Thursday 4 December 2008

Naming names

A translation of "Enwi enwau" by Vaughan Roderick

Where on earth did this new phenomenon of naming new Welsh institutions and services after heroes of the past come from?

Yesterday we were told that the new fast train between Holyhead and Cardiff is to be named the "Gerallt Gymro". Today we have been told that future health services in the North West will be cared for by the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board. According to a report by John Stevenson Betsi was "one of Wales' most famous nurses". Name another one, John! The board will also be a University. Consider how proud people will be to become an MD (Betsi). Am I the only only one who considers these names to be laughable?

Why stop here? Why not get rid of boring titles like Children's Commissioner and Commissioner for Older People? "Finance Wales" (Cyllid Cymru) is a very uninspiring name for the Assembly's bank. Why not have "The Hodge" or "Cardi" instead? We could refer to the leader of the Liberal Democrats as "The Lloyd George" or Plaid Cymru's leader as "The Saunders".

Nick Bourne would be chuffed to be known as "The Churchill"!

Translation by Dewi Dau

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