E uskara ElsässischC atalà G alego

CymraegGwastadnant.Kyffin Williams

Menai. SuspensionBridge

Sociolinguisticsituation

Historical trends

Geographicaldistribution

Social class and ability

Ability x use

What emerges from this table is the continuous decline in the number of Welsh speakersduring this century. It is also clear that this process has been quickest in the industrialcounties of Gwent, mid-Glamorgan and West Glamorgan where the number of speakershas more than halved. This should not be interpreted by reference to the customaryrural/urban dichotmoy as if this implies two different societies but rather by reference to themanner in which local government policies, the absence of any support system in the worksituation and the extension of English enterprises to these locations have all focused uponEnglish rather than Welsh language activities. Until recently It was only in the agriculturalsector that Welsh speakers owned the means of production to any significant extent. Onthe other hand the table also indicates a slight increase in the number of speakers in certaincounties, most notably Gwent and south Galmorgan in the last two decades. This isacocunted for by the increased prestige of the language and developments in education.

TAB

LE

Cymraeg

Welsh-speakers, by historicaltrend and area

Sociolinguisticsituation

Geographicaldistribution

Social class and ability

Ability x use

Historical trends

Gregynog

1951

90.2

191.2

10.7

154.9

114.6

30.3

15.6

107.5

714.7

1961

83.8

181.3

11.8

146.1

91.4

27.1

18.7

96.0

656.0

1971

72.8

159.1

8.0

136.3

52.7

22.6

18.7

72.4

542.4

1981

70.3

147.3

10.7

135.8

43.2

21.5

21.3

58.1

508.2

1991

70.2

142.6

10.1

136.2

43.6

22.5

24.3

51.5

500.0

1921

102.2

209.3

20.1

171.6

228.8

39.1

17.8

133.3

922.1

Area

Clwyd

Dyfed

Gwent

Gwynedd

Mid Glan

Powis

South Glam

West Glam

WALES

1931

105.9

212.9

18.6

169.7

207.9

36.8

18.1

138.9

909.3

Cymraeg

OPCS 100% tables, 1994bWelsh-speakers, by historicaltrend and area

Sociolinguisticsituation

Geographicaldistribution

Social class and ability

Historical trends

Ability x use

Area

Clwyd

Dyfed

Gwent

Gwynedd

Mid Glan

Powis

South Glam

West Glam

WALES

Males age 3+years

33,2663 (18%)

68,754 (43%)

4,774 (2%)

65,762 (61%)

18,599 (8%)

10,831 (19%)

10,838 (6%)

23,302 (14%)

236,123 (18%)

Females age 3+years

38,142 (19%)

76,244 (44%)

5,565 (3%)

72,651 (61%)

24,664 (9%)

12,040 (21%)

13,703 (7%)

28,966 (16%)

271,975 (19%)

Cymraeg

OPCS 100% tables, 1994bThe current geographicaldistribution

Sociolinguisticsituation

H istorical trends

Social class and ability

Ability x use

Geographicaldistribution

TAB

LE

The distribution of Welsh speakers by occupational class is shown in table. It indicatesthat Welsh speakers are over-represented in agriculture and the professional classesand, to a lesser extent, among managers. It should be recongised that many of themangerial group who do not speak Welsh derive from outside of Wales. Welsh speakersare under-represented among industrial operators, sales personnel, skilled and clericalworkers. This is indicative of the extent to which Welsh has served to extend the labourmarket, being more relevant for certain occupations, most notably those at the professionallevel. It also reflects what has been said above about Welsh in the industrial locations.Overall this suggests that there is a slight correlation between high social status andWelsh language ability.

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

OPCS 10% sample, 1991Welsh-speakers and non-Welshspeakers, by occupation,Wales, 1991

Sociolinguisticsituation

Historical trends Ability x use

Social class andability

Wylfa Llanfflewyn

Occupation

Managers

Professionals

Associate professionals

Clerical

Skilled

Personal Service

Sales

Industrial operators

Agriculture

Other elementary occupations

Non-Welsh speakers

13720 (80%)

6608 (75%)

6946 (81%)

12706 (85%)

13714 (85%)

8774 (83%)

6826 (86%)

11635 (87%)

557 (58%)

8362 (86%)

Total persons

16499

87777

8559

15012

16098

10562

7923

13417

958

9748

Welsh-speakers

3229 (20%)

2169 (25%)

1613 (19%)

2306 (15%)

2384 (15%)

1788 (17%)

1097 (14%)

1782 (13%)

401 (42%)

1386 (14%)

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

OPCS 10% sample, 1991Welsh-speakers and non-Welshspeakers, by occupation,Wales, 1991

Sociolinguisticsituation

H istorical trends Ability x use

Social class andability

This can be expressed by the percentages of people who speak Welsh in Welsh acrossthe 908 wards in Wales. This is expressed in column one of the data in the Appendix.

While speaking Welsh is an important foundation, a language which people speak butin which they are not literate is either a 'primitive' or a colonised language. A colonisedlanguage is where people speak in the vernacular but are required to be literate in themajority language (usually English or French). Where people have literacy as well as oracyskills in Welsh, the language has more uses and functions, and more status and possibilities,with a potentiality of employment where literacy or biliteracy is important.

Thus, in column two of the data in the Appendix, the percentage of people who areliterate in Welsh in a ward is given. Where there is a large difference in the percentage ina ward who speak Welsh and who are literate in Welsh, the language may be less strong.Such a large difference indicates areas where the language needs strengthening.

