Welsh Language Research Articles

A matter of strength: language policy, attitudes, and linguistic dominance in three bilingual communities

ABSTRACT This article investigates the relationship between language attitudes and different bilingual language policies in three European communities where a regional/minority language is spoken: (1) the Lombard – Italian community in Italy, where Lombard does not benefit from any active policy; (2) the Moselle-Franconian – German community of the Belgian Eifel, where Moselle-Franconian speakers are a recognised linguistic minority, albeit as German-speaking, with Moselle-Franconian indirectly supported as a closely related German variety; and (3) the Welsh – English community in Wales, where the Welsh language enjoys full sociopolitical recognition. In two studies that combine a direct and an indirect method, we collected attitudinal data from a total of N = 235 participants (aged 23–38 years) across three locations. Results suggest a link between language policy and speakers’ attitudes, with Welsh scoring higher than both Moselle-Franconian and Lombard, and Moselle-Franconian scoring higher than Lombard. This trend is explained in view of a tripartite model that places horizontal bilingualism as the most positive societal situation for language maintenance, followed by diglossia, and with vertical bilingualism as the least desirable case.

Ruth Price: creating a nation’s pop scene

ABSTRACT In Wales, during the 1960s, the seeds of a devolved nation were being sown. The Welsh Language Society was established in 1962, and Gwynfor Evans, first Member of Parliament for Plaid Cymru, was elected in 1966. Against this backdrop Ruth Price left her post as headmistress in 1961 to forge a career at the B.B.C. This article traces a career that led to her successful pop music series Disc a Dawn (Disc and Talent) (1966–73) in which she demonstrated an understanding of the vital role pop music had in addressing a youth audience. In doing so, she ensured the cultural capital of the Welsh language amongst young people and demonstrated the importance of light entertainment for public service broadcasting.

Teaching literatures in secondary schools in Wales: diversity in Welsh, English and International Languages

Teaching literatures in secondary schools in Wales: diversity in Welsh, English and International Languages

Конституционно-правовые аспекты языковой политики Великобритании в области поддержки языковых меньшинств

The object of the study is the political and legal aspects of regulating the rights of linguistic minorities in the UK on the example of measures to preserve the Welsh language as part of the national identity of the Welsh. The author characterizes the language policy of Great Britain of this period as a policy of linguistic nationalism of the English language and discrimination against the national languages of other peoples. The article also examines the main regulatory legal acts aimed at expanding the use of the Welsh language and consolidating the status of the Welsh language as the national language of Wales. The main conclusions of this article were the demonstrated specific discriminatory measures used by Britain in relation to the Welsh language, including a ban on the use of the Welsh language as the language of legislation, the language of legal proceedings and restrictions on teaching in Welsh. The study identifies the causes and constitutional and legal factors of the transition from the policy of language discrimination to the policy of dialogue of cultures and the influence of public figures advocating for the preservation and expansion of the use of the Welsh language on the language policy of Great Britain. The constitutional significance of the Provision on the Welsh Language of 2011 is stated, the content of this act is analyzed for the first time in the Russian-language doctrine.

"Excuse the Spelling Which is Probably Wrong": Wordsworth and Tourism's Welsh Languages

"Excuse the Spelling Which is Probably Wrong": Wordsworth and Tourism's Welsh Languages

An audio-visual resource to improve transparency in SAIL Databank’s data access process.

BackgroundSince 2007, SAIL Databank has been entrusted with anonymised health and administrative data for the population of Wales. This includes ~85% of primary and 100% secondary care health records, and a range of administrative data that includes education, employment, environment, housing, justice and social care data. This data is accessible to approved researchers who can demonstrate positive societal impact from its use. IntroductionIt has always been vital for SAIL Databank to build and maintain extremely high levels of trust amongst its stakeholders; data users, data providers and the public who are represented in the anonymised datasets. This trust has been earned through a robust range of technical, physical and procedural safeguards known as SAIL’s ‘privacy-by-design’. Public-facing information has been vital to maintain trust through transparency and manifests in SAIL’s data use register, publications register, and clear information offered via its website. This work represents the next evolution in SAIL’s commitment to transparency in creating an audio-visual representation of its data access process. Method Ensuring current available information on SAIL’s public facing website was clear and accessible through consultation with SAIL’s public involvement panel – The Consumer Panel. Streamlining and presenting this information based on Consumer Panel feedback. Maintaining SAIL’s commitment to Welsh language standards by translating this information. Consultation with colleagues and Swansea University procurement to identify a suitable creative agency to take forward the idea of a data access process animated video. Communicating requirements and providing briefing documents to the selected creative agency, Buffoon Media. Reviewing potential voiceovers for narration of animated video to ensure an accessible tone, pace and dual language delivery. Receipt of completed animated video placed alongside corresponding data access process text on SAIL’s website. ResultsProduction of an audio-visual resource that improves transparency around SAIL’s data access process and compliments its existing process guidance. This resource is freely and publicly accessible via its website, including components such as: Accessible design colours, fonts and presentation in keeping with SAIL’s existing brand. Use of images, graphics and animation that bring the process to life. A professional and accessible voice-over audio explaining each element within the process. A bi-lingual voice-over that recognises Wales’ large number of Welsh language speakers. Resource can be found at: https://saildatabank.com/data/apply-to-work-with-the-data/ ConclusionBuilding on SAIL’s commitment to trust and transparency since inception its anticipated that this new video resource will improve transparency for all of SAIL’s stakeholders in understanding and engaging with SAIL’s data access process.

