Acceso usuarios
Mireia Galindo Solé
Polls taken to determine the public¿s knowledge of Welsh over the last century indicate the language has taken a clear step backward. English has replaced Welsh in many areas. It is the language of modernity and the economy, while Welsh is the language of the home and of culture. Industrialization, migrations and literacy are some of the causes that explain the phenomenon.
Nevertheless, a series of measures implemented over the last 30 years has stopped the retreat of the Welsh language: its legal recognition, its introduction in the curriculum, and the development of Welsh-language mass media. It is hoped that the 2001 census will reflect a slight increase in knowledge of the language, an increase that is taking place among the younger generation. Nevertheless, the increase is basically due to new speakers who speak Welsh as a second or third language. Intergenerational transmission continues to decrease and currently only 8.6 % of Welsh speakers learn the language in the family environment. Only 3 % of the homes with children use it as a first language.
The language policies implemented thus far aim to improve knowledge, and especially in recent years, increase use. The objective is for Wales to be bilingual, for the population to view the language as a second possibility and as a right. The Board for the Welsh Language, created in 1993, conducts various language promotion campaigns, offers translation services and publishes vocabulary pamphlets. The social use of Welsh, however, has not increased, and it would be a good idea to pay more attention to the Welsh-speaking minority in order to ensure transmission of the language to future generations.
