I am currently creating a new website designed to a) encourage those with less confidence to actually go out and use their Welsh in shops/bars/etc AND b) encourage businesses to feel confident and happy to use a basic level of Welsh to serve customers when they would normally default to English.
A) I’ve already got some quotes from friends to use on the website, but I’m looking to add some more all over the website - basically quotes from people that businesses will see and will hopefully encourage them that using Welsh would be a benefit for them.
A quote from one of my friends here, will give you an idea of what I’m looking for is:
“Welsh is my first language and I feel far more comfortable using it in shops and pubs. I always feel disappointed when I have to drop back to English in order to get my message over. Although I can speak English fluently, I do not feel anywhere near as confident using it” James, Machynlleth.
I am looking for those kind of quotes. Surnames won’t be used - so don’t worry there, and if you are worried - I’ll happily use a different name for you.
Learners for example can comment on why you may prefer to use stores that provide services through Welsh etc.
B) I’m hoping to set this website live in some form over the next few days. I’m working with a Wordpress theme (time constraints), so I am limited in terms of what I can move about - but I would like to get a couple of people to have a decent look around before it goes live - as a “final set of eyes” just to test browsability, user experience etc. I.E Does it look good to you? Does everything seem “to work” for you? Am I missing anything that would be blatently obvious to someone else?
Any help will be credited and massively appreciated and you will go on my list of “People to buy a pint/coffee/Mars Bar” for.
In the mean time- Feel free to us this, or keep it in your back pocket for future use. Byddai’n setlo am Mars Bar Fun Size
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I’m a relatively new learner, but I have a basic living ability to use Welsh in a controlled way. It is such an encouragement to me when I find someone, perhaps a 1st language speaker or fellow learner, with whom I can use my Welsh in real life conversations.
Don’t know if this is relative Nicky, but I would love business’s who are happy to conduct customer transactions through the medium of welsh, to specifically highlight the fact that they welcome the opportunity to help welsh learners perform their transactions in welsh also. It would be a great confidence booster.
It would be helpful also if us learners had the confidence to wear our ‘dysgu cymraeg’ badges at all times. This would help both parties. Imagine going into an establishment and being offered the opportunity to conduct your affairs in welsh due to mutual advertising and respect.
This is great. Hopefully this is something I am trying to achieve with this website. There’s a few different types of people and companies I’m trying to hit with this website:
Companies who don’t speak Welsh
Just showing them they don’t actually need to know a ton of stuff in order to provide a basic service in Welsh.
Learners who don’t yet feel comfortable enough.
Giving them that little push to get the courage to go into their local Welsh shop.
People who know no Welsh at all.
Giving them a bit of a taster of the language to encourage them to go and do something like SSIW.
Fluent Welsh speakers who don’t use their Welsh that much.
Giving them a bit of encouragement to actually go into shops and almost demand it.
Would I be okay to use most of your first paragraph, and most of your second paragraph as to two separate quotes on my site?
Also, if I do - what town do you want to be listed under?
I always choose to shop somewhere I know I can use Welsh - and failing that, I will always choose places where staff have been friendly about using Welsh, and tried the occasional ‘diolch’ and ‘bore da’. On the rare occasions when I get a rude response to speaking Welsh, I never go back.
Aran, Carmel
I’m not sure about a quote, as such, but I’d be more confident speaking Welsh (or attempting to!) on my forrays across Dau Bridge Two if I could be certain that the person the other side of the counter spoke Welsh. Something to let learners know that their attempts are both welcome and won’t fall on deaf ears (so to speak) would be wonderful. If I knew for sure that the woman at Chozen Noodles in the Gwasanaethau Magwyr spoke Welsh, I’d definitely try ordering “iâr panang a nwdls” instead of bottling out.
A pretty wide range, over the years - it’s something that most people who try to lead their lives through the medium of Welsh have to develop a fairly thick skin about - but not the kind of thing I tend to focus on here on the forum, where we try to keep it as positive as possible at all times…
Thanks to all who have either contributed, or expressed an interest in “kicking the tyres” as it were.
I’ve got a domain name, and you can always tell something is going to be serious when you commit to a domain name!! Hopefully will be something for people to see before Wednesday or so.
I’m currently sitting firmly on my hands but I do feel the urge to volunteer as a proofreader, if I have some spare time when that’s needed. Very exciting project!
I am on the 6mws course but live in Somerset so get no chance to speak Welsh in shops and such. I much prefer using Wild Welsh than practice sentences/hangouts so this looks a great idea to me. Today I booked tickets for the Bryn Terfel concert In August and whilst I was not able to conduct all of it in Welsh , I tried some out and it was great.
I would like to see a visible sign in the shop/business and in any advertising they may do, that makes people aware that the person who serves you will speak to you in Cymraeg and assist and show empathy to learners. Perhaps a bit like the ‘ear’ sign for people who are hard of hearing.
Menus could be written in Welsh (with explanation in English) and perhaps phonetic wording to assist non Welsh speakers with ordering and encourage interest in the language.
I’m backing you up on this one, Glynis! I am struggling to get a clear idea of Nicky’s proposal as yet, but I think he’s on the money about the “gap in the encouragement and incentive market”.
I live in Brum, theoretically a place packed with people from the Welsh, Irish, and Commonwealth, EU, asylum-seeker diasporas. Yet they hide. In Church Stretton, Shropshire children from multilingual families would confess to me (dinner supervisor at secondary school) that they feared being exposed as anything other than English speakers at home.
I feel I want to wear a badge or T-shirt which advertises the fact that I like to shop/spend money where the needs of speakers/users of languages other than English are welcome, and where all are encouraged to share language smatterings or conduct whole conversations in sign language(s) or spoken languages without fear of aspersions cast, ostracisation or bullying.
Also: Multi-lingual families welcomed and understood… I hope Nicky can extend beyond Cymru borders to the territory of Prydain/UK/the whole North East Atlantic Archipelago. Broadcasters and print media/publicity writers and advertisers should be offering snippets of other languages in their adverts to counter current Anglophone monoglot isolationist mentalities at every opportunity. They have huge power for good or evil. Vorsprung durch Technik-style slogans don’t just sell cars but bring real joy and insight to the young and impressionable - encouragement in mastering smatterings and looking outward!
“Give your English a rest for five minutes” could be a slogan across the developed world!
I will add it in
but I do feel the urge to volunteer as a proofreader, if I have some spare time when that’s needed. Very exciting project!