3rd December 2013 - On being Welsh

I have now been living in Wales for 40 years, arriving in 1973 to attend Aberystwyth University.
I recall working in Newman's the Grocer's as van driver and storeman assistant, and finding this strange fact that the natives actually spoke a different language. Not much of a surprise for those in this country, and probably not nowadays with the intertweb and 24 hour television, and years of reporting of regional issues. But back in 1973, having been mainly raised in North west London, and attending fairly elite schools, the likelihood of finding a Welsh language being used was as surprising as finding a hidden cabal of native latin speakers..

This was naturally a challenge to Olwen and the staff at Newman's, and they took it on themselves to change my Standard Southern British Accent with a small plum in the mouth, into acceptable Welsh pronunciation.
And the way they chose? Well it was to learn that wonderfully long welsh word which few realise was actually a railway station name...

Daily, as the luke-warm tea was poured from the vacuum flask in the little back room, I would rehearse my current recitation as I made a daily advancement in Welsh Pronunciation, one syllable at a time, corrected at each stage.... Slowly, the word started to form into something that was apparently acceptable to the ears of the locals....

Finally, on a Wednesday morning, I remember because Tuesday was the trip to Birmingham in the lorry to collect the week's stock, I gave my final presentation.   Did I get applause and acclimation? Did I get an extra ginger biscuit or welsh Cake with my tea? Did I get a quiet affirmation of the work and effort over the past months?? No! I was told, with a smile, "Good. Dai Iawn. We call it Llanfair P.G.!!"

However, it stood me in good stead. Even up to the carol service yesterday where, though a challenge, the pronunciation was at least acceptable!!. Which brings me to some other thought on being Welsh - or at least residing in Wales..

This may seem a little extreme, as the language is fairly simplistic once you get around the way words change according to their usage, but at least it has rules which are fairly consistent - which is rather more than you say about the English Language.  It has proper letters - which is more than you can say of Russian, Greek or Hebrew. But it does have its little jokes to make life a little more difficult for the stranger.

The requirement for bi-linguality can have its problems of course. As in this case where the English version has obviously been passed down to the translation department who, being out of the office left the above notice - but being Welsh Speakers did it in their native language... Not being able to read the language causes a problem or two. One is reminded of the BBC Sign translator, who got bored and upset with the way she was being treated and managed to persuade many deaf viewers that her new stories were correct. I liked the stories of the radio-active zombies in the Japanese nuclear disaster. They should have been correct!"!  Rebecca Brooks (hacking scandal) for raping a monkey was a little more far fetched - and I am sure that no-one really thought David Cameron would ever be generous enough to allow teenagers to have everything free for a day !!!  

But back to translation - this is one of my favourites...

But some aspects of Welsh Social Life should never be mentioned or ridiculed - but it seems that there is one aspect of culture cymraeg that is universally expected.... though universally denied...

And so it is that after 40 years in the country, I can reflect upon that 40 years ...  and say  "Iechyd Da!"