…by way of conversing in Welsh with colleagues and business contacts while part of a company registered and based in England? By always offering a choice of either language I suppose it keeps me in the clear and away from a 21st Century ‘Welsh Not’. Does anyone have experience of using Welsh in a formal way in an ‘alien’ environment?
Why on earth do you think you would face a prison sentence?
Stu
I’m pretty sure there are MANY companies based in England whose business is conducted in a language other than English. If asked, it’s more natural and even respectful to do so in the other persons first language. Might even become a point of interest and discussion. You can but hope!
Language is ultimately about facilitating communication, and this is why so many companies in Europe use so much English in day to day correspondence. If your colleagues speak Welsh then I see no reason why you wouldn’t speak Welsh with them, to be honest. It’s the choice of any bilingual group.
In my field (financial services) most, if not all, of our documentation actually says that all communications will be in English, which is disappointing.
Diolch, it is surely our responsiblity, as native Cymro ac Cymraes, to address everyone we meet - who we believe to be of the same cloth in Cymraeg? Face to face or electronically.