Monzo in Welsh

I would like a pirate language :pirate_flag:

“Yarrrr! ye’ve spent all yer budget this month”

Didn’t Facebook have this once? :thinking:

“Nice rolls, luv”

That’s rice and chips :joy:

1 Like

We have a building society that offers a bilingual service (Principality), but no current account --pretty good web cash ISA though, at 1.20%.

However, it would be nice to offer a language option in the app that includes Welsh. If Monzo intends to expand it’ll need to think about accommodating a number of languages.

1 Like

As someone from northern Ireland I have to roll my eyes that Ulster Scots was given recognition as anything close to a language. Its english with an accent. The odd word that is unique.

Stormont didn’t dissolve over that, it was more that one of the main parties (Who prop up the Tories in the UK incidentally) was implicit in defrauding a renewable heating initiative (Colloquially known as the Cash for Ash scandal) for the benefit of their constituency.

EDIT: Not sure how I did that with the quote function :laughing:

But the Irish language act is added to the mix for extra fun and is being used as leverage

I’m also in Northern Ireland :grin:

1 Like

My kind of dinner

If we’re going to ask for Welsh and Gaelic and Ulster Scots, then on behalf of my very distant relatives (geographically) I must insist on throwing Doric into the ring.

Joking aside, if the Cardiff office reached a critical mass where providing support in Welsh wouldn’t be a problem (that is, enough native speakers that no-one should get an out-of-office reply, or be left in the lurch if the only Welsh speaker leaves), then it may well be worth it. While lack of Welsh support may not be offputting, Welsh support may be the feature that would tip the balance for a final decision.

There’s no denying that there are many proud Welsh speakers, and I gather the language has undergone something of a renaissance in terms of the decline in speakers having been reversed. And even in the news the other week I was reading an article about an argument over whether the Senedd should have an English name or not. Also the Super Furry Animals have done bloody good songs in Welsh, and even an entire album.

So while it may not necessarily need to be a priority, if the point is reached when it can be done - why not just do it?

1 Like

Wasn’t it Google?

And they had Klingon too!

2 Likes

No, it was (is?) Facebook.

1 Like

Yes. It may have been both?

https://www.google.co.uk/?hl=xx-klingon

I really like Gwenno who sings exclusively in Welsh I think. I’ll check out the Super Furry Animals.

Maybe if Monzo does grow into other countries it can develop its language programs alongside Welsh? It would be interesting to know wether the higher ups have considered or discussed this?

Definitely interesting and I’d encourage it, Welsh is apparently the second most spoken language in the UK (Welsh Gov estimates around 800,000 speakers as of last year, Polish is third with about 600,000), plus if Monzo approached Welsh Gov or the Language Commissioner about it they’d probably be given some sort of incentive what with the whole “1 million Welsh speakers by 2050” deal.

Plus Monzo is mainly popular with younger audiences I believe and with Welsh medium school chucking out thousands of fluent teenagers every year it would be a good way for them to capitalise on that market

The main reason this isn’t really necessary (and not at all likely to happen) is that a tiny tiny minority of Welsh speakers would consider it their first language. Yes, more and more people can understand/speak the language but very few to a proficiency that they’d want to use it for their banking - it would be a novelty nothing more. You’re talking about an absolutely massive effort on Monzo’s part for virtually no gain.

Edit: Upon reading this back thought it worth making it clear that I am actually Welsh (and a Welsh speaker!) and not just making wild assumptions!

2 Likes

Sadly for you guys, this is never going to happen.

That’s what, about 12% of the population? And I’d guess that a huge proportion of those people speak English.

Even if all of those people joined Monzo, would it be worth their time and effort?

Some apps I use ask for people to help translate into other languages. Would that be possible, or is a banking app too risky in case some rogue linguists put things in that shouldn’t be there?!

There are plenty of other services they could integrate with to do the translations as well. I guess all of it takes time, resource and money that they would need to justify.

To provide the facility that you’ve suggested would be an big task. It would need a whole approval/rejection system building, a way to see the status of your suggestions and so on… I would expect this is why we haven’t seen similar with the merchant data corrections.

1 Like

Fair enough. Clearly it’s not going to happen in the near future anyway.

Maybe once they’re turning a healthy profit it might be something they could look at. Even if it’s not a money maker, it would be a nice touch that I’m sure fellow minority language speakers would appreciate.

It’s the little differences, even ones I’ve never made use of myself, that drew me to Monzo in the first place.

1 Like