How the Welsh language was almost lost | Union with David Olusoga - BBC

[@earthybond1327]

This topic holds deep personal significance for me. Both my grandmother and grandfather endured the painful experience of being punished for speaking Welsh in school. Consequently, Welsh was not passed down to my mother, and I, regrettably, never had the opportunity to learn it in school, as it only became compulsory in 1995-the year I graduated. It's disheartening to realize that the very year Welsh education became mandatory, I had already left school. Now, at the age of 46, I find myself actively learning Welsh. Moreover, I am in the process of creating a performance art piece that explores the lingering trauma inflicted on my family due to the suppression of our mother tongue. The act of silencing a language, the denial of one's heritage, and the potential epigenetic implications on how this suppression may have been transmitted through our DNA to affect my own life are central themes in my artistic expression. I'm grateful that the BBC is addressing this issue, shedding light on a narrative that has long been overlooked. Personally, I believe Welsh should be included in the curriculum in England-a stance that opens up a separate but relevant debate. In any case, I'm encouraged to see this important subject gaining attention and recognition.

[@cymro6537]

Might I ask ,when did your grandparents attend school ,and where in Wales was this?

[@austineaustine9570]

David Olusoga is the historian in this documentary. It’s his work through the bbc

[@gordon1545]

The Welsh language was not almost lost. The Welsh language was almost killed. Never stop fighting the forces of cultural blandness.

[@mary-y8x8h]

'Welsh Not'- a means of punishment to wear it if you dared to speak Welsh at school. My Welsh speaking grand mother would often have it put around her neck and then be caned for not using English.

[@OptimisticDa]

Once English always racist

[@Secretname951]

@OptimisticDa I’m pretty sure it was the Welsh themselves who wanted to make what they saw as the higher status language more popular, the English really don’t mind what you speak

[@OptimisticDa]

@Secretname951 hmm, have you read the blue books scandal?

[@Secretname951]

@ interesting, regardless of any antipathy from the rest of Britain about Welsh language and culture the main responsibility and agency lay with the Welsh themselves,

[@caliburncymro7988]

The Welsh language has Brythonic roots that go back thousands of years. In the 4th century BC a Greek mariner Pithaeus sailed around the British Isles and said that the natives called their land "Pritaen." We still do, it's Prydain in Welsh. That's remarkably close after 2½ thousand years.. And the P is mutated after "to" and "from" to o Brydain and I Brydain - hence "Britain".

[@pennyjones4954]

My Great Grandfather was beaten and humiliated at school for daring to speak his own language. He vowed that his children would never suffer the same way that he and his friends had, so he never taught them to speak Welsh. In the years before he died, he suffered a stroke. Lost his ability to speak in English, thereby losing his ability to communicate with his children.

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

So he compounded the vile act by accepting his children’s life would be difficult and er go decided to abandon his and his children’s culture. We are just as guilty for our part in accepting Englands narrative on the language.

[@stuartpittard3153]

My father and his cousin were caught speaking Welsh in school, just a few words and they were caned and made to stand at the front at assembly and made to apologize to their fellow pupils, this was 1938. @@WalesTheTrueBritons

[@Secretname951]

@WalesTheTrueBritons I’d say you’re only people who are guilty

[@chuckgriffith4539]

Great story!! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 I did not know of these books..I will now be inspired to reach out to my relatives and learn more.

[@vincain5273]

A language is more than just a means to communicate. Languages are tied to history and culture, they are part of the foundation of national and even personal identity. The people who talk languages like Welsh down and the efforts to keep them alive, are largely monolingual and can only look at it from a skewed 'functional' perspective. It's like saying: we already have one type of food, why do we need any others? they will just get in our way!

[@andrewjones-productions]

They are not just called 'The Blue Books', but are commonly referred to as 'Brad Y Llyfrau Gleision' (Treachery of the Blue Books). They may have been published in 1847, but they are still commonly referred to in Wales. Especially amongst the Welsh speakers. They are not so much iconic, but have a notorious and infamous place in the history of Wales. What was not mentioned in this clip was the ensuing educational policy that disallowed the use of Welsh by schoolchildren. I heard first hand as a child from my great-grandmother who was asked by her classmate in Welsh, "What did the teacher say?" and she translated. She was caned for speaking the language. The irony being that my great-grandmother's father was English and her mother Welsh. They both died at an early age, which meant that my grandmother came to live with her aunt in Wales. She was bilingual, which meant that she understood the teacher. This was an official Westminster policy and if it were to happen today anywhere in the World, it would be called out at the United Nations and possibly even referred to as cultural genocide. A horrific ordeal for children in Wales of that age and yet another despicable and shameful blot on UK history.

[@earthybond1327]

my grand mother was also caned.

[@gandolfthorstefn1780]

Diolch yn fawr iawn for sharing your story. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@augnkn93043]

There was no official policy. Please read Martin Johnes (the historian being interviewed) new book “The Welsh Not” which is free to download in pdf form because it’s open access.

[@mariannehancock8282]

Unfortunately, the prejudice continues today. In an article the Times saw fit to publish, Rod Liddle mocked Welsh for having 'no true vowels'. Reality check:Welsh has more vowels than English.

[@marlostanly6650]

I was adopted at birth to a family in Louisiana. I recently did my ancestry and I am Welsh. Welsh! 🤗🤓

[@SakuraTempura]

I'm sorry to hear of your tragic news. I hope you can come to terms with it and try and live a normal life as a result.

