But the note states that the manager should be able to speak English
and French, not Cornish/Breton/Welsh.
David
On 19 Jan 2006 at 21:44, Bob & Annette Orchard wrote:
> He is also speaking about the Cornish, & than not many Cornish could
> speak Welsh.
>
> Bob Orchard.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D.R.Poyner" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 9:27 PM
> Subject: Re: Snowdon Copper Mines
>
>
> > Isn't this thread going away from Alasdair's query? Why would a
> > manager be asked to speak French? It seems implausible to me,
> > although I don't know much about the area.
> >
> >
> > David Poyner
> >
> > On 19 Jan 2006 at 7:15, Bob & Annette Orchard wrote:
> >
> > > CORNISH / WELSH / BRETON
> > >
> > > I think that these languages were similar, & that people would
> > > have had a grasp of the gist of the conversation.
> > >
> > > Bob Orchard.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Alasdair Neill" <[log in to unmask]>
> > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:11 PM
> > > Subject: Snowdon Copper Mines
> > >
> > >
> > > > The last edition of Below! (Shropshire Caving & Mining Club)
> > > > contains an article (anonymous) statin "When a new mine manager
> > > > was wanted at any of the mines on Snowdon, it was a prerequisite
> > > > that applicants spoke English and French, because so many of the
> > > > miners were Breton. 'Llyn Llydaw@ means 'Lake Brittany' in
> > > > Welsh".
> > > >
> > > > Does anyone have any proof of this? I understand that the name
> > > > Llydaw, although translating as Breton (I am no Welsh speaker)
> > > > is thought to be more likely to be a personal name, & anyway is
> > > > recorded much earlier than the date the Snowdon copper mine was
> > > > discovered (c mid 18th Century). In the 1850's there were
> > > > proposals to bring in Cornish miners, & most names
> > > of
> > > > workings in the area are either Welsh or Cornish. It would
> > > > surely have been much more likely that managers were Welsh
> > > > speakers (although I don't suppose there were many Welsh
> > > > speakers amongst the Cornish).
> > > >
> > > > Alasdair Neill.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
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