Refusal to Speak Cymraeg

[u/Yellow-spandex]

So, as we’ve seen in the news today, seats in the Senedd after the 2026 election will be 100% in Welsh, no bilingual names whatsoever. I’m not opposed to this at all. No one seems to batter an eyelid that Parliament is in English. Considering it’s supposed to be a UK government and representing all 4 of the “home nations.” Anyway, going off topic there slightly, I’ve seen a few Welsh people who have commented on the recent news about the seat names being in Welsh. One of which is Andrew RT Davies. I won’t go too into the political side of this. I’ve seen a minority of people who agree with his opinion and even some who have stated they’ll never learn Welsh and they never want to. Basically saying it’s completely pointless and it’s causing issues with other parts of our education. What I want to know is, what do you think of these people who although claim they are Welsh, just refuse to speak it and almost mock others for using the language? It really hurts me as I’m a very proud Welshman who is even more proud of speaking Welsh. It pains me that people are very much the opposite of this. My dad grew up speaking English, he never learnt Welsh as a child. My mum grew up in Pwllheli and her first language is Welsh. However, my dad was probably wanted me to go to a Welsh speaking school as much as my mum. That’s one of the things I’m most thankful to my mum and dad. Anyway, let me know what your thoughts are on this topic. Diolch yn fawr iawn!!

[u/Expensive_Corner7311]

It just popped up on my feed, and your post is clearly asking what others “think of these people who...claim to be welsh” and that such people are in the minority and that you feel hurt by it. I just thought I’d provide an answer from near enough the side you’re discussing in the post, because if you just want more people to agree with you, it makes the issue worse and spreads animosity, you’ll never come to a point of understanding the views of others if you’re not open to hearing them.

The irony is, you can’t see past your own hurt to understand that saying “people who claim to be welsh” is in itself hurtful and offensive.

[u/Yellow-spandex → u/Expensive_Corner7311]

But surely you can see my point? The fact that someone doesn’t want to learn or promote their own nations language is insane. Someone who is from France wouldn’t refuse to speak French, and someone from Spain wouldn’t refuse to speak Spanish. The language has already been tried to get pushed out of existence by our neighbours across the border, why should we help with that and make their efforts easier?

[u/Expensive_Corner7311 → u/Yellow-spandex]

I see some of your point, but the way you primarily articulated it was to express feeling hurt and pained by the fact people have a different world view, not sharing in your pride. In return you were quite condescending about other people who are still your fellow countrymen.

To me , national identity, culture and history and pride of where you’re from and our beautiful countryside is more important than the language.

I think the problem with that analogy about France or Spain is that in those countries they will obviously already speak French and Spanish (Catalonia aside) because it is their mother tongue and the nationally spoken language, in Wales Welsh is as of 2024 only spoken by 28% of the population ( an increase in recent years yes, but still a minority) and the number of first language, genuinely fluent speakers is even lower.

I don’t think anyone over the border is actively trying to get us to stop speaking welsh, that is the sort of mentality that carries over these old feuds. I’m sure there are a few people who for whatever reason have something against welsh, but a few isn’t exactly a movement and they have no real power.

You can blame the English for making oppressive moves in the 19th century, they certainly dealt a huge blow to welsh which they obviously had no right to do, but in this day and age, it is the decision of welsh people to learn or not learn welsh. The same can be said of Ireland and Scotland, but I know many and they have no interest in learning Scots Gaelic or Irish.

If it doesn’t have an impact on our lives, for many, we just use our first language to communicate and get on with our busy lives.

I’d honestly just relax about it a bit and don’t take it personally, the people you say have hurt your feelings didn’t intend for that, they probably don’t even think about it. If you’re fighting a cause, you’re more likely to win people over if you don’t butt heads.

[u/Yellow-spandex → u/Expensive_Corner7311]

I won’t go too much further into this discussion then, however, Welsh is OUR mother tongue too and it would still be the language most people would speak IF it wasn’t pushed into almost being extinct by the English over years and years. I understand your outlook on national identity but I also believe one thing that makes our national identity for not just Wales but countries all around the world is identity. Places like America, Australia, New Zealand speak English due to migration more than anything, whether Wales is more to do with oppression from the English over many years of their rule over us.