Migration through a language planning lens: a typology of Welsh speakers’ migration decisions

ABSTRACT This paper seeks to explain the migration decisions of minority language speakers by investigating motivating factors. Viewed through a language planning lens, the study pushes the parameters of some of the discipline's more recent agency concepts within the context of migration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 Welsh speakers aged 18–40 who have stayed, left, or returned to the Welsh language ‘heartlands’ to create a typology representing the diversity in speakers’ priorities when deliberating migration decisions. The data shows that the Welsh language is a significant consideration in the migration decisions of some typology groups, however most groups prioritised other factors. It was found that, in some cases, employment was a means of sustaining speakers within the linguistic community or attracting them back, offering much-needed evidence to support key tenets of the Welsh Government's current language strategy. Furthermore, given the likelihood of minority language speakers’ decision to stay, leave or return to a language ‘stronghold’ to increase or limit opportunities to use the language, we argue that migration is an important context for probing the use of agency by minority language speakers at a micro level. Consequently, we contend that migration should receive greater attention from language planning scholars.

Exploring the presence of Cymraeg on TikTok

Many of the world’s languages are endangered or vulnerable. For some of these languages, a presence in technological domains can illustrate vitality and demonstrate relevance to the lives of younger speakers. A presence on social media is often seen as particularly significant for younger speakers due to their high levels of social media use. This article explores the presence of Cymraeg (the Welsh language) on TikTok. Through the analysis of a corpus of 200 videos, the article reveals a complex and richly bilingual content space with considerable intermingling of Cymraeg and English. Commenting on videos and engaging in a text-based conversation with the content creator and other audience members is shown to be a significant activity. The corpus demonstrates that Cymraeg is being used, taught, discussed and promoted on TikTok. This article contributes to an ongoing assessment of the digital vitality of Cymraeg and extends our understanding of the role that social media can play in supporting the sustainability and vitality of minority languages.

Bilingual Law in Wales (and England): The Implications of Law Being Made in Two Languages

Abstract This article concerns bilingual legislation and focusses on the legal status of the Welsh language in Welsh legislation, an issue complicated by the confusing context of the single jurisdiction for England and Wales. It refers to analysis of the position undertaken by the Law Commission of England and Wales (which included comparative analysis of the position in Canada, in particular), and to recent consideration by the Court of Appeal (E&W) of the implications of the England and Welsh languages having equal status for all purposes. This has significant effects on practitioners and the courts, in both Wales and England.

The Policy of Preserving National Linguistic Identity on the Example of the Welsh

Introduction. The article examines the British policy pursued in the 16th – first half of the 20th centuries in relation to the autochthonous languages of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The author characterizes the language policy of Great Britain in this period as a policy of linguistic nationalism of the English language and discrimination against the national languages of other peoples. The article also discusses the main legal acts aimed at expanding the use of the Welsh language and consolidating the status of the Welsh language as the national language of Wales.Materials and methods. To achieve this goal, the article used the method of the structural-functional approach, as well as modern principles of scientific knowledge of complex social phenomena and processes, based on a combination of macro- and microsociological research. The materials of the article were the works of scientists on the stated issues.Results of the study. It is concluded that the Welsh language has managed to maintain its independence to a greater extent than other autochthonous languages of the peoples of Great Britain, and in modern conditions there is a tendency to increase the number of people using the Welsh language in everyday life. The main findings of this article were the demonstration of specific discriminatory measures applied by the UK in relation to the Welsh language, including the ban on the use of Welsh as the language of legislation, the language of judicial proceedings and restrictions on teaching in Welsh.Discussion and conclusion. The study identifies the reasons and constitutional and legal factors for the transition from a policy of language discrimination to a policy of dialogue of cultures, as well as the influence of public figures advocating the preservation and expansion of the use of the Welsh language on the language policy of Great Britain. The constitutional significance of the Welsh Language Regulations 2011 is stated, and for the first time in the Russian-language doctrine the content of this law is analyzed.

