Language Planning: The Welsh ModelGwyn JonesDirector of Policy and Terminology

6th century: Welshspoken here

"From henceforth no person or persons that use the Welsh speech or language shall have or enjoy any office or fees.... unless he or they use and exercise the speech or language of English"

The Acts of Union1536 a 1543

Changing Attitudes: Increasing social status of the Welsh language

1893 – University of Wales

1911 – National Library of Wales

1964 – Welsh Office: Part of the UK Government

1967 – First Welsh Language Act

1982 – S4C: Welsh language TV channel

1988 -- Education Act designates Welsh a ‘core subject’ in the curriculum

1993 – Welsh Language Act & Welsh Language Board

1999 – National Assembly for Wales

Census Language Results 1961-1991

1961 1971 1981 1991

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1901 1911 1921 1931 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001

Siaradwyr Cymraeg/Welsh Speakers

2001: % able to speak Welsh by age

0

10

20

30

40

50

3 - 4 5 - 14 15 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55- 64 65 - 74 75+

Age

%

Welsh Language Act 1993

Welsh Language Schemes

Welsh Language Schemes

• 526 Public Sector bodies have approved Statutory Welsh Language Schemes

• 73 Voluntary Sector bodies have approved Welsh Language Schemes

Characteristics of Successful Schemes

• Corporate ownership

• Support for non-Welsh speakers

• Bilingual identity

• Forward Planning

• Normalising bilingualism in the workplace

• Clear guidance to staff

• Regular language awareness training

• Marketing Welsh language services

Use of Welsh in the Private Sector: Over 150 companies have agreed a Welsh Language Policy with the Board

Development of Welsh Medium Education in Wales

• 1947 – First LEA funded Welsh Medium Primary School (4-11) 1956 – First LEA funded Welsh Medium Secondary School (11-18).

• Initially for children from Welsh speaking homes. Post 1970 – increasing numbers from non-Welsh speaking homes.

Welsh-medium education: 3 main influences on its development

• Some local authorities

• Parental demand

• Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools

• Numbers of Welsh Medium Schools:448 Primary Schools54 Secondary Schools51,977 Primary Pupils39,458 Secondary Pupils

• Pupils in years 7-11taught Welsh as a first language: 1995 – 21,658 (12.2%) 2005 – 27,895 (14.8%)

Scale of Welsh Medium Education

1998 – 2002: 22 LEA’s agree Welsh Language Education Schemes.

Getting Young People To Speak Welsh

• Provision of opportunities to use Welsh socially;• opportunities to use Welsh in the workplace.

Urdd Gobaith Cymru

Community Development

• Mentrau Iaith

• Language Action Plans

What is important to know about the Welsh language

• Increased numbers speaking the language

• Fewer people using the language on a day-to-day basis

Language Planning Strategy

Developing a strategy for language planning in Wales:

• 1996 – A Strategy for the Welsh Language• 1999 – Vision and Mission• 2003 - Iaith Pawb • 2005 - The Future of Welsh: Welsh Language

Board’s Strategy• Discussions for the future - 2009-11

Aim:

“To enable the language to become self-sustaining and secure as a medium of communication in Wales”

Objectives of the 1996 Strategy:

• Increasing the number of people who are able to speak Welsh;

• providing opportunities to use the language;

• changing habits of language use and encouraging people to take advantage of the opportunities provided;

• strengthening Welsh as a community language.

The Welsh Language Board has engaged in four different types of language planning that are needed for language survival:

• acquisition planning;

• usage planning;

• status planning;

• corpus planning

Priority Areas (1)

• Language transmission in the family

• Children aged 0-7

• Welsh Language and bilingual education and training

• Use of Welsh by young people

• Promoting and facilitating the use of Welsh in the community

Priority Areas (2)

• Using Welsh in the private sector

• Welsh Language Schemes and developing and providing services in the welsh language

• Normalising bilingualism

• Promoting language rights as part of the equal opportunities field

• Information Technology and Corpus Planning

• Research and data

WLB’s Strategic Priorities: 2009

• Extending the influence of Language Schemes • Welsh Language Policies (for businesses) • Education• Families and the community • Youth (increasing the use of Welsh among young

people)• Cross-cutting Work: Research, Information

Technology, The Centre for the Standardization of Terms, Europe, Marketing

Frequency of use by age and fluency

Oedran

Canran

0

20

40

60

80

100

3 - 15 16 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 64 65+

Ddim yn rhugl

3 - 15 16 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 64 65+

Yn rhugl

Bob dyddBob wythnosLlai amlByth

WeeklyLess oftenNever

Age

%

Not fluent Fluent

Cross party support for the language

• Language is no longer a political football.

• Political agreement on the importance of the language to Wales as a nation.

Funding for the promotion of the language

£15million=€16.5million

Balance......

• Important to have a good balance between central policy and grassroot support

Government Policy

WLB

Community Activities/Grassroot Support

One Wales

Seek enhanced legislative competence on the Welsh language, with a view to a new Assembly Measure to confirm official status for both Welsh and English, linguistic rights in the provision of services and the establishment of the post of Language Commissioner.

What next?

DiolchThank you

www.byig-wlb.org.uk