Maintaining our culture

4:23pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in Letters

ONCE again, Jim Dyer conveniently dodges the issue and maintains that bilingualism in an officially bi lingual county is a waste of money.

He fails to acknowledge that quite apart from the delivery of the same rights to conduct daily business in one of the OFFICIAL languages of Wales being afforded to Welsh as English speakers, he is also ignoring the fact that it is also a maintenance of the unique culture of these lands. I am not too keen on Opera, but I accept that it would not survive without a contribution from my hard-earned taxes, and that is the price we ALL pay for ‘culture,’ something that Anglophiles with a chip on their shoulder should learn to accept! So in these times of “austerity,” is not the millions of pounds of Welsh tax payer’s money poured into a consistently loss-making Welsh National Opera also a “waste of money?” If so, then why aren’t people like Jim Dyer as vociferous in their opposition to the “waste of money” for these attempts to preserve “culture” and for a definite minority?

A Bond Tramway Close, Cwmbran

Comments(16)

Mervyn James says...
6:57pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Once he and others used welshies and language fascist terms in responses, time to end the discussion, that is nothing to do with bi-lingual rights, and it is personal. Jim and others have flatly refused to even appreciate the law on this, or, respect the rights of the welsh speaker/reader TO access. Like others fenced in and unable to take ANY other language user to task in the UK, Welsh are fair game, they bear the frustration of issues that occur far beyond their basic right. Much like Christianity and such, the welsh can be attacked, abused, ridiculed, have their rights challenged daily, but these people cannot take to task ANY other minority in the UK without ending up in court, perhaps the courts should protect our people's right as well as they protect the rights of others ? then all this would stop. If change is wanted there is the ballot box, I suspect 95% of those carping about bi-lingual access, never voted anyway.

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Llanmartinangel says...
10:31pm Thu 1 Nov 12

When was this vote on spending money at such a massive rate on the Welsh language? I must have been asleep. Who decided on the fictitious border between Wales and England? I doubt that many residents inside this arbitrary line could claim direct Welsh descent. As for the WNO, I'm not in favour of subsidising that either. Pretending you can preserve all culture at any cost, no matter how great in a world of finite resources is frankly bonkers.

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Mervyn James says...
10:56am Fri 2 Nov 12

If you were asleep when supporters of the welsh language were obviously not, too late to afterwards complain. According to history we live in England anyway, as the flag of 'Union' was never inclusive of Wales. IN reality over 600 years the 'borders' are still identifying we are welsh in Wales. You weren't in favour of the assembly, but the majority who voted, WERE. Personally I can claim welsh descent at least 350 years plus I know of. Grandparent was a welsh fluent speaker as well. You ask I deny my heritage ? I can use English almost on par with yours (!) that doesn't stop me respecting my cultural background or those still adhering and wanting to preserve it. The wider issue is respecting the right, that is the core problem you appear to not accept this right, despite no impositions on you.

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Llanmartinangel says...
2:11pm Fri 2 Nov 12

You skilfully (not) avoided that there never has been a vote on Welsh language provision. It was introduced through Ministerial and delegated legislation. Well leaving aside the imposition of the cost which I pay through taxes from money that I earn, I still don't get this 'equal access' thing. You may be able to coerce Eon, Currys and Tesco into providing a bilingual service for a minority but for which everyone pays, but in the vast majority of smaller business outlets I ever visit, your choice is English or Polish. Where do you stop? Do you insist that every bus driver in Newport speaks Welsh in case another speaker gets on and wants to buy his ticket in his preferred tongue? I think you'd have a severe shortage of buses, staff in Greggs, McDonalds etc. I've never denied the right of people to speak it and even accept that it be supported by tax where it is of benefit. What I object to, and so do other contributors on here, is the 'no amount is too much' brigade, even if that expenditure is worthless tokenism, e.g. compulsory teaching in schools to everyone, regardless of origin just because they live this side of Offa's Dyke.

