I think this is an important petition (er, consultation, ahem).
High time for us to have a name that doesn’t need to add ‘for Wales’ to itself as though there’s something not normal about us… 
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“Nationalassemblyforwalesy McNationalassemblyforwales face” would seem to fit in with the trend for naming things these days.
Sorry.
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Sounds like it’s something imposed on us from outside rather than something from within. ‘Of Wales’ would be better if some kind of suffix is needed, wouldn’t it?
Not sure if your description ‘petition’ is 100% correct, BTW.
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if it were to be a Welsh word - and not also an English equivalent - there would not be a need for that. I am thinking Knesseth, Althing, most people know which countries these belong to.
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I’ve only skim-read the consultation document quickly, but it seems plain to me that the Assembly should have the power to change its name if it wants to, and “Parliament” (or “Senedd”) appears to give it the status it deserves, on a par with the Scottish and Westminster parliaments.
I don’t think people should feel negative about having the word(s) “Welsh” or “of Wales” (or the Welsh equivalent). Given that the parliament that most of us have been familiar with for most of our lives is the one in Westminster, it just seems common sense to me to distinguish the ones in Wales and Scotland from the one in London, on the grounds that it’s always better to avoid confusion and ambiguity wherever possible. However, the consultation document allows people to choose.
Wps, good point.
Slightly unfortunate phraseology there, Mike? Everyone’s feelings are valid…
Including mine of course …
But yes, everyone’s feelings are valid, and my phraseology obviously wasn’t perfect. Was tired ~(but not emotional ) when I wrote it.
I just don’t understand why anyone would have a negative feeling about attaching the name of the country to its own parliament. They could equally well feel proud of it.
Yes, of course including yours.
Not understanding is absolutely fine - that’s where we all start from, with everything.
Personally, I feel negative about it because it doesn’t seem normal to me - it’s not what I see happening in other countries - so it strikes me as something that normalises a perception of Wales as ‘not a proper country’. By contrast, the model of countries using their own language to name their government seems a) more interesting and b) more equal.
- The Scottish Parliament is so named and that is just fine with everyone up here. There has, as far as I know, been no move to add anything in Gaelic. But so few people speak it, maybe that’s not surprising.
- If is is not just Senedd - which I would think fine, everyone knows what it means (well, everyone in Wales does!) How about:- Welsh Senedd Cymru - no I don’t like it…Senedd I think.
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Or just Senedd Cymru - because anyone in Wales, whether Welsh speaking or not, has by now learned the meaning of the word Cymru.
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Do they all know how to pronounce it as well?
(I remember a vlog where someone talked about Pleid Cimrw, i.e. Plaid Cymru pronounced as if the vowels were English - but he was an American. The co-host made fun of him quite a bit. I don’t know whether she speaks Welsh though or whether it was just the remnants of school Welsh or just general knowledge that one absorbs from being in Wales.)
Similar to how Dáil Éireann and Taoiseach have become colloquial in both Irish and English, so Senedd wouldn’t seem to need Cymru added afterwards. It might still be useful, however, to have it described in English as the Welsh Parliament, to highlight its upgraded powers.
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This would be great if the media in Wales all used the word Senedd and the BBC in London were the only ones to use the term Welsh parliament. I think the BBC outside of Wales saying Welsh parliament would be fine, because that would be the way they would describe parliaments and assemblies in other countries - “the Australian paliament” etc. What I imagine would happen is that that BBC Wales would also say Welsh parliament, which would be wrong and BBC Cymru would continue to use Senedd. The other papers - Western Mail, Evening Post, Daily Post etc would probably all say Welsh parliament as well, so Senedd wouldn’t get into the general vernacular.
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Isn’t that what the consultation is about? I imagine that if Y Senedd referred to itself always as Y Senedd, in the long term, it will stick
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I’m pretty sure, although not certain, that “Senedd”, on its own, is used by Radio Cymru more than Senedd Cymru. The English language press, however, do not.
I also feel this way about Welsh language schools. I’d be keen to drop the word “Gymraeg” (mainly seen on schools in South East wales). Just Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf or Ysgol Gynradd Treganna.
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It would stick if the English language media in Wales adopted it, but not sure how or if that would happen. If the word paliament was out there as an English language alternative, then I’d be sure that, that would be used as the name in all the English language media and Senedd or Y Senedd would be known to only those who care to know about these sorts of things.
I would also like to see a place for a Tŷ Gwyn ar daf, named after the place where Hywel Dda drafted his laws of Wales. Maybe there could be a ceremonial type of residence or somewhere to meet and greet international visitors and theatrically sign off laws or make announcements close to the source of the Taff - not a grand White House, but a simple white cottage or something that reflects our heritage and maybe cited in Powys or somewhere to help move some of the focus away from Cardiff for a change.
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Hope you passed the Howel Dda idea on to the Consultation!
Thanks for the prompt - I just did it.
Journalists very often use press releases provided to them by the source of the news - if “Senedd” (or whatever term is decided upon) were to be used in the English-language press releases of the parliament of Wales, it would find its way into the newspapers by default
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