You're talking my language, boyo!
Post categories: Hot Topics
| 09:00 UK time, Friday, 6 October 2006
Wales has for a long time been fighting to protect its first language and still some people 'resist' because English is somehow regarded as easier. Is it enough these days just to be able to speak the Queen's English?
I raise the issue because the importance of our languages - as we are, indeed, a multi-linguistic society - struck me today. Just look at the range of issues raised by contributors:
I love Carl's poem, Shakespeare's 21st Century Sonnet, particularly the line, "I hath no mule to mount, but hath a myspace© account."
Mary has also been in touch to remember the old Buckley dialect with words such as 'slithering and slathing all over the opper', meaning slipping and sliding all over the place.
But don't get Geraint started. As I mentioned in a previous blog, he reckons too much money is spent on preserving the Welsh language.
You know, I heard a statistic recently that there are about 30 languages spoken in our schools in the region. There is a police officer learning Polish in Wrexham to be able to communicate effectively with the number of migrant workers. I've received emails from local council workers whose electronic signature message is in three languages.
It's a fascinating time, don't you agree?
