This is a reply to Terry Davies, Caersws, (25/12/21)

‘There is no incentive for me to learn even the rudiments of the language,’ he said.

Dear Terry, here is some incentive to learn other than for personal satisfaction.

Personally, I’ve never engaged in a conversation in Welsh with someone that I know or assume doesn’t speak the language, that is probably why as you stated, you have never heard a shopkeeper speak Welsh to you.

Either way, it is very ignorant to suggest that because no one has spoken Welsh to you, that elsewhere it is not happening.

That itself is no strong basis for you to not learn it. That argument is a part of the wider problem. Might you take the time to ask me what I speak before you tar me with your brush of insensitive obliviousness? And I speak on behalf of all speakers of minority languages living here, not only the Welsh community.

True, the language’s situation is weak in this part of the country. I’m afraid that is the reality and effect of in-migration within the UK and the complexity of our history.

You will find another contributing factor to the decline of our country’s language is the negative attitude of the people that migrate into our area, and thus refusing to learn the native tongue.

Say you have surpassed the ‘rudiments of the language,’ you will find having learnt Welsh you will have become a member of a community. Once you’re a member of that community, it will not take long for you to find like-minded people.

You’ll find we all experience this part of the world through various perspectives, one such perspective is the Welsh language community, a passionate, loving, and tight one. The oldest here.

Had you moved anywhere else in Wales other than Powys, I wondered if you would have been so insensitive to suggest there is no point leaning Welsh.

The ‘let it sink or swim’ attitude is as insensitive as it is destructive to Welshness. Learning Welsh is preserving living history.

Our language greeted Romans and Gauls and Gaels long before Hengist and Horsa sailed to Britain. Did you know ‘Wales’ means ‘foreigner’ in old, old English? It seems that 5th Century attitude still exists within the English-speaking migratory pattern of the 21st Century.

Let’s pretend you’re a proud Englishman, and only 20 per cent of England spoke English. Perhaps then you’d understand why people like me try to inspire others to revive the love for our country’s heritage and history.

Once you learn Welsh, I promise you will have gained a transformed perspective of our country.

Hopefully then you’d have looked passed Welsh being pointless in Powys and instead see it as a national struggle to a revive the once dying identity.

I suggest you learn Welsh, go into a shop, and speak Welsh and surprise yourself.

Given you reside here it is now as much your language as it is mine. Please be the change.

Ieuan Leah