Working In Wales...

[melv16]

...this week. Are the natives revolting? ;-)

[Prudie]

I can't see anyone jumping out as arrogant and self regarding. I can assure you I was shouted at in the street in Gerlan to go home English (and I'm a quarter Welsh). Of course Wales is beautiful, of course most of the people are lovely but there's no point in pretending there isn't resentment towards the English by a few, especially those buying up property in N Wales.

[Jackdaw33]

A friend of mine told that many years ago, when he was stationed in Wales, he and his wife became very friendly with a neighbouring couple. One day his wife went into a shop and there was the neighbour's wife, who totally ignored her and spoke in Welsh to the shopkeeper. She later came round and apologised , explaining that she had only done so because English speakers were charged higher prices than the Welsh.

[237SJ]

It`s not total nonsense Ratter. I`m not sure how far north you live though - aren`t you in mid Wales? I have friends in South Wales and when I have visited them I have never been met with anything other than friendliness and hospitality. Same in the north but it takes a little bit longer to infiltrate (a bit like Devon and Cornwall - the locals are suspicious of outsiders)

[Togo]

Prudie up there in Gerlan they shout go home to everybody, just changing the last couple of words. They even tell the folk from Rhiwlas to go home. Haha.
If people come to Wales looking for a confrontation it is available for them. My advice is, be discreet until you are known. I holiday in Cornwall, have been to the Fens, Scotland, Yorkshire, and most of the major English cities and have had more animosity shown in all those places than anywhere in Wales.

[melv16]

I've been on holiday several times to Wales and have found the locals very friendly, as are most people when you are spending money to help the local economy. This time, I'm taking money and employment from them. I was wondering if I would encounter any hostility towards me.

[237SJ]

If you are nice to people, they will be nice to you back.

[Tilly2]

I'm sure you will cope, Melv. :-)

[Prudie]

With your sense of humour Melv I don't think you can go far wrong.

[melv16]

Having the face and size of an ex rugby player, I think I'll encounter some serious p... taking from the taffs:-(
BTW, I've sat in Welsh speaking pubs and while they babble along in their native tongue it is interspersed with swear words in English. Don't they have their own swear words?

[Svejk]

yeah, English this, English that. ;)

[DaisyNonna]

melv. my granny knew a few

[RATTER15]

I now live in Mid Wales but have travelled around south and north Wales, I have only just received the friendliest welcome, never an issue!

I know there used to be an issue in the 70s and 80s but that has long gone.

[Jackdaw33]

They have their own swear words but they are mostly borrowed from English, ffwcing being the most common.

[Togo]

Cachau bant, Cach, Penpidyn, Ast, Haliwr, Twllt Din, Pisho Bant, Ti'n Llawn Cachu. Makes me blush to try this.

[Togo]

Don't look daisy. If you can remember your granny I am sure she never said any of that.

[Jackdaw33]

I doubt many will understand those, apart from me, and I'm not even Wesh!

[DaisyNonna]

Er, no comment
Surprising when her father was a lay preacher
Primitive Methodist

[Baldric]

I've just checked, and I can't go to Wales (or Scotland) 'cause on the front cover of my Passport it says 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' no mention of the other two.
How lucky am I?

[Togo]

Nor me jackdaw . First thing I learned, Haha, stood me in good stead with the locals many moon ago. I can even swear better in Welsh than some of them now. ' She who must be obeyed' tells her mum of me, ( who is 86 and laughs at the thought) she is a marvellous old lady who dreams in Welsh and was raised on a smallholding in the hills above Ruthin. I swear that she is of Roman descent.

[Jackdaw33]

I was not familiar with the term Pen Dypyn but it is a direct translation from the English equivalent.