[@jackieroberts7895]

Cymru am byth

[@marlostanly6650]

@@SakuraTempura this was my first time to be (comedically 💛😄) insulted as Welsh! I loved it! So, thank you. We Welsh are thick skinned! 💛😀

[@jackieroberts7895]

​@@SakuraTempura racist

[@judylearn7971]

Llongyfarchiadau! Congratulations!

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

Yeah, The people of Wales have often been spat on and then told it’s Drinking water. The same old excuses, like loosing your language is for your own good etc. The reason why the language was to be made redundant is so that modern Brits lose the history that goes with the language. Place names, Stories, events and people etc will be lost forever.

[@GamerRangerX]

the death of a language is the dead of a people,tradition and heritage

[@alynwillams4297]

Look at Cornwall. That’s what the English establishment want of Wales.

[@reinadegrillos]

Happens the same with Catalan in Spain, that takes Catalan language is a threat and that is one of the reasons for the repression.

[@paulherman5822]

Very similar to the treatment of the Native American peoples by the US government, the British destroyed the Cornish language. The Welsh were fortunate.

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

No, not the British. The term British is now a collective meaning any and all nations on the island of Britain. Previously in history it meant the Britons who the English would come to call “Welsh”. So it wasn’t the British who did damage to the language. It was the UK government!

[@Knappa22]

Not fortunate - tenacious and determined to survive.

[@paperflowers-ks6vv]

Cornwall was conquered by the Saxons which contributed to the loss of language, nothing to do with the government. Wales managed to hold off invasion until much later on. The government tried to eradicate the Welsh language.

[@jackieroberts7895]

The english think welsh learning their own language is a hobby , condescending

[@alynwillams4297]

No. What we are is horrible reminder to them that they’re not actually British. And there language and culture is not native. They absolutely hate it.

[@kso8554]

Where can we learn Welsh? I think it is good to learn more languages.

[@danakitchen2729]

Duolingo has it! It’s free! 🫶🏼😊👍🏽

[@jasonisnotarobot8811]

I've been using Duolingo for nearly three years, I reckon it's one of the most accessible ways of picking some Welsh up

[@johnboyce8279]

Search for saysomethinginwelsh. All one word.

[@tomo366]

Say something in welsh is a good course

[@gandolfthorstefn1780]

Colloquial Welsh is a good self study course with free audio download. Hwyl 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@jamallaidley4718]

Nice

[@ticketyboo2456]

Suprised the Welsh Not school system is not mentioned.

[@barrythomas1336]

Brad y Llyfrau Gleision is remembered in Wales

[@nikolaitregouet]

At least the Welsh language lives on. Breton, Gaelic and Irish are pretty much dying…

[@cymro6537]

As uncomfortable as the truth is ,the Welsh themselves are as much to blame for the loss of their own language - in many families it was fazed out : The grandparents, able speak it , their children unable to speak it but would understand most of it , the grandchildren - monoglot English speaking. The Welsh historian in this clip, Professor Martin Johnes is a prime example - he's Welsh speaking - but his children ? English-speaking only.

[@timboyle5424]

I don’t know Martin Johnes. If he is Welsh-speaking and his children are not, that is a very unusual situation. Far more common these days, parents are not Welsh-speaking, their children are.

[@cymro6537]

@@timboyle5424 A couple of years ago,I heard him being interviewed on a Welsh language Radio program called _Beti a'i phobl_ - an equivalent to _Desert island discs_ English is his first language - he learnt Welsh at a Welsh medium school. As English is his mother tongue, one wouldn't expect Welsh to be the language of the home. But usually,if a person attends a Welsh language school,the pattern is usually repeated years later with his or her offspring following the same path of education. He's written some great work and has also presented Welsh history TV programmes highlighting - even championing the history of the Welsh language. So, hearing about his children _not_ being able to speak Welsh seemed to me to be rather peculiar....

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

I agree. We often take to Englands narrative on our culture whole heartedly. All so we can have an easily life, which to me is the most ridiculous reason to abandon one’s culture.

[@SummaGirl1347]

This has to be acknowledged, as sad as it is. I remember watching videos from the last PoW investiture where local people were interviewed about their feelings about the Welsh language and its part in the ceremonies. Many of the young people called their own national language "daft" and "useless". And, of course, many of the most famous Welshmen alive today speak other European languages but, not Welsh. I think the Victorians would have been very proud of how well the Blue Books and the resulting legislation accomplished their mission.

[@paperflowers-ks6vv]

I think it's very easy to make judgements, but try and imagine what it was like 'back then', basically the fear of economic isolation due to the Welsh language. Being told that the language made them 'immoral' Also, mass migration from England was the biggest language killer, not the Blue Books. Mixed marriages where the kids were raised in English. I don't know why we ignore that blatantly obvious truth? There's a good reason why the south is so Anglicised, compared with the north. And sadly, the descendants of these English migrants who are so often anti-Welsh language. (not just self-hating Welsh). My English mother learned Welsh so that we could be raised bilingually. Shame on all the English migrants who married Welsh partners and didn't respect their native language.

[@diki1967]

The English really did the Welsh a favour. They should be thanking us.

[@KendallM0219]

Your kidding me.

[@stevengarside]

Why are you silent on Gaza David? You haven't uttered a word of moral outrage against Israel's racial genocide. I thought you were one of the good guys. Turns out you are a just a MSM careerist.