General Chat

No good reason, John.
After their first experience, they did it in every pub, and only stayed when the locals carried on as normal, ie speaking Welsh or speaking English, not changing because 'foreigners' had walked in.

They were in various parts of Wales for a week - and being students, this involved quite a lot of pubs!

Oh - and the Welsh speaker was very embarrassed - and explained that this reaction and narrow mindedness was one of the reasons he wanted to leave Wales!

Many years ago we went to visit someone we knew who ran a pub in Winchcombe (Glos) had we not gone there to see this friend, we would have walked out...the locals just stopped talking and stared at us.

When we ran our own pub the customers could speak martian if they liked, as long as they bought a beer :-D

Maggtie. I would agree wholeheartedly with you. It sounds like their sole purpose was to keep their conversation private and stop the students from overhearing.

There may have been a good reason - but it sounds bad to me. The only time that has happened in my presence is when a group of us were talking about the football in English then started talking about the Eisteddfod. And we immediately changed to Welsh naturally. Not so easy to say in English when you are discussing the finer points of Welsh poetry. :-)

lot of it here in Anglesey Maggie.

its all rather silly really , it being a holiday place where locals need the holiday makers(mostly english) to holiday here and spend their money. :-D

Can't confuse you with anyone-you're in a league of your own John

When she was a student, my daughter went on a field trip to Wales.
At the end of one day, they went into a pub.

About 4 of the students went in, and spoke to each other in German. They noticed the 'locals' were speaking English.
The other 8 students walked in, speaking English.
The 'locals' immediately stopped talking, and proceeded to speak in Welsh!!!!

Umbeknownst to the locals, one of the students could speak Welsh - and what the locals said was very derogatory.

Now, bearing in mind the students were going to buy a drink and therefore give money to the landlord, thereby helping the pub stay open, this attitude was very negative, if not racist.

The student who spoke Welsh told them where they could stick their pints and they all walked out.

No doubt John would consider this 'English' racism, not ignorance on the part of a few Welsh morons - but it's something that isn't infrequent.

OH is Welsh and Welsh speaking, speaks to her Sis on the phone in Welsh. But in English when i'm around.

TBH not too bothered.

Like you say Suzanne it is a habbit.....I have got used to it now and to be honest he doesnt do it as much.......but at first It realy got me riled....I now ask the kids to tell me something in welsh....usually something funny LOL...

TheBlackKnight. Have no idea who you are confusing me with. You may not drink, but you sure as anything are turning me that way :-( :-(

I like your Welsh very much - but think it is not allowed like that in T & C. T & C dryslyd ;-)

my hubby does that Mersey when hes talking to his parents,its a habit when you are a welsh speaker,my hubby and children are fluent welsh speakers(2nd language for the children but fluent all the same) my hubby will not speak welsh while im in the rm,but sometimes forgets and will start off in welsh then change to english,if hes alone with his parents,siblings or friends he will speak welsh.

Our youngest daughter took 11 GCSE"s through the medium of welsh and her little girl age 2 speaks welsh and english and will go from one to the other depending on who shes speaking to.

:-D :-D

Fel y dywedais...
Pwy ydych chi'n meddwl efallai fy mod yn ddryslyd i chi, yna John?

Ac nid ydynt yn ei fod yn unrhyw un o'ch busnes-I ddim yn yfed alcohol.

Brenda. I agree that is bad manners. I have never seen that, but have always been able to say basic things and ask for things in Welsh.

I was thinking of them speaking Wenglish in the Rhondda. I used to feel out of it at first. They speak very fast and you get phrases like "Where are you working to, but?" thrown at you. And gooleys and backs that you walk through. Lovely book called "William Owen" (written in Welsh and translated into English. About a slate quarrier who moved from Caerns to be a coal miner in the Valleys in 1930's. Both areas Welsh speaking and culture and work very similar. Yet he nearly had to learn a new language in S Wales. Lovely book.

I have a brother in law who is Welsh....speaks fluent Welsh, but I have to say it used to get my goat when he was staying at my parents and when he was on the phone to his family he used to go from English into Welsh.....it literally made me cringe not that im nosey or ever wanted to listen in to the conversation but I used to find it so rude !!....I know this can happen in any language what so ever I just wanted to add to this thread as I on a serious note find it very interesting!!

By the way I adore my bro in law and he has taught my nephews the language and when they sing to me in Welsh it melts my heart even though I dont know what they are singing!! :-D :-D

When John is in a corner he does like to infer people have been drinking, he has done it before. :-D

John, please tell me that your last phrase to Ron wasn't suggesting he has been drinking, cos that's what I read into it.

He'd have trouble with all the meds he has to take to down a small sherry!

Brenda, it does still happen sadly in certain enclaves.

I wonder if he looks at the cash register in the rest of Europe to determine what he owes as a lot of those till minders will speak to him in neither English nor Welsh.

I'm adding again as I have experience as Suzanne does of having a conversation in English with a Welsh speaker as happened when I lived in a village near Blaenau Ffestiniog.This happened in a doctors surgery and as soon as another Welsh speaker came in and sat the other side of me talked in Welsh across me.

I found this very rude.I could understand if they had been having a chat in Welsh and I had come in after.There was no excuse us ..or thought that I felt an outsider.
It has also happened in shops.
I have lived in Spain and never had that happen...and didnt live in an English enclave but near Cadiz with all Spaniards.They tried to speak English and helped me to use correct tenses when I attempted to speak their native tongue.
I know a lot of Welsh phrases,can sing Land of my Fathers etc etc in Welsh.,but noticed that they didn't encourage you to speak Welsh by comparison with the Spanish who are so pleased when you attempt to hold a conversation.
I have no problem now as I live not far from where Johns family are buried and the predominant language is English and the Welsh neighbours and friends I have are not so biased..
I do understand their pride but the way they go about it is without a lot of humour!

Who do you think I might be confusing you with then John?

TheBlackKnight. Thankyou for the comments. Have not C and P'd on this thread - think you are getting me confused with someone else. Have not contradicted myself on any thread - ditto.

Sounds like a happy New Year for some?

Or even sillier :-D