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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Robert Dalling

The streets with completely different Welsh translations on the same stretch of road

Eagle-eyed residents of Llanelli may have spotted something a little bit unusual in their neighbourhood.

From a passing glance, everything seems pretty normal at Railway Terrace and High Street.

Like any other street, there are bilingual signs which feature both the Welsh and English translations.

But look a little bit closer, and there is something rather peculiar at play.

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On the sign attached to the wall, Railway Terrace is translated as Rhes Yr Orsaf, directly translated as Station Row.

But on the sign attached to the ground, it is translated quite differently, as Teras Y Rheilfordd - Railway Terrace.

It is translated as 'Rhes Yr Orsaf' in one of the street signs (Robert Melen)
But it reads 'Teras Y Rheilfordd' in the other (Robert Melen)

It is a similar story at High Street, which is translated as Prif Ffordd, but on the grounded street sign, it is Stryd Fawr instead.

Newer signs were erected to reflect the use of more modern Welsh language.

But Carmarthenshire Council admits they have no idea why the older ones have been left in place.

The authority said the black and white street signs at a higher level are many years old, and it is unclear at the moment as to why they have been left in place.

Officers said the newer signs at street level reflect the use of more modern Welsh language, and are in line with other street name signs both in Llanelli and other towns across Wales.

A similar situation exists in some areas in Cardiff, where it emerged that some translations had simply been guessed when the signs were first created.

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