Welsh wedding invitation.

[Spikeyplant]

Just as it says in the title really.

My DH has a significantly younger relative who is getting married this summer. We have just received an invitation to the wedding, written entirely in Welsh. Neither DH or I speak Welsh and the bride and groom are well aware of this.

I am totally cool with somebody who grew up in a Welsh first language family wanting to celebrate their wedding in their language. However I can't help feeling it is a bit rude to send out invitations in a language many guests can't understand without even a short note in a mutually spoken language.

AIBU?

[Cessj]

RestlessTraveller YNBU to send out invites in English.

But I do suspect that your speakers will translate or have people who can interpret their various languages, otherwise the sentiments are likely to be lost on your guests who don't speak those languages.

I'm presuming that you and your groom are multilingual and will have no problem understanding Mandarin, Russia, French and Italian?

[JayneAusten]

NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PEOPLE IN WALES SPEAK WELSH!

No, only 19% of people in Wales speak Welsh and just 15% write/read it. So even in the country, the majority language by a long, long way is English. Writing to someone outside of Wales in Welsh is unbelievably knobby.

OP I think they probably meant it as a cute, novel gesture. You know what people are like when they're planning a wedding - they get so wrapped up in it that they forget about reality sometimes. They probably thought it was such a clever idea and that their guests would have 'lots of fun' deciphering it. I'd expect more 'Look everyone, we're WELSH!' statements on the day, and personally would avoid for that reason as I hate this type of wedding.

[PeaFaceMcgee]

Someone I know would totally do this in Cornish, for shits and giggles. She wouldn't mean offence but she's passionate about her heritage and would love everyone exploring the language.

[Spikeyplant]

Thanks honeyroar, couldn't have explained my thoughts about it better myself. (On an aside - are you me, Welsh Uni, years abroad etc).

Really appreciate the input from everyone else too. Always great to hear a range of opinions.

Off to bed now. Goodnight all.

[sadsquid]

I really think it's a bit of a stretch to take it as deliberately unwelcoming. Thoughtless at worst IMO.

[nothercupoftea]

I have never heard of a wedding invitation sent in a language the guest couldn't understand. It's so ridiculous, I would have thought they forgot to include the translation.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"If the invitation is Welsh only then I guess the ceremony, speeches, etc will be Welsh only."

Yes, which would be normal if the couple are Welsh speakers. If the invitation was bilingual, the OP would probably then complain that the ceremony was in Welsh, but that the bilingual nature of the invitation misled her into thinking it would be in both languages.

[FoundNeverland]

Tricycletops - you are missing the point so massively it is hilarious. That isn't the point. Most of us are talking about common courtesy!

If I had a friend who could only speak French, I would have sent a wedding invite in French. Similarly for any other language.

Nobody is 'horrified' that Welsh people speak Welsh in Britan. What an hysterical overreaction...

[TonyMacaroni]

They thought they would be all cute and clever by sending the invites out in Welsh.

That's bonkers.

Plus the previous poster didn't say EVERYONE in Wales speaks Welsh.

From reading the wedding threads on here im always astounded by people waiting to pounce on every single bloody thing looking for offence when none is intended.

Go, or don't go, but why get offended? It's their invites and their choice.

[QuodPeriitPeriit]

Some of you are easily offended.

I have a friend who lives in Wales who often sends messages in Welsh. I find it interesting, and a fun challenge to translate. I often Google translate my replies into Welsh for a laugh. Maybe your relatives thought people would take it in that spirit?

I find it a fascinating language and would love to hear it spoken (am in Australia so this is unlikely to happen).

[OvariesBeforeBrovaries]

No, only 19% of people in Wales speak Welsh and just 15% write/read it.

That doesn't contradict what the previous poster said. People in Wales do speak Welsh.

[dinosaurkisses]

ChaTea- I'm Protestant so not familiar with mass outside of what I've attended with my in laws. And we're not in the Gaeltacht, so it's much less common than services conducted through English.

But it means a lot to my in-laws so I head along anyway- it's an important part of their culture, just like I'm sure it is to the OP's cousin.

[RestlessTraveller]

No, I'm not being deliberately obtuse actually. When I think about it whilst I know all of them speak English to differing levels I don't actually know if they read English at all, particularly the couple who speak Mandarin.

