To think that people should respond to a greeting in the language of the country?

[Whitlandcarm]

I work in a place where we get lots of visitors popping in and out, part of my job is to say good morning/good afternoon as they enter.

The language of my workplace is Welsh. Every member of staff is fluent. The place in which I work is a place to learn about Wales.

I say "Bore da" with a smile, and get a "err hi" "morning.", or my fave, nothing.
Often with a face like I've just shit on their shoe. Perhaps sometimes even a hint of disgust.

AIBU unreasonable to expect people to answer me in Welsh? Then speak to me in English if they please afterwards?

Would you go to Spain and answer in English, if a shop keeper etc greeted you? Certainly not.

Even some Welsh seem to do this, but 99% of the time they are English.

Many Australians, Americans, Canadians, other Europeans put effort in and reply "bore da", "prynhawn da" etc.

The OP

To think that people should respond to a greeting in the language of the country

Depends if they know the greeting and the language?

I always used to say 'nos da' to my Welsh colleague when I left in the evening. Go me!

OP is there a large sign in your reception area with greetings in Welsh and their translations in English, Polish, French etc? If not then you can't expect everyone to know what you are saying or how to respond. If you want them to then get a large welcome sign right beside your desk (preferable- it is where they will need the information) or facing the door as people enter so they cant miss it.

I don't think the OP ever says the people are colleagues, she says "visitors" - so may be members of the public? It has never occurred to me to learn any Welsh for holidays in Wales.

I have no idea what that even means.
I've stayed in a few places and been abroad but i have never spoken anything but english.

anonymice Thanks for info.

Tricky I admit!
One 'problem' may be that few will know a suitable response to Bore da unless just saying it back is acceptable.
Through widespread telly viewing simple greetings in French, German and Spanish for example are easy to manage but with Welsh the 'next' comment is near impossible for many.
Maybe fly your flag a little OP and post a couple of suitable replies with pronunciation tips please!

I've stayed in a few places and been abroad but i have never spoken anything but english

Have you tried to learn any of the language?
Like hello, thanks, please?

I agree that a sign or even a big badge explaining with a sample answer would be helpful in conjunction with your greeting.

I don't think it's rude for people to answer in english if the response is appropriate (Hi or good morning, rather than What?!)

YANBU to greet people in Welsh and try to promote the language, but YABU to expect people to answer in Welsh, or to understand you when you speak Welsh.

It's not the same as going to Spain is it? Most people in Spain speak Spanish. But most people in Wales speak English. I just had a Google, only 19% of people in Wales can speak Welsh, and almost all of those will speak English as well.

My dad grew up in Wales, my grandmother was Welsh, I've been to Wales more times than I can remember.

If somebody said "Bore da" to me, in reply I'd say "Erm, hi?" As I have literally no idea what else to say.

maidofstars croeso !

As pointed out by PPs a lot of people won't know what you are saying or if it is correct to parrot it back. I'd be worried you'd start talking to me in Welsh if I managed to pull off the accent well enough anyway, that has happened to me in a shop in a small Welsh village. I do love the Welsh language though. If your business or organisation operates in Welsh then it does seem odd that your colleagues don't respond in Welsh (if they don't) but you might be expecting a bit much of random visitors.

Orlantina

For the record, I think that Bonjour without a Madame or Monsieur (Bonjour Madame / Bonjour Monsieur) attached sounds a bit rude, as I am sure you will know

I'd have no clue what it means. It's a bilingual country so being able to say "hello" in one of the languages is acceptable. I went to live in Belgium speaking fluent French but not a word of Flemish. I picked up a few basic words living there but I wouldn't expect visitors to know the basics of more than one native language (if any!).

as I am sure you will know

I wouldn't count on it....Does it depend on who's saying it?
So a shop owner would say 'Bonjour Madame" but isn't "Bonjour" like "Hello"?

I always say hello, thank you, goodbye in Polish in my local Polish shop.
If you said 'bore da' to me and I was in Wales then I would reply with 'bore da' as that is all the Welsh I have.

Is it the fact that you are being ignored that is bothering you more than the language?
Are we talking about random people or are you pissed off that your colleagues are rude?

I didn't know what bore da means so I'd have been a bit confused. Nonetheless, I agree. I'm in the Netherlands at the moment, where people are renowned for speaking English better than the Brits. I said Thank you in Dutch at the supermarket today and it went down well. I like learning new languages but I also think that it's disrespectful not to at least try.

For the record, I think that Bonjour without a Madame or Monsieur (Bonjour Madame / Bonjour Monsieur) attached sounds a bit rude, as I am sure you will know

Really? I live in France and that's news to me.

I'd enjoy saying "bore da" (it's the only Welsh I know aside from happy birthday, microwave and motorway services), but I'd be afraid that if I responded in Welsh you might presume I was a Welsh speaker and continue in Welsh which if find uncomfortable.

I always learn at least a bit of the language of the country I'm visiting. I see it as basic manners and if I'm being honest there is a colonial arrogance in presuming that 'Johnny Foreigner' will speak English.

Err, whoever it was who says everyone who lives in Wales will know what it means as they'll have been taught it in school is incorrect. Do you think everyone who lives in Wales was schooled there? Clearly that's nonsense.OP, I think you are bring unreasonable as do my Welsh relations. We all think you could greet people using both the Welsh and the English. It's not rocket science.

Would you go to Spain and answer in English, if a shop keeper etc greeted you? Certainly not.

Given the multitude of reviews on trip advisor from english people moaning that the locals don't speak english/speak in their hone language ... it's certainly (mostly) yes.

I wouldn't know how to respond in Welsh, so I'd reply in English, although with a smile. I've just returned from a holiday in Wales and I did in fact spend some time perusing the Welsh dictionary, but I'd not have the confidence in my pronunciation skills even if I could recall the appropriate response. I would be concerned that my unintentional mangling of the language would be taken as an insult.

I do speak another language besides English, so am not entirely clueless about language learning, but Welsh is not one I've had the reason or opportunity to pick up. As I would imagine is the case for most people outside of Wales.

There are two languages in Wales, English and Welsh so I don't see the problem.

YABU. I wouldn't know what you'd said so I'd side-eye you and move away swiftly.