Welsh Language
Created | Updated Feb 7, 2006
Welsh(Cymraeg) is spoken by about 500,000 people in Wales, some 19% of the population.
The language belongs to the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family. Closely related languages are Cornish and Breton. More distant relations are Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx.
The language developed gradually from the British or Brythonic language spoken in Britain at the time of the Roman occupation. It remained the language of the vast majority of the Welsh until it began to wane in the middle of the last century due to numerous factors such as immigration. Today virtually the whole population of Wales speaks English and so most Welsh people do not speak Welsh. Percentages of Welsh speakers range widely, from about 2% in parts of South-Eastern Wales to almost 80% in parts of Gwynedd in the North-West.
Welsh is not an official language of Wales as the UK has no official languages (not even English!). However, there are legal references and obligations to the language in various acts such as the Welsh Language Act of 1993. Suppressed or ignored for centuries the status of the language has changed much since the 1960's and now receives much official support. Bilingual signs are now common and local Government in Wales makes much use of the language.
Bilingual or mainly Welsh-language education is becoming increasingly popular, notably in areas with fewer speakers. The percentage of Welsh speakers between the ages of 3 and 15 is about 25%, higher than the percentage in the whole population. If this trend continues it implies a growth in numbers of Welsh speakers in the future.
English has borrowed a small number of words from Welsh, including Corgi, Eisteddfod and probably Penguin!
Welsh has 28 letters - 7 vowels (A,E,I,O,U,W,Y) and 21 consonants (B,C,CH,D,DD,F,FF,G,NG,H,L,LL,M,N,P,PH,R,RH,S,T,TH). There are 7 digraphs - 'double symbol letters' - such as FF and RH. There is no indefinite article. Participles can be conjugated. Initial letters of words can change in certain circumstances ('Treigladau') in the same way as occurs in other modern Celtic languages.
Welsh is very phonetic and words are pronounced as spelt.
The language belongs to the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family. Closely related languages are Cornish and Breton. More distant relations are Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx.
The language developed gradually from the British or Brythonic language spoken in Britain at the time of the Roman occupation. It remained the language of the vast majority of the Welsh until it began to wane in the middle of the last century due to numerous factors such as immigration. Today virtually the whole population of Wales speaks English and so most Welsh people do not speak Welsh. Percentages of Welsh speakers range widely, from about 2% in parts of South-Eastern Wales to almost 80% in parts of Gwynedd in the North-West.
Welsh is not an official language of Wales as the UK has no official languages (not even English!). However, there are legal references and obligations to the language in various acts such as the Welsh Language Act of 1993. Suppressed or ignored for centuries the status of the language has changed much since the 1960's and now receives much official support. Bilingual signs are now common and local Government in Wales makes much use of the language.
Bilingual or mainly Welsh-language education is becoming increasingly popular, notably in areas with fewer speakers. The percentage of Welsh speakers between the ages of 3 and 15 is about 25%, higher than the percentage in the whole population. If this trend continues it implies a growth in numbers of Welsh speakers in the future.
English has borrowed a small number of words from Welsh, including Corgi, Eisteddfod and probably Penguin!
Welsh has 28 letters - 7 vowels (A,E,I,O,U,W,Y) and 21 consonants (B,C,CH,D,DD,F,FF,G,NG,H,L,LL,M,N,P,PH,R,RH,S,T,TH). There are 7 digraphs - 'double symbol letters' - such as FF and RH. There is no indefinite article. Participles can be conjugated. Initial letters of words can change in certain circumstances ('Treigladau') in the same way as occurs in other modern Celtic languages.
Welsh is very phonetic and words are pronounced as spelt.
