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Culture

Only 18% oppose the Welsh Government's one million Welsh speakers target

By NationCymru
Picture by Working Word (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Only 18% of people oppose the Welsh Government's target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050, according to a new survey by YouGov.

The poll of 1086 adults in Wales, carried out between 25th February and 1st March this year, suggests widespread acceptance and support for revitalising the language.

37% said they did not have strong feelings either way about the one million Welsh speaker target, while 38% said they supported the aim.

More Conservative Westminster voters however opposed than supported the efforts, by a narrow margin of 30% to 27%, while Labour and Plaid Cymru voters were 46/15% and 77/3% supportive compared to opposed.

Mid Wales had most in favour at 40% while the South East had the highest percentage opposed at 21%.

The one million Welsh speakers by 2050 target was set in July 2017. It also sets out a target to double the percentage of people that speak Welsh on a daily basis from 10% to 20% by 2050.

But the Welsh Government has attracted criticism since then by some who say that little has been done to meet that aim. The Culture, Welsh Language and Communications found in 2017 that “considerable additional resources and clear targets” would be needed to reach the target.

The Senedd's research unit however noted last year that "the data shows limited progress to date – while the number of secondary school teachers able to teach in Welsh remained broadly consistent between 2016 and 2020, the number of primary school teachers able to teach in Welsh has declined slightly."

The 2021 Cenus will likely reignite the debate as it will suggest whether the Welsh Government is on track to meet its aim, after the 2001 census saw a slight drop in the overall number of Welsh speakers.

"If the Census 2021 data shows an increase in the number of Welsh speakers, it will provide some vindication for the ambition and targets set in Cymraeg 2050," the Senedd's research unit said.

"A decrease will only intensify pressure on the next Welsh Government to consider a different approach."

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16 comments

Cathy Hill

I'm hoping to be one of those million. I've started a Duolingo for now and I will do a classroom course in due time. Our language is beautiful, hard to learn and should be revitalised so we can share it with the world.

Reply
Stephen Owen

Da iawn chi

Reply
Gareth

Pob hwyl yn ddysgu

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I.Humphrys

Wonder who the 18% are? Never mind, onward and upward!

Reply
Cai Wogan Jones

A reasonable target would be universal bilingualism. Certainly among children. Why should any child be denied access to our nation's cultural life and heritage in either of our national languages?

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Grayham Jones

Welsh is the first language in wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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Y Cymro

Whether you like it or not Cymraeg is the first language not only of Wales but Britain too being the native tongue there before Germanic Saxon arrived, which later developed into what we know as English in the late 10th century when it became the predominant tongue spoken due to invasion & language cleansing. And I know some prefer to whitewash history opting to use Trumpian alternative facts to suit their narrative. But English is not a British language, never will be, truth be told.

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Richard

Welsh is the national treasurer we are custodians for - we will be judged by future generations and the history books 📖 on our actions - or inactions…. ….whether we speak it as our first or second language or just understand a few words .. we are all complicit - even the 18 per cent.

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CommonSense

This is education?

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Y Cymro

Although this YouGov poll is encouraging regarding the Welsh Government's wish to have 1M Welsh speakers by 2050, also feel a sense of sadness for the 18% who are so indifferent, hostile even, to the idea that they want to deny future generations yet to be born the opportunity to speak their native language. As no amount of money can replace a language when it's gone. And we forget. Our landscape itself has been shaped by the Welsh language, as long before writing Wales and Britain as a whole was effectively the pages of a vast book where our ancestors recorded our native Welsh history. Also having knowledge of basic Welsh is essential to pronounce place names properly.

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Ieuan Evans

Lets concentrate on ignoring people like you.

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Richard

Ieuan - ignoring 18 per cent is not an option - whether its the 18 per cent first language Welsh speakers or the 18 per cent who would be happy to see it pass into history.. We must move forward with the 88 per cent approval rate but have a regard to communicate and explain to all our nation… o môn i mynwy….

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Cynan

Hmmmm coincidentally roughly equivalent to the proportion of English immigrants in our population

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Mark drakeford

Duolingo apparently removing welsh?

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Richard

Gosh - just where do you get this stuff from ? A job in the Kremlin PR Dep next ?

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Cynan

Oh it's Paul. He claims it's a "spoof" account

Reply

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Replying to Cathy Hill Cancel

I'm hoping to be one of those million. I've started a Duolingo for now and I will do a classroom course in due time. Our language is beautiful, hard to learn and should be revitalised so we can share it with the world.

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