Dafydd Elis-Thomas is a former president of Plaid Cymru
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The Welsh assembly's presiding officer has apologised for calling some campaigners for the National Eisteddfod's Welsh-only rule "language fascists".
Lord Elis-Thomas' comment was made in a public meeting after some members of the audience booed a speaker who addressed the meeting in English.
Professor Laura McAllister was greeted with cries of "rheol Gymraeg" (Welsh-only rule) at the meeting.
Lord Elis-Thomas said that those who heckled and shouted had acted inappropriately and were wrong to do so.
He added that there was a lack of clarity, regarding the use of English at eisteddfod meetings.
Lord Elis-Thomas said: "People who banter and heckle one of our most distinguished women professors smacks of great intolerance because she prefers to speak in her first language.
Comfortable
"If people do not want a dialogue with our English- speaking intellectuals at the eisteddfod maes that's up to them, but I can't accept it and we need to be mature about this."
Lord Elis-Thomas made the comment in Welsh "ffasgwyr iaith" (language fascists) when the hecklers refused to allow her to continue.
Professor McAllister had begun talking in Welsh at a discussion on changes to assembly powers, but switched to English because she said she felt more comfortable.
The former Plaid Cymru election candidate was the party's appointee on the Richard Commission, which was set up to investigate the workings of the assembly.
Welsh is her second language.
About a dozen people walked out of the meeting in protest at English being used, but many more had joined in the jeering.
One of those who left the meeting was historian and broadcaster Hywel Teifi Edwards.
He said: "The Welsh-only rule exists in the eisteddfod.
"I came to this meeting expecting that rule to be respected.
After the meeting Prof McAllister said she apologised if she had caused any offence, which was not her intention.
The event was organised by Tomorrow's Wales, the movement chaired by Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan to support the implementation of the Richard Commission, which called for the assembly to have full law-making powers.
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