Cymraeg yn y Gweithle? An exploration into the proficiency and development of the Welsh language in psychology, counselling, and arts therapy services

The Welsh language has garnered increasing recognition and importance in Welsh healthcare. This study uses a mixed methods design to understand the use and development of the Welsh language within therapeutic services. 113 staff members from the psychology, counselling, and arts therapies service in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board completed a survey, exploring participants’ proficiency and confidence using the Welsh language, and their perspectives of the Welsh language within their respective services. Preliminary findings displayed a range of Welsh language proficiencies, from fluency to non-proficiency. Participants reported a lack of confidence in utilising the language, and resources, in their work. Qualitative findings further explicate the need to encourage development of proficiency by providing time for learning work-related skills and networking with other Welsh speakers. The findings illustrate a need to recognise language diversity and to understand the needs and development of multilingual practice within the therapeutic context.

‘One Million Speakers’: Wales, the Welsh Language and the Politics of Survival

‘One Million Speakers’: Wales, the Welsh Language and the Politics of Survival

The Politics of the Welsh Language and Sounds in The Silent Village (1943, dir. Humphrey Jennings)

The Silent Village (Humphrey Jennings, 1943) is a semi-documentary based on the infamous massacre of Lidice, perpetrated in June 1942 in retaliation for the assassination of SS-Obergruppenführer Heydrich by Czechoslovak resistance fighters. Instead of Czechoslovakia, the film takes place in the mining village of Cwmgiedd in South Wales, where Welsh was the majority language. Although only a minority of the UK population spoke Welsh, Jennings decided to keep most dialogues untranslated for two reasons: to lend the film “authenticity”, and because it might suggest that it was Czech. However, considering Welsh through the sole prism of its proximity with Czech would be missing part of the film’s point. In fact, The Silent Village can be read as containing myriad political messages expressed through the treatment of the Welsh language and the sounds associated with the community of Cwmgiedd: resistance to the German enemy, but also the struggle for linguistic and cultural diversity and against the policy of linguistic assimilation implemented by the British government.

Feasting on the land: Haunted political space in recent Welsh language films

This article will focus on spectrality in the cinematic spaces of two Welsh language films, Yr Ymadawiad (The Passing) (2015) and Gwledd (The Feast) (2021). Both films envision spectral happenings as a means of exploring and re-exploring past and present debates about the endlessly contested nature of the Welsh landscape and the resulting hauntological traces within the national psyche. The films suggest contradictory versions of the Welsh landscape. Often described as empty and barren, Wales has simultaneously been seen as a rich resource for extensive extraction of its natural resources. With located hauntings by ghosts that are specific and placed, Yr Ymadawiad’s temporal indeterminacy imagines ghostly presences beneath the waters of a drowned village, while Gwledd depicts the horrific revenge of an earth at the mercy of humans, characterizing human use of rural space as monstrous and destructive. Both films are highly located and rooted within specific Welsh landscapes, depicting both the uniqueness of the Welsh experience and its intimate connection with global issues relating to the loss of land.

Shifting towards a Well-being Economy in Wales for a fairer, sustainable and healthier society

Abstract Wales, and other nations globally, face long-standing challenges such as climate change and on-going impacts of the pandemic. This has increased persisting health inequities, widening the health gap and putting health and social systems and other public services under even more pressure. Economic models that prioritise growth and profit over well-being of societies and the planet underpin these developments, this is unsustainable and threatens human, economic and planetary well-being. New political imperatives are emerging across Wales that foster new collaborations and innovative, sustainable and inclusive solutions that shift towards a Well-being Economy, creating shared and co-created well-being for current and future generations. Health is key component to create a Well-being Economy in Wales and is a driver and beneficiary. Public Health Wales’ work has been focused around the social determinants of health taking a holistic approach enabling cross-sector responsibility for health to shift to a Well-being Economy. Wales has created an enabling legislative environment with the (i) Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) underpinning all public body decisions, (ii) created a strong Foundational Economy and (iii) established a Future Generations Commissioner that encourages public bodies to take greater account of the long-term impact of their decisions. Metrics were implemented that go being Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) and monitor well-being outcomes in all sectors decisions. Welsh culture and language has been vital to create a sense of belonging and community cohesion building trust and healing social fractures. Shifting towards a Well-being Economy in Wales takes a whole of systems approach, working across sectors at all levels. A variety of mechanisms such as legislations, metrics, accountability measures and participation takes the approach forward. Public health appears to be a driver, co-creator and beneficiary in the approach. Key messages • Re-envisioning the economy in Wales towards a Well-being Economy is crucial to improve health and well-being and tackle inequalities. • Wales’ Well-being Economy approach has created a national cultural change at all levels that focuses on co-created well-being for all.

