Men in blazers

[Yogibear]

Really enjoyed this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKlxJuWw1NA
My Nain was Welsh speaking from Harlech, and told me about "Welsh not", she was hit with a cane for speaking Welsh in school, which i guess would have been 1890-1900, she died just short of her 100th birthday.

Anyone else have stories about that?

I remember when the national anthem was hummed at Cae Ras by a lot of people in the 1980's. Love the fact that Welsh language revival, has resulted in the Anthem and Yma o Hyd etc is now belted out!

I come from a Welsh speaking family and am gutted i am not fluent in Welsh, but I was that generation when it wasn't pushed and we moved away from the area, hence, I am in the dipyn bach gang.

How many fluent Welsh speakers on here?

[Rob Edwards]

Iaith gyntaf.First language Welsh speaker.

[The Only Way Is Up]

My first language is Welsh, and English was only spoken at home when we had non Welsh-speaking visitors on quite rare occasions. I went to "Yr Ysgol Gymraeg" which was on Park Avenue, then to Grove Park where I had to study in English for the first time.

Family and friends always called our ground Y Cae Ras, but even so most of the cheering was in English.

My mum was born in 1925, and the Welsh Not was still used at her school, a fact that she resented throughout her life.

Though I have been away from Wales for 11 years, I still speak in Welsh to family there, and to some Welsh friends here in Thailand. Since the publicity that the club has gained in the recent past, I'm often asked about the Wrecsam shirts I wear by people who might have scorned that a few years ago, but now show genuine interest in the club's progress as well as the increased awareness of our language.

Byddai'n braf cael ysgrifennu hyn i gyd yng Nghymraeg, ond mae'n bwysig i'n cefnogwyr di-Gymraeg ddeallt na'd yw'r iaith yn marw ac y bydd enwogrwydd y clwb yn cadarnhau cryfder ein iaith am y dyfodol.

[PG7]

Originally Posted by The Only Way Is Up

My first language is Welsh, and English was only spoken at home when we had non Welsh-speaking visitors on quite rare occasions. I went to "Yr Ysgol Gymraeg" which was on Park Avenue, then to Grove Park where I had to study in English for the first time.

Family and friends always called our ground Y Cae Ras, but even so most of the cheering was in English.

My mum was born in 1925, and the Welsh Not was still used at her school, a fact that she resented throughout her life.

Though I have been away from Wales for 11 years, I still speak in Welsh to family there, and to some Welsh friends here in Thailand. Since the publicity that the club has gained in the recent past, I'm often asked about the Wrecsam shirts I wear by people who might have scorned that a few years ago, but now show genuine interest in the club's progress as well as the increased awareness of our language.

Byddai'n braf cael ysgrifennu hyn i gyd yng Nghymraeg, ond mae'n bwysig i'n cefnogwyr di-Gymraeg ddeallt na'd yw'r iaith yn marw ac y bydd enwogrwydd y clwb yn cadarnhau cryfder ein iaith am y dyfodol.

Amazing. Don't tell Mr Kippling

[BloodRed]

Three of my grandparents were first language Welsh speakers and always preferred speaking Welsh. My Dad couldn’t speak English until he went to school in Denbigh. At secondary school he has said he got into trouble for speaking Welsh. I’ve tried to learn it and went to a night school in it run by a Welsh speaking Uni lecturer (for free) in Cambridge with my mate Anglian Red.

Personally I love hearing Welsh spoken and announcements in Welsh at our games for all these reasons. I’m not remotely fluent but the language is a real source of pride and what sets us apart from other clubs.

[Haruki]

Is the number of Welsh speakers on this thread dawning on Mr Kipling yet? The language isn't as minority as he seems to think. The fan base is made up of lots of first language speakers, lots who did or are attending Welsh language schools. lots of learners such as myself and lots who appreciate the history and culture of the language.

[ActonRed]

My mum’s first language was Welsh until about seven, coming from Holyhead, now she doesn’t speak a word of it. My wife has been learning Welsh for about five years now and is really good at it. Think she’s only doing it to put me to shame. Her first language is Polish but the grammar has similarities, as does many of the words. Llew is Welsh for lion, Lew is Polish for lion.

Btw, loving Men In Blazers!

[Glyn Army]

Fortunate to have been raised in a first language home in a rural area where virtually everyone spoke Welsh-much different there now unfortunately. I made sure both my lads spoke Welsh and hope instilled a sense of pride in their language and culture. I know many non Welsh speakers who do not speak the language due to a variety of reasons but who fully support it and believe it to be extremely important to the Welsh identity. Lastly, I do not believe myself to Be more “Welsh “ than none Welsh speakers, but that does not stop me from being proud and passionate about yr iaith Gymraeg. I love hearing Welsh used by the announcers and hearing Welsh around the Cae Râs of which there is plenty, and I also love hearing Hên Wlad fy Nhadau/Yma o Hyd being sung as well. I’m sure all these detractors of YOH weren’t slating it when Dafydd Iwan was belting it out before the world cup qualifiers in Cardiff!

[TomWFC]

Iaith gyntaf i minnau hefyd.

Great to read posts with such pride towards our language.