GR

AP

HIC

1

GR

AP

HIC

2

TAB

LE

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate the relative strength of theWelsh language in communities acrossWales according to the Census data

Sociolinguisticsituation

Historical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability

Boyhood homeof David LloydGeorge

TAB

LEG

RA

PH

IC 2

Age Trends in Welsh Speakers at the 1991 CensusPercentage Speak Welsh

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

27.325.9

23.722

19.819

17.816.5

13.915

13.9

14.914.4

1518.2

21.627.3

24.816.2

Age Group

85 +80 - 8475 - 7970 - 7465 - 6960 - 6455 - 5950 - 5445 - 4940 - 4435 - 3930 - 3425 - 2920 - 2418 - 1916 - 1711 - 15

5 - 103 - 4

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate the relative strength of theWelsh language in communities acrossWales according to the Census data

Sociolinguisticsituation

H istorical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability

TAB

LEG

RA

PH

IC 1

Age Trends in Welsh Literacy at the 1991 Census Percentage Literate in WelshAge Group

85 +80 - 8475 - 7970 - 7465 - 6960 - 6455 - 5950 - 5445 - 4940 - 4435 - 3930 - 3425 - 2920 - 2418 - 1916 - 1711 - 15

5 - 103 - 4

0 5 10 15 20 25

17.617.2

15.715

13.412.9

12.211.6

10.41111.1

10.610.4

11.714.9

18.724.3

18.84.5

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate the relative strength of theWelsh language in communities acrossWales according to the Census data

Sociolinguisticsituation

H istorical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability

GR

AP

HIC

1G

RA

PH

IC 2

Age Group

3 - 45 - 10

11 - 1516 - 1718 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 3940 - 4445 - 4950 - 5455 -5960 - 6465 - 6970 - 7475 -7980 - 84

85 +

% Speak Welsh

16.224.827.321.618.215.013.914.414.915.013.916.517.819.019.822.023.725.927.3

% Literate in Welsh

4.518.824.318.714.911.710.410.611.111.010.411.612.212.913.415.015.717.217.6

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate the relative strength of theWelsh language in communities acrossWales according to the Census data

Sociolinguisticsituation

Historical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability

Figures represent the percentage of older and younger people within each ward inWales who speak Welsh. This gives an indication of areas where the Welsh languageis reviving, reproducing or in decline. This is portrayed on a following map. Youngerpeople are defined as those aged 5 to 24. Older people are defined as those over 25.The justification for the boundary at age 24/25 is to highlight the effects of the increasedteaching of Welsh in the National Curriculum, and from an assumption that languagereproduction occurs mostly (but not exclusively) by the end of formal education. Whileadult language classes add to the numbers of Welsh speakers, this occurs in all agegroups and thus is difficult to add into a decision about an age boundary.

For any minority language to survive, there needs to be language reproductionamong the young. Where a language has many older speakers and few youngerspeakers, the language is dying. Therefore, it is important to provide a regional analysisin Wales to highlight which communities are reproducing the language among the young.

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate areas where the Welshlanguage is being successfully (and lesssuccessfully) reproduced among the young

Sociolinguisticsituation

H istorical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability

YnysLlanddwyn

That is, where are there communities with proportionally more older speakers thanyounger speakers, and therefore a sign of the language dying within such communities? Where are there communities where the language is holding its own, with little or nodifference between the numbers of older and younger speakers? Where are therecommunities with more younger than older people able to speak Welsh, such communitiesshowing signs of language renaissance and revival?

In such an analysis of language reproduction, a note of warning needs sounding.Since Welsh has been compulsory in most Key Stages of the National Curriculumthroughout most of Wales, children may learn to speak Welsh, but not use it outside theschool gates. Hence, the figures may be inflated for the numbers of children who actuallyuse Welsh as opposed to have ability in it.

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate areas where the Welshlanguage is being successfully (and lesssuccessfully) reproduced among the young

Sociolinguisticsituation

Historical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability

The Welsh Language Reproduction Map (1991 Census)

This report contains a map which has a very positiveand marketable message, and warning. The maplocates those areas where language reproduction iseither not occurring (shaded red), holding its own(shaded yellow), or in an apparent state of revival(shaded green).

It is noticeable on this map that wards where thelanguage is not being reproduced among the young(shaded red) are not randomly distributed. Rather,there are distinct patches of red which indicate areaswhere urgent action is required. Understanding thereasons for language decline in such areas can informa plan of action for such areas.

More Younger than Older Welsh Speakers

Similar Numbers of Younger and Older Welsh Speakers

More Older than Younger Welsh Speakers

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate areas where the Welshlanguage is being successfully (and lesssuccessfully) reproduced among the young

Sociolinguisticsituation

H istorical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability

However, there is no value in attributing blame;such communities will benefit most from recognitionas 'priority areas' and an urgency in establishing localand institutional policies that reverse the trends.

What is also observable from the map is a largenumber of areas shaded green, where there arehigher numbers of children able to speak Welsh thanolder people. Such a map can be used in a marketingcampaign or marketing strategy to sound a note ofoptimism about the future of the Welsh language.Such optimism may, in turn, encourage parents tobring up their children Welsh, send their children toYsgolion Meithrin and Welsh medium education, andthus a more positive attitude towards the future ofWelsh.

More Younger than Older Welsh Speakers

Similar Numbers of Younger and Older Welsh Speakers

More Older than Younger Welsh Speakers

Geographicaldistribution

Cymraeg

To indicate areas where the Welshlanguage is being successfully (and lesssuccessfully) reproduced among the young

Sociolinguisticsituation

H istorical trends

Ability x use

Social class and ability