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Thread: MP blasts ‘monkey language’ attack on Welsh

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    Default MP blasts ‘monkey language’ attack on Welsh

    I wonder if literary critics in the media would get away with saying the same thing about Arabic, Swahili, Urdu etc?

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    A PLAID Cymru MP has written angrily to the Home Secretary about a book review in a national newspaper that describes Welsh as an “appalling and moribund monkey language”.

    Jonathan Edwards, the MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, described comments made in the Daily Mail review by the Caerphilly-born writer Roger Lewis as “sick” and said they should not be tolerated.

    Mr Lewis’ article mocks Bred of Heaven, a book in which English author Jasper Rees seeks to rediscover his Welsh roots.

    The review says: “In his quest to call himself a Celt, our author does the maddest thing of all — he actually learns Welsh, by attending evening classes in London/Llundain and going on courses. I abhor the appalling and moribund monkey language myself, which hasn’t had a new noun since the Middle Ages.

    “[The] trouble with the Welsh language is that it isn’t a quaint custom revived or the relic of cultural niceties — it is foisted on people for political reasons.

    “Though I was born in Caerphilly and have, as it happens, not a drop of non-Welsh haemoglobin in my veins, I detest the way Wales has been turned into a foreign country, with a Welsh language radiostation, television channel, and dual-language road signs.

    “In fact, most Welsh families, in the south particularly, have been in Wales for only five minutes, having come from Scotland and Cornwall to work in the mines.

    “The Eisteddfod, where the bards look like the Ku Klux Klan in white wellies, is an ancient ceremony dating all the way back to 1880. Ye Warriors of Gwynedd they are not.”

    In his letter to Home Secretary Theresa May, Mr Edwards writes: “The article is a disgraceful slur on the people of Wales. It is deeply inflammatory as the representations I have received indicate. The article equates Welsh nationality with mental illness. It indicates that the only way to achieve social and economic progress is to move to England. That Wales has been turned into a ‘foreign country’ as a result of Welsh language equality legislation.

    “It describes our national tongue as a ‘moribund monkey language’. This is an abhorrent comment considering that Welsh is one of the oldest living European languages, and comes only a week after the National Eisteddfod was held in Wrexham, one of Europe’s largest cultural festivals. The article throughout resembles the sort of language often associated with fascists in a different context.

    “I’m sure you will agree with me that considering the events of recent weeks it is important that the UK Government and prosecuting authorities do everything in their power to clamp down on those irresponsible elements determined to undermine social cohesion. Following the comments of the Prime Minister during the recall of Parliament last week I would expect this matter to be treated with the utmost importance.

    “It is often said that hatred of the Welsh is the only remaining form of acceptable racism. Articles like this further that perception. I would be grateful if you could advise me what action can be taken to remove this sickness from society.”

    Mr Edwards has also referred the review to the police and the Press Complaints Commission.

    Jasper Rees, the author of the book reviewed in the Daily Mail, said: “He was very rude about the book but that concerns only me. He was incredibly rude about the Welsh language, the Welsh and Wales.

    “I’m p***ed off that my book has been driven into a pointless controversy. People like Roger Lewis and people in the media who make these statements are, in my view, utterly risible and should not be given a platform.

    “One knows for certain that if you substitute any other language or culture or ethnicity for Wales, Welshness or the Welsh, it would not get in the paper.

    “I hope that Jonathan Edwards has every success and I hope that he gets a reply. I hope that it is taken seriously by the Home Secretary and that something is somehow done about it, because these attacks on Welsh culture, as embodied by the Welsh language, cannot be allowed to go on. I find it gobsmacking that the Daily Mail would consider publishing such an inflammatory statement and regard it as free speech, which is apparently what they have said.”

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    In his quest to call himself a Celt, our author does the maddest thing of all — he actually learns Welsh, by attending evening classes in London/Llundain and going on courses. I abhor the appalling and moribund monkey language myself, which hasn’t had a new noun since the Middle Ages.
    What a truly disgusting thing to say! What does he recommend then, that the world just abandons it's languages in favour of those which are most widely spoken?!
    I suppose to the liberal left preserving British Isles cultures doesn't matter but if we were talking about saving a language in Africa somewhere it'd be totally different.

    the Caerphilly-born writer Roger Lewis
    He's Welsh-born and still has the gall to say such a thing! At first I wondered if he wasn't of Welsh ancestry since it wouldn't be surprising a foreigner saying this, but his surname can be Welsh:

    Recorded in over fifty different spellings from Lewis, Lois, Lowis and Loisi, to such as Ludovici, Lotze, Lohde, and Ludwikiewicz, throughout Europe this great and ancient name is generally accepted as being of pre 5th century Frankish origins.

    ...

    Confusingly in Wales, Lewis was also used as an anglicization of the Welsh name Llywelyn, from "llyw", leader, and "eilyn", likeness. Llewelyn ap-Madoc, alias Lewis Rede, was archdeacon of Brecon, Wales, in 1437.

    Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/lewis#ixzz1VHukUjeE
    “[The] trouble with the Welsh language is that it isn’t a quaint custom revived or the relic of cultural niceties — it is foisted on people for political reasons.

    “Though I was born in Caerphilly and have, as it happens, not a drop of non-Welsh haemoglobin in my veins, I detest the way Wales has been turned into a foreign country, with a Welsh language radiostation, television channel, and dual-language road signs.
    The language is an essential part of the Welsh culture. Foreign country?! What the hell does that mean?
    So now "Not English" means foreign in the British Isles now does it? Wales should model itself on the South of England and the Welsh people should pretend they're English should they?? All this because they don't conform to his strangely Anglophile view of what Britain should be!

    “In fact, most Welsh families, in the south particularly, have been in Wales for only five minutes, having come from Scotland and Cornwall to work in the mines.
    So what? If I went to live in Wales I'd still learn Welsh out of courtesy and respect.
    If a French person decides to live in Britain we don't expect them to continue speaking French to us, we expect them to talk to us in English.
    Just because English has been imposed and influenced onto Wales it doesn't mean that is all they should speak, it should be the second language not the first.
    If a Brit went to say Poland or somewhere random the natives would still expect the incomer to learn the language.

    The non-Welsh in the south are simply the descendants of immigrants and so should assimilate into the culture and largely have. Their children are learning Welsh in school, it's not like they're being told to suddenly speak Welsh overnight.

    I'am quit frankly appalled at this and shocked that a Welsh native can actually say it.

    “The Eisteddfod, where the bards look like the Ku Klux Klan in white wellies, is an ancient ceremony dating all the way back to 1880. Ye Warriors of Gwynedd they are not.”
    True, but it has it's basic elements further back than that. This would be written in the Daily Mail, it is rather Anglo-Centric. I suppose a few thousand readers in Wales and Scotland don't matter to them as much as a few million in England.
    There is no need for it though, being English or even English-nationalist like me doesn't mean you should hate or dislike the other nations. The same applies to Scottish nationalists and the English.

    It indicates that the only way to achieve social and economic progress is to move to England. That Wales has been turned into a ‘foreign country’ as a result of Welsh language equality legislation.
    Calling Wales foreign is error, it can't be foreign to him if he's a native. 'Welsh' itself basically meant 'Foreigners' to the Old English and still represent a different place, but Wales isn't totally alien and is still part of the UK.

    Also:

    "For the purposes of the English conflict of laws, every country in the world which is not part of England and Wales is a foreign country and its foreign laws. This means that not only totally foreign independent countries such as France or Russia... are foreign countries but also British Colonies such as the Falkland Islands. Moreover, the other parts of the United Kingdom – Scotland and Northern Ireland – are foreign countries for present purposes, as are the other British Islands, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey."
    England and Wales still applies in law I think, regardless of the Assembly.

    “It is often said that hatred of the Welsh is the only remaining form of acceptable racism. Articles like this further that perception. I would be grateful if you could advise me what action can be taken to remove this sickness from society.”
    Well to be honest most Welsh do have a victim complex, I see on many occasions racist rants against the English by Scots and Welsh and yet if the English say anything back the Welsh and Scots go into "poor victims" mode.
    If it's the English being attacked then it doesn't matter, because they're inherently evil!

    See my point? The inter-British racism is two-way, not just one-sided with England as the culprit.
    Inter-British racism is petty and makes those who perpetuate it look dim and moronic.

    I don't see what the bloke's problem is, if he hates Wales so much then why doesn't he go and live in England. No doubt he'd probably bitch about our nation too.
    Wales is a great country. it's culture is what sets it apart, where else could you find a ancient and fascinating culture, lots of unspoilt countryside, a low population density, nice mountains, stunning villages and all in one area? In England we have all of this but scattered around the country, Wales has perfection all in one neat package along much of Gwynedd and Cardigan Bay.

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    Some of the man's comments are quite pathetic and an insult to all peoples of Celtic heritage.

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    Celt? Briton!
    Drive out those saxon invaders with their filthy english language...

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    The Daily Mail like to make sniggery attacks on the wee countries and the culture. The best thing to do, is not to buy it or read it. Hopefully they'll stop selling the papers in Wales or here.

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    In his quest to call himself a Celt, our author does the maddest thing of all — he actually learns Welsh, by attending evening classes in London/Llundain and going on courses. I abhor the appalling and moribund monkey language myself, which hasn’t had a new noun since the Middle Ages.


    Quote Originally Posted by celtabria View Post
    What a truly disgusting thing to say! What does he recommend then, that the world just abandons it's languages in favour of those which are most widely spoken?!
    I suppose to the liberal left preserving British Isles cultures doesn't matter but if we were talking about saving a language in Africa somewhere it'd be totally different.
    When referring to a monkey language, they should address themselves to authentic monkey jabber before throwing mud at one of the old British languages.
    Last edited by Crossbow; 08-16-2011 at 10:31 PM.

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    I've always thought the Welsh language sounded amazing, and that's all I hear from people. Weird how some can call it a 'monkey language.' Although technically we are Monkeys, so I guess it is a monkey language.

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