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Bannau Brycheiniog. Yes or no.?

(62 Posts)
MrsKen33 Fri 28-Apr-23 18:03:24

I live in S W Wales and the consensus around me is a firm yes. What do others think. Will you try or go with the PM and say no?

tanith Fri 28-Apr-23 18:11:27

Abosolutely Yes, I don’t understand what it’s got to do with Rishi.

Foxygloves Fri 28-Apr-23 18:16:29

No, no, no
The “connotations” of “beacon” seem to be entirely misrepresented. Nothing to do with carbon emissions!
I have no quarrel with using the Welsh version of the name as an option but do the environmentalists also wish to rename Beaconsfield, Minehead, Coalville.etc?
They do not see to understand the derivation of (Beacon” which comes from Old English bēacen, bēcen, bēcn “a sign, portent; a standard, banner; a signal, signal fire, signal hill or tower, watchtower; lighthouse.” )
The reason it was a fire long ago was, guess what, because they hadn’t invented LED bulbs hmm
It gets sillier by the day!

Blondiescot Fri 28-Apr-23 18:16:55

Makes perfect sense to me, so I'm a yes!

Wheniwasyourage Fri 28-Apr-23 18:19:43

I agree with Foxygloves that the reasons given are not sensible, but I also agree that a Welsh name for a place in Wales is a matter for the Welsh, and why shouldn't they decide to change it? Nothing to do with Rishi Sunak. I wonder if he has ever even been there... 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Casdon Fri 28-Apr-23 18:23:44

I live in mid Wales, within the national park. The publicity around the name change was a problem, nobody told local businesses so all the literature is out of date, and that is annoying people locally - typical high handed National Parks action.
Having said that, I think it’s good to revert to the Welsh name - I think it will take many years for it to be the first name people from outside Wales think of though, if they do at all.

LadyHonoriaDedlock Fri 28-Apr-23 18:35:06

Welsh name for Welsh mountains? Why ever not? Let's go for it.

Kim19 Fri 28-Apr-23 18:43:37

If I'm ever in that area I'll make an effort to get the pronunciation correct.

MrsKen33 Fri 28-Apr-23 18:51:22

W
wheniwas your age. Or even tried to say it !

Riverwalk Fri 28-Apr-23 19:00:06

A Welsh name for a Welsh national park sounds reasonable to me.

As for Sunak, if in Australia would he refer to Ayers Rock rather than Uluru, just to be awkward?

I heard the pronunciation and it sounds very straightforward for non-Welsh speakers!

M0nica Fri 28-Apr-23 19:18:40

I see no reason why the Welsh should not use the Welsh name and the English the English.

Lots of countries have different versions of a name for places
London - Londres (France) - Londra (Italian) The French call England Angleterre, the Germans talk of Grossbritannien.

It seems perfectly reasonable for the Welsh and English to use different names in different languages.

Callistemon21 Fri 28-Apr-23 19:31:54

It's just up the road so I expect it will remain as the Brecon Beacons for a long time even amongst older Welsh speakers.

We were discussing this the other day with a Welsh, Welsh-speaking friend and she was all for the name change but, like all place names in Wales, both will probably to be used.

Callistemon21 Fri 28-Apr-23 19:37:03

It's strange that posters think that everyone in Wales speaks Welsh and refers to the Welsh names for places.

Mostly, they don't. In some areas Welsh predominate.
The official languages are English and Welsh.

Less than 20% of people in Wales speak Welsh, that will probably increase in future as Welsh is compulsory up to GCSE level.

Callistemon21 Fri 28-Apr-23 19:41:28

Foxygloves

No, no, no
The “connotations” of “beacon” seem to be entirely misrepresented. Nothing to do with carbon emissions!
I have no quarrel with using the Welsh version of the name as an option but do the environmentalists also wish to rename Beaconsfield, Minehead, Coalville.etc?
They do not see to understand the derivation of (Beacon” which comes from Old English bēacen, bēcen, bēcn “a sign, portent; a standard, banner; a signal, signal fire, signal hill or tower, watchtower; lighthouse.” )
The reason it was a fire long ago was, guess what, because they hadn’t invented LED bulbs hmm
It gets sillier by the day!

Does anyone remember climbing up local hills or mountains to light beacons when it was The Queen's Silver Jubilee?

