Most friendly / unfriendly Brits ? (1 Viewer)

[Bertie Bassett]

Most friendly - Northern England shop staff
Most unfriendly - Welsh shop staff for immediately talking Welsh as you walk in. Locals in Liverpool pubs are a close second.

Dave

As a welshman, boyo, I have to qualify that comment. In North Wales maybe, down by 'ere in my part you'll be lucky to meet shop staff who can speak English let alone Welsh.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Last time I was greeted in Welsh by someone trying to make a point, it was answered in French and a complete lack of comprehension, continuing in French for a few sentences until they decided to try English........... it worked, though probably did nothing for international diplomacy. Thank goodness he didn't speak French either.

 

[Bertie Bassett]

Last time I was greeted in Welsh by someone trying to make a point, it was answered in French and a complete lack of comprehension, continuing in French for a few sentences until they decided to try English........... it worked, though probably did nothing for international diplomacy. Thank goodness he didn't speak French either.

As a welshman the petty 'linguists' embarrass me a bit. Extract 'bi-lingual' from every road sign, piece of paper and so on in my country and the NHS in Wales could recruit and pay many thousands more medical staff.

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[kcy]

C&CC staff, especially if asked to do anything out of the norm, like open gates before 7 am to catch an early channel crossing. Had to rebook a later one, bless the channel tunnel staff.

 

[kcy]

I love Wales, spent two glorious summers in the 70s in abersoch, and the welch. The fact that I was born a Williams has nothing to do with it. Must go again some time

 

[bungy]

As a welshman the petty 'linguists' embarrass me a bit. Extract 'bi-lingual' from every road sign, piece of paper and so on in my country and the NHS in Wales could recruit and pay many thousands more medical staff.

Are you suggesting doing away with Welsh?

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[Chris]

I think some of this negativity about certain parts of Wales is a bit unfair, especially the suggestion that the locals switch to Welsh as soon as you walk in.

In North Wales in particular Welsh is widely spoken among the locals whether tourists are present or not.

Isn't it asking a bit much to ask them to speak English so that you can understand their private conversation?

In my experience ( as a non Welsh speaker) they have never failed to respond in English when asked a question in English.

 

[MicknPat]

During our two year tour of the USA & Canada we found BOTH the Americans & Canadians to be extreamly friendly and generous.

 

[old-mo]

Most "Friendly" ============== Life members....

Most "Unfriendly" ============ Them that wished they were life members...

Alright, Alright.... I was only joking.... but you see what I mean...

.

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[DuxDeluxe]

Does "extra special" mean that you are extra friendly? if so, then mine is a double, please

 

[teddybard]

at a guess...'the Welsh' will feature quite prominently in this....

As Friendly-- Generally they are a great bunch

 

[Daz n Tina]

me , if you block my drive

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[Tootles]

Welsh is a dead language anyway. In the words of the famous Welsh Bard Ifor Biggun, 'rydym yn gwneud y cyfan i fyny wrth fynd ymlaen'

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Welsh is a dead language anyway. In the words of the famous Welsh Bard Ifor Biggun, 'rydym yn gwneud y cyfan i fyny wrth fynd ymlaen'

It is about as dead as French is in Canada... in other words, used widely in some places and not so much in others and in some places, not at all. A live language, in other words....

 

[yodeli]

Personally I find the Cornish and Welsh to be fairly insular and a Glaswegian with a drink inside him can be a bit frisky but over all we are all the same the world over, even the French.

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[Tootles]

It is about as dead as French is in Canada... in other words, used widely in some places and not so much in others and in some places, not at all. A live language, in other words....

.............................That 'live' because 3.4 people speak it?? Or in actual fact....

The number of Welsh speakers overall has fallen from 582,000 in 2001 to 562,000 last year

As opposed to 1.77 million people who speak Irish.
Welsh is not spoken outside Wales, which surely makes it pretty insular??

 

[teddybard]

Vive les Frogs

 

[bungy]

Welsh is a dead language anyway. In the words of the famous Welsh Bard Ifor Biggun, 'rydym yn gwneud y cyfan i fyny wrth fynd ymlaen'

if you go on the use of the language within the English speaking world...then technically so is English, as its American English or regional variations of English that is predominately used....

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[bungy]

.............................That 'live' because 3.4 people speak it?? Or in actual fact....



As opposed to 1.77 million people who speak Irish.
Welsh is not spoken outside Wales, which surely makes it pretty insular??

really...are you sure about that...

 

[DuxDeluxe]

.............................That 'live' because 3.4 people speak it?? Or in actual fact....

Ever been to Quebec?

 

[Yorick]

.............................That 'live' because 3.4 people speak it?? Or in actual fact....



As opposed to 1.77 million people who speak Irish.
Welsh is not spoken outside Wales, which surely makes it pretty insular??

Yes it is. Patagonia or some such place.

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[Tootles]

really...are you sure about that...

What bit do you want to know if I'm sure about?? You missed the rest of the post out in your quote.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Welsh is not spoken outside Wales, which surely makes it pretty insular??

Tootles, that's a complete non-argument. It doesn't matter a jot whether it is spoken outside Wales or not. The fact is that it is spoken in parts of Wales as a routine part of daily life and therefore a live language

 

[bungy]

What bit do you want to know if I'm sure about?? You missed the rest of the post out in your quote.

quoting thing doesnt include other quotes...but it was the bit regarding 'Welsh not being spoken outside of Wales'...but alas..Yorick has got there now

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[Tootles]

if you go on the use of the language within the English speaking world...then technically so is English, as its American English or regional variations of English that is predominately used....

And so English is not English, even though all those who can understand it and speak it call it English? American English can be understood and replied too by English born peeps, therefore it must be English??
Do international airline pilots speak Welsh?? They are taught English, and must use it. Around 375 MILLION people speak English throughout the world, far from being a dead language.

 

[Yorick]

I was surprised to see that more folk have Spanish as first language than English.

 

[Tootles]

I will concede that 10% of the 77000 people in Patagonia do speak Welsh.......Hardly earth shattering. However, lets get back to Wales. Hundreds of thousands of road signs, street signs, building names, police stations, all written in Welsh, television channels devoted to it, and yet only a small proportion of the Welsh speak it. ??????

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[Terry]

I thought this was going to be a good thread but it has disintegrated on the last 2 pages -back on topic us up here in Yorkshire are quite friendly along with Geordies and Scousers and Scots--A place picture is emerging here that basically is up north of Watford gap is fine
terry

 

[Chris]

The English are pretty daft you know whatever language they speak.

One of the signs that you often see on Motorways in Wales read "Gwasanaethau Services"

My dear English wife on one of our early visits to Wales commented " Oh Gwasanaethau Services I am sure we stopped here last time we came."

Bless her , she thought that was the name of that particular services such as Watford Gap rather than just a translation of Services.

We still laugh about it every time we are driving in Wales.

 

[Tootles]

The English are pretty daft you know whatever language they speak.

One of the signs that you often see on Motorways in Wales read "Gwasanaethau Services"

My dear English wife on one of our early visits to Wales commented " Oh Gwasanaethau Services I am sure we stopped here last time we came."

Bless her , she thought that was the name of that particular services such as Watford Gap rather than just a translation of Services.

We still laugh about it every time we are driving in Wales.

You have my very point in a nutshell, Chris.

Its like ringing 999 and asking for the Heddlu.........

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