To wonder if I should have said more or less after this library incident?

[nowttodowithme]

My daughter is a fluent Welsh speaker. We live in Wales, in a town where there are a fair amount of Welsh speakers.

DD went to a storytelling/craft hour at the local library today. First session was in English, second was in Welsh. We chose the Welsh session and the lady doing it clearly loved what she was doing, she really got into character and the handful of children there were captivated by her.

The children's library is separate to main library and was, quite rightly so, open to children not listening to the story. Those that were were in a corner.

I was stood watching with another mum, when a lady rudely walked over to the storyteller and actually said this 'can you talk quieter as the other kids in the library are not deaf and don't want to listen to you talking like that'!

I just stood there like a fish in sheer amazement. She then flounced over to by me and other mum and said to the other lady she was with 'I'd never send my kids to a Welsh school if that's how there going to sound' and made fun of the Welsh language.

She knew we could hear and I was really miffed and said I find that offensive.

She said she'd say what she liked and I said but other people can hear you and it's unpleasant.

She shrugged and flounced off. I'm still amazed hours later at her ignorance and rudeness. I'm wondering if I should have kept quiet or said more?

DD heard the rude lady and did ask why she'd said it but soon forgot about it. She also loved the session.

[QuestioningStuff]

I think you did completely the right thing. Her silence at the end probably means she realised she'd really shown herself up by being a twat. You didn't lower yourself to her level and kept your dignity and class. Well done.

[PotOfYoghurt]

How rude.

Personally I love the Welsh language. It always makes me cheerful!

[VivaLeBeaver]

She's lucky someone didn't report her for a race hate crime! I'm not saying they should have done.....but technically depending how much fun she's making then I guess she could ben guilty of one.

Take comfort in the fact she's rude and ignorant. And if she lives in Wales that attitude won't go down well. I used to live in Wales, can't speak much Welsh at all but I love hearing it.

[saintlyjimjams]

How incredibly rude! Not surprised you were open mouthed.

[Lolimax]

Very rude! A friend of mine went into Hay on Wye recently and asked in a book shop for the Welsh language section. She was directed to the 'minority languages'. In Wales fgs! Nice to see the Welsh Language Act has made such a difference grrrrrr. As long as your little girl enjoyed.

[muchhappierthesedays]

How rude. I love listening to people speaking Welsh and am jealous of that level of bilingualism!

[AboutTimeIChangedMyNameAgain]

What a fucking idiot (I'm not Welsh, although grew up on the border).

[BorderWrangler]

WTF It's like complaining about hearing Spanish in a Spanish library!

It takes a special kind of ignorance to look down on an entire language!

[DieDeutschLehrerin]

Some people are just very, very stupid and usually utterly convinced they are right. I try not to expend too much mental effort on it these days as I have wasted too much worrying about it in the past. I think you did exactly the right thing and am glad you stood up to her. She is obviously living in the wrong place. I remember being told by a fellow fresher when I started uni that I was so lucky not to have a Welsh accent as it was "horrible" and sounded "common and ignorant". I've always been rather gutted that my accent is so soft as to be non existant and I love it. I'm extremely proud of my heritage and background and now I live in England most people are enthusiastic and complimentary. It's a shame she was so ignotant of how ridiculous she sounded. Well done you.

[stayanotherday]

Ast hiliol. Well done OP. Was she Anne Robinson?!

[nowttodowithme]

I don't speak Welsh but I'm so proud of DD as she's just going into YR4 and can read and write both languages.

I'm just shocked that people still think like that.

[Wolfiefan]

She's off her rocker! Welsh is an amazing language. We live in England now so I rarely get to hear it.
Welsh language spoken in Wales shocker! Where's the obligatory Daily Fail said face?!

[Wolfiefan]

Sad face. FFS. I can't handle one sodding language!

[MissShunImpossible]

probably she was feeling inferior. Good for you and your DD. You didn't sink to her level. She'll get her comeuppance (if there's any justice!)

[TiggieBoo]

She's just plain stupid, that's all. Too stupid to realise that she is stupid, unfortunately.

[tomatodizzymum]

What a weirdo. Perhaps she's one of those people whose lift doesn't make it all the way to the top floor!

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Did she work there or was she just a randomer.
If she walked away mocking a Pakistani or African accent. Everyone would have been calling this racism and quite right, too.

[stayanotherday]

Daily fail lol! I agree, I struggle as well sometimes!

[nowttodowithme]

She was with her grandson and one of those people who like to loud parent.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

She was with her grandson.
What a great role model she is for him

[Anotheronebitthedust]

What a strange woman! I don't think you should have done any more at the time, otherwise you would have sunk to her level if you started arguing in the middle of the session. It might be worth sending a quick email/facebook or whatever they use to the library though saying how much your daughter liked it and how good the storyteller was as the incident might have been a bit offputting for her. You could also say how glad you are that they do the sessions in both languages and that you hope they continue to do so, so they know they are supported by the community and not influenced by one muppet!

[cocobean2805]

DSS is fluent Welsh. DH can speak pigeon Welsh, and I can say 'hello' and 'I love you' but I'm English so can be forgiven. Welsh is an awesome language. She was a knob...or Mochyn!!

[Salarynamechange]

What an ignorant lady. How great for your dd that you're encouraging her in both languages. It's fab to be bilingual.

[Wolfiefan]

Maybe she was having a bad day and needed a cwtch?

[SmillasSenseOfSnow]

Sounds like someone who might have a giant chip on her shoulder about fluency in other languages as a whole. What a knob. Hope she got a U in her French O level (...or whatever a U would have been in O levels) and feels woefully inadequate forever more.