Previous Prat

If I were indeed needful of a visit to the toilet in Cornwall I would be sure to ask a native Cornish speaker, "Ple'ma an bysva?"

If they weren't a native Cornish speaker I would ask where the toilet is.

I have travelled widely in Cornwall and so far have not s**t myself yet! This may be due to the fact that I have taken the time (unlike you) to familiarise myself with the local dialect over the years.

And I am afraid you have misunderstood me in that. I never said that you personally would expect to eat English food in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I was likening your attitude and expectations regarding language on a brief visit to wherever, to that of the couple I met on my holiday's about food on their brief visit to a foreign country.

Neither did I suggest that you personally wished Gaelic etc. songs or poetry to be translated into English. The statement was intended to illustrate that there is inevitably some loss of meaning or context when translated, no matter what language or dialect.

I have been to both Barnsley and Hull and may I say that although I am not native to the area, I have found little difficulty in understanding those who were born and brought up there. As generally, apart from the occasional different word, they speak the same language "as what I does", albeit with a different accent.

Your broad brush, generalisation that people who continue to speak in their native dialect are of somewhat lower intelligence, is to say the least, crass and arrogant.

There are many dialect speakers of both greater and lesser intelligence, who have devoted and also given their lives to make this a better place for you to live in. So I suggest rather than whinge about their background and upbringing you give thanks they existed and also for their toil and sacrifice.

And, honestly, if being somewhat small minded, parochial and isolationist keeps anal retentive prats like you away from our door. Then I'm all for it.   

So if you want to stand in the middle of Barnsley or Hull (or anywhere else for that matter) and exhort the benefits of speaking English properly, help yourself.

Don't expect much enthusiasm from your audience though!

(Nor any further comments from me on this subject)

Have a reasonable day

Chris