Tuag at y continwwm iaith: Diffiniadau a goblygiadau ar gyfer cyflwyno'r Gymraeg yn y cwricwlwm newydd i Gymru

With the introduction of the Curriculum for Wales fast approaching, it is timely to discuss one of the key developments in relation to the Welsh language in the new curriculum, the language continuum. Although “continuum” is a term that has often been used by academics (see e.g. Baker and Jones, 2000) and policy makers (see e.g. WG, 2017a) alike, the term has several interpretations, not only in the literature on bilingualism and bilingual education, but also in Welsh policy regarding language and education. The purpose of this paper is to review the main interpretations of the language continuum, before proposing an alternative interpretation, what the author calls the “continuum of multi-competence”, which aims to bridge between the theoretical and the practical, linking the concept of a language continuum to the concept of a learning continuum, as recognised in the new curriculum. The implications of introducing the continuum for Welsh language in English-medium schools in particular will be discussed.

Creating breathing spaces for teenagers in the Welsh language: the case of theatre-in-Education

ABSTRACT Despite the vibrancy and potential Welsh-language Theatre-in-Education (TIE) has thus far received very little scholarly attention. This article aims to address that gap in research by focusing on Welsh TIE's role in engaging teenagers with and through the Welsh language. The first part of this article outlines the socio-political, linguistic and educational context out of which TIE grew. The second part demonstrates how Welsh-language TIE responds to the Welsh context and has found ways of carving out spaces for teenagers to engage in the Welsh language beyond the classroom, providing a potential model for other minority language contexts.

Interview with inaugural Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Sophie Howe: embedding a wellbeing approach in government.

In 2016, Wales became the first country in the world to appoint a Future Generations Commissioner - in essence a 'guardian' of the interests of future generations - under its Well-being Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The Act puts in place seven long-term wellbeing goals: a prosperous Wales; a resilient Wales; a more equal Wales; a healthier Wales; a Wales of cohesive communities; a Wales of vibrant culture & thriving Welsh language; and a globally responsible Wales. The Act also defines five 'ways of working' or principles that public bodies must demonstrate in decision making: thinking for the long-term, prevention; integration; collaboration; and involvement. The inaugural Commissioner, Sophie Howe, who held the role for seven years, reflects on the challenges and successes of leading transformational change to achieve a whole-of-government focus on wellbeing across policy and practice. In this interview with PHRP Editor-in-Chief Don Nutbeam, she shares some of the key lessons learned during her time in the role, including the need to embed the future generations approach in law, to set holistic, long-term goals - and to avoid blindly following measures and metrics.

Welsh Language Fanfiction in Light of Welsh Cultural and National Identity and Language Revitalisation

While the field of fan studies is constantly growing, it has been scarcely researched in relation to minority languages and language revitalisation. In this paper we have undertaken to explore the small and previously unexplored realm of Welsh-language fanfiction, focusing on the motivations to read and write it. The aim was to explore the possible role of fanfiction in language revitalisation by investigating a relationship between these motivations and the cultural and national identity of the authors and readers, as well as their attitude towards the Welsh language. The article presents the results of a study conducted in 2022 through the use of online surveys on a sample of readers of Welsh-language fanfiction found on the Tumblr platform, and semi-structured interviews with authors of fanfiction posted on Archive of Our Own. The study revealed that the decision to participate in the fandom was strongly connected to the cultural, and in particular linguistic identity of authors and readers, and to a much lesser extent to their national identity. Two out of three major motivations emerging from the study: a wish to broaden the use of language online and the wish to learn it can be connected with language revitalization. Engagement with fanfiction was perceived as an accessible form of leisure available in Welsh and as a safe space for both learners and native speakers to creatively use the language without fear of criticism, which suggests the importance and possible use of fandom in language revitalisation. However, the study also points to some difficulties in developing a fan community around Welsh fanfiction, mostly due to technical limitations and the small amount of popular media created originally in Welsh.

Are children and young people with additional learning needs at a systemic disadvantage regarding Welsh language opportunities?

ABSTRACT This paper explores whether children and young people (CYP) with additional learning needs (ALN) are at a systemic disadvantage regarding Welsh language opportunities. Justification pertaining to why this should be on the radar of educational psychologists (EPs) in Wales is provided. Congruent with critical realism, quantitative and qualitative research is reviewed, examining micro, eco and macrosystems. A systemic lens illuminates the context and process factors that CYP with ALN and their families may encounter regarding Welsh language opportunities. This paper is informed by the bioecological Person Process Context Time (PPCT) model, and the Constructionist Model of Informed and Reasoned Action (COMOIRA). Limitations demarcating interpretation of identified issues are highlighted, without negating their significance. Implications for EPs are offered, contemplating their role in facilitating inclusion through supporting the development of greater cohesion between Welsh Government (WG) legislation (macrosystem), and the systemic realities of CYP with ALN in Wales.