Relocating to Welsh-speaking Wales

bertiewhite

I moved to Ceredigion 2 years ago through work and I haven't experienced any problems with language or unfriendliness whatsoever. In fact quite the opposite - I feel much more at home here than I ever did in North Yorkshire or Scotland. There is a rich mix of both Welsh & English speakers in my town and I have managed to pick up a few words but it hasn't been necessary.

The only thing I would say is that my wife found it very difficult to get a job because a lot of employers requested a basic working knowledge of Welsh.

3mph

Only 1/6th of the people in Wales speak Welsh and this is steadily declining despite enormous effort and cost by the Welsh Assembly.

In South Wales where I have lived for 40 years having come from London most seem to regard the Welsh Speaking North Wales as a foreign country.

I love it here but strongly object to the fact that my kids had to learn a language which is absolutely useless for them when they would have been far better equipped for life if they had been taught Spanish or Chinese from 4 years old.

The language has become a political football used for the benefit of politicians and not the people.

However the people and the countryside are great but like any rural communities take a long time to get into. When we moved my wife had just qualified as a midwife and went on the district so we, or rather she (me being just her husband) got accepted very quickly.

I guess less than 1 in 10 of all the people we know can speak Welsh other than some phrases picked up at school. Instead of wasting the money on a dying language I would invest it instead on trying to rebuild the valley communities.

moneyistooshorttomention

3mph wrote: »

Only 1/6th of the people in Wales speak Welsh and this is steadily declining despite enormous effort and cost by the Welsh Assembly.

In South Wales where I have lived for 40 years having come from London most seem to regard the Welsh Speaking North Wales as a foreign country.

I love it here but strongly object to the fact that my kids had to learn a language which is absolutely useless for them when they would have been far better equipped for life if they had been taught Spanish or Chinese from 4 years old.

The language has become a political football used for the benefit of politicians and not the people.

However the people and the countryside are great but like any rural communities take a long time to get into. When we moved my wife had just qualified as a midwife and went on the district so we, or rather she (me being just her husband) got accepted very quickly.

I guess less than 1 in 10 of all the people we know can speak Welsh other than some phrases picked up at school. Instead of wasting the money on a dying language I would invest it instead on trying to rebuild the valley communities.

Agreed:T

I think it's an age thing to some extent.

The young in many places have gone from English only schools to a Welsh stream being started to the English stream being abolished and thus the school has changed to Welsh only - but it was done gradually bit by bit:cool:

So - a really high proportion of schoolchildren are now getting taught in Welsh (whether they speak it or no of themselves). I regularly walk past a couple of schools that have been changed to Welsh only. I have yet to hear any of the children at all ever speak to each other in any language other than English. I think the children just think of it as "the school language" and "the language we all actually speak to each other in is English" as far as I can make out.

It's the norm for people to start a conversation with a stranger in English and, if they wish to speak Welsh, then enquire as to whether the other person speaks it before starting to do so. In my time here I recollect two people that started speaking to me in Welsh and one was an elderly hill-farmer by the look of him (I'm told some of them can't speak English) and I suspect the other was "doing it deliberately" (ie knew who I was and that I can't speak it and had decided to speak it at me anyway).

Most people are very polite and won't try and do so if they know (or suspect) you don't speak it. I can think of one exception and they are "known" for that.

stoozie1

I've lived in Wales happily for 20 years now.

If you make an effort to learn Welsh, then understandably Welsh speakers will be delighted and will assist you all they can, and it's a lovely springboard to friendship.

I think the only things which mean someone gets excluded (though culturally I don't think Welsh people typically do this) could possibly be a foisted Anglicisation on an area that shouldn't have to be Anglicised, because it is not English.

OP you sound a respectful person, and so I imagine you will be fine

OneYorkshireLass

If you do decide to move to Welsh Wales I highly recommend this:
https://www.saysomethingin.com/welsh

Silvertabby

Many years ago, myself, my mum, my sister and my gran went on a day trip to north Wales.

When we went into a shop, the assistants immediately switched to Welsh. My gran (the only Welsh speaker amongst us) let rip. She never did tell us what she said, but the shop assistants all went a glorious shade of red.

stoozie1

The above scenario has never happened to me, but if it did, I think I would just assume they were having a private conversation, so wait and place my order as appropriate?

Although I might greet them in Welsh so they'd know I spoke enough to possibly be able to translate.

stoozie1

With reference to earlier posts, I disagree that just because a non-welsh speaker is nearby that a Welsh person should address another Welsh person in English. I think it would be more normal and appropriate to expect them to use the language that their relationship is in, as that is what we generally do.

moneyistooshorttomention

It depends entirely on whether it's a "general" conversation that all are taking part in and/or should be able to take part in - in which case all should understand it. So meetings/informal group conversations/etc are obviously due to be in a common language if there's anyone there that doesn't understand both languages. I've had an instance before now of people talking to each other in my own home in a language I couldnt understand (and they knew it) and I've been kicking myself since about not interrupting and requesting they didn't do that to me - as it was so inappropriate within my own four walls.

Private conversations are down to personal choice (eg people walking past in the supermarket or street or chatting between themselves only whilst out socially).

Most people are polite and considerate - but there are the odd few people that aren't.

stoozie1

Ok. Well I don't agree. I think that if an English person moved to France and attended the monthly meeting of the church hall association that the meeting would be held in French.

I also think it's reasonable for people to speak in the language of their relationship to others even if those are around might not understand it, especially when people are in their own native language's country.

There's no right or entitlement that I know of to be able to understand what others are saying all the time, and I wouldn't expect anyone to jump through an inconvenient hoop just for my benefit, in case I wanted to know the topic of their chitchat.