Fate of the Revitalized Welsh Language Still Uncertain

The Welsh language had been revitalized and has become a model for other minority languages that are being revived, but its fate is still uncertain due to several factors. Every day is still a test for minority languages around the world, including Welsh, which now has about 740,000 speakers.

What causes the threat to Welsh and similar Celtic languages such as Irish and Scottish Gaelic is its closeness to English. Speakers of the language in Wales have distinguished themselves from Britain by speaking their own language, Welsh, while others opted to show their difference by choosing to be an independent state.

A different scenario back then

Several decades back, things were not that good for the language as its use declined sharply. Even if parents spoke Welsh, they did not pass it on their children, and the language was no longer taught in school. In the more populated areas of South Wales, Welsh was no longer heard.

In today’s scenario, Welsh is enjoying a comeback. There are 17 elementary schools in Cardiff that use Welsh as the medium of instruction. Local television studios now produce shows in Welsh. Children are going to school where Welsh is taught and now many parents are also going to evening classes to learn the language.

Commitment to Learning the Welsh Language

The commitment of people to learn the language they did not know or have forgotten was impressive. But learning the language is one thing, as they still have to learn other things to become natural Welsh speakers.

Welsh Language Society chairman Jamie Bevan, spoke English as his first language. He studied Welsh in school but it was only when he was in his late 20s that he and his parents and siblings decided to use Welsh when talking with each other. He became zealous in his efforts to revive the language, became a language activist and even spent some jail time for civil disobedience when he refused to respond to English-worded court summons. Still, it was the decades of activism that made the Welsh language gain its official status together with English.

However, people are still concerned about the fate of Welsh as a language. Meri Huws, the Welsh Language Commissioner is constantly thinking about this fact. While there are now lots of children learning the Welsh language, the personal and private use is still not tangible. Communication using the language within the home is still lacking. Many of the Welsh language speakers today are in their teens. The commission is now challenged to ensure that there will be opportunities for these young people to communicate in Welsh outside of their schools.

There’s still more to be done. Linguists say that when the number of speakers in a minority language community drops to 70 percent, it will already spell trouble for the language. So now, the fate of the Welsh language is being closely monitored. It has been a model case for language revival and many are hoping for its survival.

Image Copyright: By Andy Chisholm / 123RF Stock Photo