Sorry to be argumentative, but I think this is a bit of an ignorant take. For hundreds of years the English have been “having a say” in the affairs of the Welsh language, both actively and passively. What’s to say that the language shouldn’t be taken back and encouraged, however small of a step?
I am not all that well versed with the history compared to some (some things in the past were far more brutal), but from my own personal experience the Welsh language has been wiped from my family within two generations. From being a first language to the current generation knowing almost nothing. This is down to Welsh being portrayed as a peasants language and from this my grandmother refused to pass any of it down, or even speak to her neighbours in it despite them talking to her in Cymraeg.
Comparing Welsh to German I feel is also a poor comparison. Welsh is a native language and has been spoken here longer than English has. This very article is in the ‘Wales’ section too so aimed at Welsh people. Despite the majority of Wales speaking English today, most people will still understand some words and appreciate it being used.
Sorry to be argumentative, but I think this is a bit of an ignorant take. For hundreds of years the English have been “having a say” in the affairs of the Welsh language, both actively and passively. What’s to say that the language shouldn’t be taken back and encouraged, however small of a step?
I am not all that well versed with the history compared to some (some things in the past were far more brutal), but from my own personal experience the Welsh language has been wiped from my family within two generations. From being a first language to the current generation knowing almost nothing. This is down to Welsh being portrayed as a peasants language and from this my grandmother refused to pass any of it down, or even speak to her neighbours in it despite them talking to her in Cymraeg.
Comparing Welsh to German I feel is also a poor comparison. Welsh is a native language and has been spoken here longer than English has. This very article is in the ‘Wales’ section too so aimed at Welsh people. Despite the majority of Wales speaking English today, most people will still understand some words and appreciate it being used.
To me this feels like "to correct the wrongs if the past we have to commit more wrongs today"which I always disagree with.
Welsh speaking is on the up, which is a good thing, but it’s doing so by giving it the status and support any official language would have.