have never failed to take them in the way that they were intended. Only last week did I take to the stage to make an important presentation to the sound of a workmate making sheep noises from the back of the room Baaa! No problem there it's meant in jest and taken in that way.

However, *** and ms500's comments do show their lack of experience and border on being racist. I wonder if they would have been left had they been refering to black people?

*** refers to us Welsh needing encouragement to speak English. How would he have liked to have been encouraged to speak German had WW2 not turned out the way it did?

ms500's comments about the taffs and jocks leaching off his tax is just laughable, the words of the 4th former on 2 halves of cider.
 
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Write the signs in a Language that 80% of the population cannot understand?

Has anyone looked at signs in England lately? You will notice that a lot are written in Latin - a dead language to many people - but one we still use amazingly!!

I'm off to Londinium later....
 
Google "what are the origins of the English language" then try Welsh.

If I remember rightly (in English lol), the English language is made up of more than 27 different 'bits' from all over Europe. I imagine this includes Welsh/Gaelic/ etc etc
 
I love the signs in Welsh/Gaelic. It really doesn't give me a problem. It just adds to the 'difference' when you drive further afield than your back yard.
 
A few years ago, Welsh was a dying language but now, when you go there (to the middle and northern areas, anyway) you will find Welsh spoken as a matter of course by many locals. I hear it being spoken in shops and pubs fluently - for many it is clearly their first language, not some "throwback" or antiquity.

It's their language. Why can't they have their roadsigns in their own language?

Being "PC" would be to put all the roadsigns throughout the border counties in Welsh, too; I'd kick off about that, but that is not what is happening here.

The real issue with Welsh roadsigns is why they sprinkle every gorgeous driving road with absurd numbers of "Slippery road surface" signs. This is a much more pressing issue.
 
It just seems so moronic to me. Britain is such a small country, why do we need so many different languages and factions? It's just another attempt at social engineering by the government.
 
It just seems so moronic to me. Britain is such a small country, why do we need so many different languages and factions? It's just another attempt at social engineering by the government.

The Welsh language was not NEEDED, it was invented by the Welsh just to annoy English drivers.:D
 
It just seems so moronic to me. Britain is such a small country, why do we need so many different languages and factions? It's just another attempt at social engineering by the government.


Its called culture (small c) and identity and makes the world a richer place to be in, something that is declining in this country and its nothing to do with the state, tax or opera.

Ade
 
Next thing we'll have is Polish road signs and before you know it we'll be driving on the 'wrong side of the road'!!!!
 
Next thing we'll have is Polish road signs and before you know it we'll be driving on the 'wrong side of the road'!!!!

Already happening in Crewe :D

Ade
 
And when we go to France, it's nice that they have the 'Drive on the right' signs in English.
Wouldn't be much use to a fair few drivers if they were in the native language.
 
Its called culture (small c) and identity and makes the world a richer place to be in, something that is declining in this country and its nothing to do with the state, tax or opera.

Ade

If 'culture' mattered to enough people then it wouldn't need the government to keep it alive.
 
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If 'culture' mattered to enough pople then it wouldn't need the government to keep it alive.

I thought you were ignoring my posts :) - but anyway the idea of government is they represent the voting public (ha ha!)

I have no idea who originally decided on dual language signage but I suspect it was a decision supported by some welsh people.

Eitherway, I'm happy for a bit of state intervention in this respect as at least it stops road signs stating sponsored by McSony et al. For the time being.

Ade
 
The Welsh language was not NEEDED, it was invented by the Welsh just to annoy English drivers.:D
You have confirmed my suspicions! I'm certain the Welsh, French, Spanish etc speak and write English until a tourist is in earshot then turn on the "local lingo" just to annoy and to give themselves a feeling of superiority! ;)
 
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However, *** and ms500's comments do show their lack of experience and border on being racist. I wonder if they would have been left had they been refering to black people?

Eh? Its not really racism, its a slang word. As for the comments re lack of experience you've never met either of us so aren't ideally placed to comment. As for your last sentance, you brought it up, not me.

*** refers to us Welsh needing encouragement to speak English. How would he have liked to have been encouraged to speak German had WW2 not turned out the way it did?

It would have been my tough luck I guess. Given my age I would have been born a German however and it really wouldn't have been a problem for me. IMHO your not Welsh, your British. I am British, not Scottish.

My comment was based on the FACT that Wales, like England, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom and that Language is English - if people don't like that then they should not live in Britain.

Welsh therefore in a modern context is a glorified dilect. Does that mean therefore that road signs in Aberdeenshire should be displayed in doric, and signs in Glasgow should have special "Glaswegian" phrases? Or parts of London which have very ethnically diverse populations have their road signs displayed in a multitude of languages.

ms500's comments about the taffs and jocks leaching off his tax is just laughable, the words of the 4th former on 2 halves of cider.

Well, I don't know how much tax he pays, but given the UK's economic conditions, there must be more pressing matters that sprucing up some road signs to cater for a language which is barely used. Therefore the words of someone more switched on with reality than you might think.
 

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