After risking the wrath of the English by complaining that he is served lamb and potatoes too regularly, US Ambassador Matthew Barzun has attempted to get the Welsh on side. In advance of President Obama’s visit for the Nato summit in Newport, Barzun filmed his attempts to speak Welsh, where he struggles with the accent but masters the staple of “dwi’n hoffi coffi” (I like coffee) and list the three words he already knew: “Catherine Zeta-Jones.”
Barzun’s efforts were matched yesterday by stars including singer Katherine Jenkins and actor Matthew Rhys, star of The Americans, who sent a video message welcoming Obama to the green, green grass of home. They may have more practice when it comes to the lingo, but we have to admit that Barzun’s attempt at the name of the famous Anglesey village Llanfairpwllgwyngyll gogerychwyrn drobwyllllantysiliogogogoch is pretty impressive.