And no, neither my groom or I are multi-lingual and there will be no translations provided in the day. If I was invited to one of their weddings I wouldn't expect an English invite or translations on the day.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"Most people will assume that a wedding in a country will be done in the language of that country, you don't need to make a point by sending something no one can read."

As you know, English is also spoken in Wales and I think that if the invitation was in English it could easily give the impression that the wedding would be in English.

[scottishdiem]

How do you know its a wedding invitation if its in welsh?

Also, since the OP has hinted at problems with her own wedding, she is now project.

Also, a number of people here seem to think that weddings are for their entertainment, comfort and enjoyment. They arent. Weddings are an invitation to share in an event. If you think its for you, please dont go.

Also, doing it in welsh is probably part of who they are as a couple. Again, this is about them and no-one else. Either accept that or dont but please dont forget you dont need to go.

Also, if you find this problematic, dont go. I mean, really. The sense of entitlement from the OP and others is staggering.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"I'd imagine that the majority of English people know that there are Welsh people who only speak Welsh on a day-to-day basis and for whom Welsh is a first language. "

No, honestly, lots don't. Quite a few people think it's just a school language.

[ineedmoreLemonPledge]

Isn't the usual response to these threads...

eu priodas, o'u dewis.....?

[Gwenhwyfar]

"NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PEOPLE IN WALES SPEAK WELSH!

No, only 19% of people in Wales speak Welsh"

What do you mean by 'no'? Are you trying to say that 19% of the people in Wales aren't people? It doesn't really matter whether it's 1% or 99%, presumably this couple speak Welsh and are having a Welsh-language wedding.

[SirVixofVixHall]

No, I wasn't aiming for "patronising". I am genuinely bemused that anyone would think it rude, to get your wedding invitations, of all things, printed in your own language. I agree with the pp who said that she would love to get something like that, the fun of translating it etc. I felt like that when I got an invitation from Sweden , in Swedish (!) to a Christening, it was lovely, and exciting, and interesting. The reason that the welsh people on this thread sound annoyed, is because we have had this all our lives. It is because English people who come here on holiday and then decide to use their London money to buy second homes, or to live the rural idyll, because "it is like Cornwall, only cheaper", rarely bother to even try and pronounce the place names properly. This does not happen, ime with people who buy a second home in France, or Tuscany, and delight in using authentic pronounciation for every sodding food item they bring home. I have heard english people who roll every gutteral sound possible into "croissant" or "chorizo" refuse to even attempt the welsh letter Ll . I honestly do not believe there would be some of the replies on this thread, had the Bride and Groom been from any other country. If I sounded patronising, surely that pales into insignificance compared with the many posters who are assuming someone would use their own language, for their wedding day "to be novel".

[TinDogTavern]

@jayneausten "writing to someone outside of Wales in Welsh is unbelievably knobby".

You know that there are Welsh speakers outside Wales don't you? And your 19% figure is for the whole of Wales, which is skewed by the fact that the densely populated South is - in the main - non-Welsh speaking, and does not reflect the reality of areas in West and North Wales where Welsh speakers are a significant majority (70%+) and as PP have said, it is very much the first language and the medium in which most day to day transactions take place.

How horribly sad that there are people on this thread who would bin a wedding invitation because they didn't approve of the B&Gs use of their first language.

[JayneAusten]

A minority of people in Wales speak it. And the ones that do, overwhelmingly also speak English.

I think it's rude and really attention seeking to send out wedding invitations in a language that it's highly likely the majority of your guests don't speak. It's absolutely NOTHING like living in France and sending out wedding invitations in French. 88% of people in France speak French as a first language. Over 97% of people in France speak French overall. Only 19% of the Welsh can speak it at all and even fewer can read or write in it. And even so, if a French person sent an invite to someone in England it would be courteous (not to mention practical and sensible, if they actually WANT them to know where/when to attend!) if they included a translation.

[FoundNeverland]

Really RestlessTraveller? So you'd expect if your Mandarin friends get married that they will send you an invite in Mandarin with no translation? I bet they don't!

And if you aren't sure they read English why wouldn't you translate the invite? Do you not think that would be a lovely gesture?

This whole issue is about courtesy and making people feel welcome in attending a wedding.

[Beeziekn33ze]

Just phone them - and cancel the cheque!
Is it North Wales Welsh or South Wales Welsh? It's those pesky mountains getting in the way which cause trouble!

[TinDogTavern]

Completely with you @sirvixofvixhall

[Gwenhwyfar]

Sorry, cross-posted with Ovaries.