It was quite thrilling to see the next beacon along being lit but rather alarming climbing down a Dartmoor Tor in the dark!

Casdon Fri 28-Apr-23 19:42:46

Callistemon21

It's strange that posters think that everyone in Wales speaks Welsh and refers to the Welsh names for places.

Mostly, they don't. In some areas Welsh predominate.
The official languages are English and Welsh.

Less than 20% of people in Wales speak Welsh, that will probably increase in future as Welsh is compulsory up to GCSE level.

That’s very true, English is definitely the first language spoken in the national park, and some places are called by the Welsh name, eg Pen y Fan, others not, eg Brecon.

Callistemon21 Fri 28-Apr-23 19:45:38

Yes, we always call it Pen y Fan but the Sugar Loaf is always the Sugar Loaf! 🤔
Must get a grip of the Welsh language.

Our house has a Welsh name, I remember a neighbour years ago asking if we were Cornish as she thought it was Cornish.

Callistemon21 Fri 28-Apr-23 19:51:03

The reason it was a fire long ago was, guess what, because they hadn’t invented LED bulbs hmm
Beacons were lit on the highest point in a chain across the country to warn of enemy invasions,

Used before warning signals on mobile phones became the norm. 😀

Grandma70s Fri 28-Apr-23 19:55:59

I’ve known a number of people from North Wales who barely spoke English, but I suppose it was a while ago. I grew up in Wirral, so Wales was just across the river Dee. I once had a boyfriend who had spoken no English until he went to school. His family still spoke Welsh at home.

Casdon Fri 28-Apr-23 20:02:02

Grandma70s

I’ve known a number of people from North Wales who barely spoke English, but I suppose it was a while ago. I grew up in Wirral, so Wales was just across the river Dee. I once had a boyfriend who had spoken no English until he went to school. His family still spoke Welsh at home.

North Wales is still the bastion of Welsh speakers, with another stronghold in West Wales. Most of the Welsh speakers I know were either brought up there, or have parents who were, but it’s not been the first language in South Wales for centuries.

AGAA4 Fri 28-Apr-23 20:02:04

M0nica

I see no reason why the Welsh should not use the Welsh name and the English the English.

Lots of countries have different versions of a name for places
London - Londres (France) - Londra (Italian) The French call England Angleterre, the Germans talk of Grossbritannien.

It seems perfectly reasonable for the Welsh and English to use different names in different languages.

This sounds very sensible to me. Living in Wales I agree to the name change but I think most other nations will still use the old name and many Welsh people will too at least for a while.

Mollygo Fri 28-Apr-23 20:03:57

Our old house was called after the Welsh village Acrefair, because MIL lived there. I gave up trying to persuade people not to call it Acre fair.
Calling places in Wales by Welsh names-I don’t see why not. But don’t expect everyone to pronounce them correctly, and don’t smirk if they don’t.

Poppyred Fri 28-Apr-23 20:14:00

It was always Bannau Brycheiniog when I was in school. Brecon Beacons in English. Did we just forget the Welsh name??

Casdon Fri 28-Apr-23 20:21:26

Poppyred

It was always Bannau Brycheiniog when I was in school. Brecon Beacons in English. Did we just forget the Welsh name??

Well, we didn’t forget if we live here, it’s already on the signs etc. it’s just not what it’s commonly called by the locals, or by anybody else who isn’t a Welsh speaker. I think it will be harder to change than Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa because the majority of the locals speak English so are less invested. We’ll see.

NanaDana Fri 28-Apr-23 21:43:23

No problem with the Welsh preferring a Welsh name for a location in their own country, but to suggest that it's being done because "Beacon" is not eco-friendly as it's not carbon-neutral is just plain daft. I imagine that most for whom English is their first language will continue to refer to the Brecon Beacons anyway.

Meryleene Fri 28-Apr-23 22:22:37

M0nica

I see no reason why the Welsh should not use the Welsh name and the English the English.

Lots of countries have different versions of a name for places
London - Londres (France) - Londra (Italian) The French call England Angleterre, the Germans talk of Grossbritannien.

It seems perfectly reasonable for the Welsh and English to use different names in different languages.

My mother was Austrian. She called England "Ehnglant" in German. Grossbritannien means GB.