WHILST talking to a Scottish couple in Usk, I began to question the value of duplicating signs in English and Welsh, and I must confess that I am a Welsh speaker.

The question for this Scots couple that prompted my revelation was, "How far are we from Brynbuga?" The expression on my face must have confused them, yet my explanation that they had already arrived caused consternation.

From the signpost on the A449 they had assumed (perhaps justifiable so) that Usk and Brynbuga were two different places, especially as other Welsh towns did not always have two spellings outlined on signposts.

As someone who not only speaks Welsh but writes it reasonably well, it has brought the problems associated with this great and beautiful language into perspective which I had not previously considered fully. As so few Welsh inhabitants have a reasonable grasp of the language should the authorities be attempting to translate so much of English signage into dual language signs?

A Welsh tourist information booklet recently included the useful (?) phrase for visitors, "ble aeth yr holl oleuadau traffig?" or "Where have all the traffic lights gone?"

Perhaps the most revealing mistranslation (among so many I could list) demonstrated clearly the many Welsh people have no need of dual language signs. Not only did this sign offer a significant contribution to humour associated with the Welsh language but it also highlighted conclusively that it can be highly confusing.

The sign should have stated, "No entry for heavy goods vehicles." Well, it said exactly that in English, but the Welsh translation was slightly awkward as it read, "Nid wyf yn y swyddfa ar hyn o bryd. Anfonwch unrhyw waith i'w gyfieithu."

For those unable to read the Welsh it may be amusing to note that it translates to, "I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated."

It took over a month before this "automatic out of office" email responses was detected as an error.