to think that most welsh people should speak some welsh

[mumof2children]

i am no way fluent in welsh by know very basic welsh.

but sould more welsh people speak some welsh

BessieBoots - I am comfortable with my identity.

Firstley - as a Welsh person. I consider this my local heritage, and as I have already said, I am proud of the accomplishments we have made in our past.

Secondley - as Briitish citizen. As I have also said, we could not survive alone. As well as this, I am a proud of the history of the nation ok Great Britain as a whole, and think of this as our joint national heritage.

But, on an even larger scale, we are part of thumanity as a whole. Forgetting that the entire world has too, in this day and age, work together is is daft. If we forget that, tthen we are inciting border divisions further and we are encouraging racism.

domesticsluttery - Nationalism encourages people to think that they are different to other people due to entirely arbitrary borders, accidents of migration and decisions made by their parents. I can't see any positives to this at all.

Well the way I look at what is important to remember about my culture is if I spoke Welsh and I found out I was dying tomorrow what would I want my children (who are to young to remember) to be told by my partner.

Well firstly who I was and the things I did my traditions my funny little habits and customs. I consider what I speak to be of little importance compared with the person I am and the things I have done.

Therfore I am annoyed and hurt that my ancesters historical stories that made them who they were are not taught and their language is instead. My great grandfather line never stoped speaking Welsh but I ask myself would he want my son to be able to speak Welsh or have access to adequate hospital supplies in acceptable distance. My grandfather would put the funds from his language into hospitals rather than see children die because a ambulance could not get them to hospital in time.

it always comes down to children dying doesn't it

there should be something similar to Godwins Law for times like these.

I think Lauriefairycake was talking about Dolly Pentreath as being the last "Cornish speaker" who lived in the same vilage all her life. Well true, she was the last monoglot Cornish speaker (allegedly). She died in 1777! But she certainly wasn't the last Cornish speaker - there are moves for a revival but I think those Cornish who care really regret the way the language was allowed to die out. Bt it's certainly not taught in schools the way Welsh is, and having taught in both places I can say that with certainty.

Why does it bother the OP at all? I grew up in S Wales but had lots of Welsh speaking friends, their parents and grandparents, teachers etc and I would have loved to have spoken to them in Welsh. If I still lived there I would be in evening classes to learn as an adult. It certainly is not true that English universities discount A-Levels in Welsh as a second language - it shows you can learn a language and the qualification is as valid as any other second language. One of the things which allowed Welsh to stay as a living language is that the Bible was translated into Welsh which allowed the Welsh to read often the only book in the house in their own language, and church services were conducted in Welsh. It's a great shame the same didn't happen in Cornwall. It's also not true that Welsh kids don't learn about their culture and history in school - in the 80s, our school had eisteddfods and welsh history lessons (part of the WJEC requirements). This was an English speaking comp in a non-Welsh speaking area. I don't regret any of it, not for a minute. If I lived in Wales still I'd send my children to Welsh medium school because I believe being bilingual is a massive advantage for the brain's development.

A fairly unconnected, random bunch of thoughts.

And reading through, there are some obnoxious twats around today aren't there. Bloody hell

DuelingFanjo - This is because Godwins Law is a reference to the fact that any debate will eventually make a comparable reference to something that people feel very strongly about. In the late 80's (back when he made this observation), the whole Nazi thing was still a very strongly emotive subject.

Just like how these days hosptials closing is a very emotive subject, and this imeidately makes us think of our children dying as this is the biggest concern in all our lives (this is Mumsnet afterall).

And if seeing a Welsh school with a telescope, solar panels and its own water filtratation system when the A&E wing of your local hospital is about the close does not make you feel strongley against such a waste of money, then there is something wrong.

"And if seeing a Welsh school with a telescope, solar panels and its own water filtratation system when the A&E wing of your local hospital is about the close does not make you feel strongley against such a waste of money, then there is something wrong."

Why did you put "Welsh" into this sentence? Would these things be OK if it were an English school?

Because, as stated earlier in the thread, Welsh schools recieve more funding the English speaking schools.

Please justify this.

Where is your proof, please?

'Well, if you really think that having cultural identity equals racism,'

that would clearly be a silly claim wwouldn;ty it?

It's only racism if you use it as an excuse to treat other people as less worthy than your own culture.

Am wondering where you are rattus (also in SE Wales though my speciality is ASC)

Would anyone thinking we're all so much better off be happier to know that my kid's local school apparently ahs mould growing on the ceiling? Is that what it takes to make people happy now?

The uk doesn't have more than one language. the official language is english,- fact.

Huh?

Why does the official mean nothing else exists.

the official flower for Scotland is a thistle; am sure there's a rose up there somewhere!

In Somerset the kids did Country Dancing, learned local folklore, had a day off for Balck friday (RIP) and Fair Wednesday

All cultural stuff

But none of it official. Not official bank holidays or anything.

Anyway, unless language development has changed dramatically in the last few years it's better for kids to elarn a number of them; they're introducing Frencha s well as Welsh and English locally and I applaud it.

Sancty = ths school s being off today has gotten to you, you are on top form this evening!

You being sarcastic missus?

I know where you are y'know (well I can guess, walking up and down the high street with all your other colleagues )

Not all, your feistiness is impressive!

Have you seen Samule L JAckson yet? supposed to be in the Priory...

So you are claiming that S4C losing millions of pounds and the government having to pay to double side everything does not cost money?

Is he really?

Lucky him; they do nice Calamari! Dh is yelling jolly good chap from the kitchen LOL

Haven't seen Bruce Willis yet either mind.....

Or actually anyone much, it's dead here.

(May I suggest that when people direct questions they put posters names first otherwise A) it gets confusing, and B) it beocmes impossible to talk around the sidelines )

Notice how funding was given to welsh schools

Just want to point out that it is a complete myth that Welsh medium schools receive more funding than English medium. There's a helpful article here.

Basically funding varies wildly by local authority area - in some areas (10 out of 22) Welsh medium ed. costs more, in other areas (12 out of 22) English medium costs more. But in practice the variations are completely swamped by the variations by LA in the overall cost of education per pupil.

(I believe on average, funding per pupil is less in Wales than in England, regardless of language, and results better, but that is by the way.)

Completely separately, those of you who don't hate the Welsh language and anything to do with it, have you seen the film Separado? Its completely mad but very entertaining (and how often do you get to watch a film where the dialogue is a mix of Welsh, Spanish & English?)

notice how funding was given to three Welsh schools.

I've corrected that ^^ for you.

What a shocking waste of money