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Mervyn James says...
4:57pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Access was won via an Welsh MP Gwynfor Evans who threatened to starve himself to death unless the welsh speaker got the access entitlement. Gwynfor also wrote HANES CYMRU probably the sole and valid book on welsh history, and the history of our country as children we were never given access to as English educationalists ignored it. I personally never insist on spoken welsh, nor spoken polish or anything else, but I can respect the right of those speakers who would prefer that,my view is better to encourage rather than insist, however, provision of bi-lingual 'bumpf' is NOT coercion it is simply a choice. As for other language users wanting the same, I think you will find a number of schools in Newport where English is rapidly becoming a second not a first language,and faith schools too, and supported by Westminster under Euro HR laws. I think at some point and if enough opposition is applied via politicians that bi-lingual posts may well only come via request, but obviously apart from a few dissenters here there is no groundswell of view to push for that. I read this week the BBC/S4C chair stating they will put English on the 'red button' for their programs if demand is there. They already provide an English text access,and have doe polish access as well. For all the criticisms the welsh output gets, it doing many firsts in Britain in terms of real access. Of course Pobol Y Cwm is the UK's second and longest running soap after Corrie too......

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james.dyer7@ntlworld.com says...
2:03am Sat 3 Nov 12

merv - I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS but there is no geting away from it, dual forms etc are a waste of money. Be honest, no -one in Gwent, or 90% of the rest of Wales conducts daily business in Welsh. It's fact.
Please don't compare Welsh speakers as some kind of martyrs. or decry the use of 'Welshies'. it is more a tribute than nastiness.
Don't be fooled about voting Merv. You are wrong on that too. I always vote and remember the Assembly turnout was low. Not exactly convincing.
You seem rather obsessed with the LAW as well. Having an opinion on language use does not come under it I'm afraid.

Mr Bond - Now turning to his points. He got it wrong in his letter by mixing up application forms and the final licences since when he has backtracked by raising other stuff, like the Welsh Opera. Am i wrong to think that most operas are sung in Italian and German? Where is the Welsh in that?

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Mervyn James says...
12:04pm Sat 3 Nov 12

NO welshies was derogatory in the context it was used here. As per voting the turn out was carp in Wales, yes the voting turn out was low, we must blame our fellows who prefer TV to voting, not moan at those who did turn out and so changed the Welsh focus, it just shows how voting can work in that respect.

However turnout in 'national' elections is hovering near 30% too, we have an coalition totally unelected there, at least the WA got there on the majority of those who did vote. Until we educate the voter and how important it is to vote, nothing will change and you and I will be debating the issues of rights of the people who never exercised it. Bascially my stance is they have none, they didn't vote, end of....

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james.dyer7@ntlworld.com says...
12:11pm Sat 3 Nov 12

merv - Good points but don't agree on Welshies. There is , of course, the right not to vote Merv. Voting as a topic is a whole new ballgame. We seem tyo have come a long way from bilingual forms - a waste of money. Even Bond is struggling and raising WNO!

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Owain Vaughan says...
12:14pm Mon 5 Nov 12

Jim - don't call Monmouthshire "Gwent". You're letting them win!

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james.dyer7@ntlworld.com says...
12:20pm Mon 5 Nov 12

Owain - shorter to write1

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Owain Vaughan says...
12:41pm Mon 5 Nov 12

"Mon" is shorter than that. NO EXCUSES! ;)

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james.dyer7@ntlworld.com says...
12:49pm Mon 5 Nov 12

Issa shakin' boss

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Mervyn James says...
8:18pm Mon 5 Nov 12

Owain Vaughan wrote:
Jim - don't call Monmouthshire "Gwent". You're letting them win!
Not gwent, Not Wales, what is it like to live in no-man's land Owain ? Perhaps we need a border down the middle of Monmouthshire....Wha
t we need is the UN to settle this issue.... I am in mind of the 'Mouse that roared' but that WAS funny......

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Mervyn James says...
8:23pm Mon 5 Nov 12

http$://$newportnewp
ortnewport$.$blogspo
t.$co$.uk/

don't like american money

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james.dyer7@ntlworld.com says...
11:51pm Mon 5 Nov 12

merv - ameri8can money ?

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Mervyn James says...
9:37am Tue 6 Nov 12

Take OUT The dollar signs :)

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