Legislation Committee No 5
The Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Welsh Language) Order 2009
Consultation Response
IG70(i) Anonymous
Committee Taking Evidence Re LCO Welsh Language and Reporting to Minister for Heritage WAG
Should the powers to legislate on the Welsh language be transferred from Westminster to Cardiff? Having heard some of the evidence (television coverage) taken by your committee my answer would be an emphatic N0!
This is too major, serious and sensitive an issue and one impacting upon the WHOLE OF the UK to be at any point in the foreseeable future discussed ONLY in Wales and then legislation passed without reference to the Westminster/UK government. At the very least MPs representing Welsh constituencies should take part in any discussions leading to any future legislation to safeguard the future of the Welsh language. The 6aelic situation within Scotland, over which the Scottish Parliament has control, is of a different order. 6aelic is largely confined to the Western Isles and small parts of the Highlands - well within the Scottish border. As Wales and England share a long border there are common interests such as communications running west to east and cost implications.
There is much ignorance even within Wales regarding the true position of the Welsh language. (Mr Parlour's lack of knowledge and interest ,when he gave evidence on behalf of Rail Enquiries to your Committee would seem to be typical and fairly representative of the general interest most people in Wales and England have in the Welsh language and the National Assembly). All he needed to know and pass on to you was that there was very little demand for Welsh language services in the area he serviced.
The Welsh Assembly would not be seeking an LC0 re the Welsh language were it not seriously intending to pass legislation to further expand the use of the Welsh. This causes fear and apprehension. What are the real intentions? How far will legislation go? Assembly Members, have however, already expressed their desire for the right to legislate on the Welsh language to be transferred from Westminster to Cardiff. I guess that asking the question now whether power should be transferred from Westminster to Wales is a bit late.
A FUTURE SCENARIO: Ron Davies famously said 'devolution is not an event it is a process'. So where is this process taking us as the people of Wales? A process is defined in a dictionary as 'a series of actions directed to achieving a 'result' or 'condition'. The only party with a clear goal in this regard is Plaid Cymru which has published its vision of an Independent Wales. It is unclear what the 'result' other parties have in mind. Therefore visions of a future Wales and the status of Welsh within that Wales which people may have are influenced at the moment by the vision of Plaid Cyrmru and the vision of e.g.Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the evidence given to your committee). What would happen if powers to legislate on the language were solely in Cardiff and Plaid Cymru alone were in government in Wales? Passing laws to further expand and enforce the use of Welsh are naturally perceived to be on the agenda in that case and there are deep concerns.
Where are Fluent Welsh Speakers to Come From?
Given that only around 12% - 13% of the people of Wales speak/ read and write Welsh FLUENTLY - according to figures extracted from the 2001 census by the Welsh Language Board itself , where are the truly bilingual workers to service the continuing requirements for bilingual workers to come from?
Importance of Not Building Up Unrealistic Expectations as to the Possible
Assembly Members from all parties currently have a huge responsibility as they champion the cause of the Welsh language. They must not get carried away by rhetoric when making their speeches on the floor of the debating chamber as they urge more and more use of Welsh in the workplace and as they emphasise the right of Welsh speakers to expect and demand more and more services in the Welsh language. They must not mislead the public and they must not build up unrealistic expectations as to what levels of bilingualism are really achievable. Some Assembly Members, whilst not having mastered the Welsh language themselves, make speeches urging that more Welsh be used by others e.g. in the NHS and Utilities etc. Welsh is a difficult language to master.
Conflicts
Languages can be the cause of HUGE CONFLICT in many countries: witness French in Canada and the position of French and Flemish in Belgium and Euskara in the Spanish Basque region. Within Wales at times, if matters are not handled sensitively, there can be tensions between Welsh medium and English medium education sectors. Letters in the Western Mail show that the so called ' language war' is by no means over as the angry anti more Welsh letters reveal.
Drawing Lessons
It is difficult to draw lessons for legislating for the Welsh language from situations in other countries: French is a majority language in Quebec ( Welsh is not a majority language within Wales) ; Catalan is and was widely spoken in Catalonia / Balearic Islands. Gwynfor Evans himself said that it made no sense for the situation of Welsh to be likened to that in Catalan. The rich and large city of Barcelona is at the heart of Catalonia and Catalan is a Romance language (like Spanish) - a kind of half way between Spanish and French so the processes of deciphering Spanish or Catalan are much easier for the people of Spain than is the case in Wales with Welsh being a Celtic language and English being a Germanic language and from a totally different language group. The Basque situation with the levels of terrorism involved I shall not visit at all. I cannot see that there are lessons for Wales there. I hope not!
Bilingualism/Hybrids
Bilingualism in Wales has not been properly defined yet. Increasingly there is a tendency amongst some Assembly Members to use Welsh words and terms when speaking English: Diolch Llywydd/ birprwy Lywydd; Cymru'n Un ; Tir Gofal Tir Comin. Giving policies/ reports Welsh titles e.g. IAITH PAWB does not really help the Welsh language and non Welsh speakers have no idea what these terms mean - further estranging them from Assembly proceedings!. One language borrows from another when it lacks vocabulary. Clearly this should not be the case here and using Welsh words in English speech will not help the Welsh language.
Help for Communities who Use the Welsh Language
Not all Welsh speakers (native speakers like me or otherwise) are of the opinion that we have a right to expect fluent Welsh speakers to be available at all times providing services etc for us. Many like me are realistic that we are in a minority. Many are happy to be flexible in their language usage and do not require Assembly Members constantly to be demanding language rights on their behalf. More help should be directed to communities where Welsh is still used rather than legislating for the enforcement of the usage everywhere. Languages have their own domains. Welsh has its domains. I can use Welsh at the National Eisteddfod and communicate with friends there; I can speak with family members elsewhere in Wales. I can attend Welsh chapels and Eisteddfodau; I can attend lectures in Welsh and go along to meetings of societies which use Welsh: I buy Welsh language books and periodicals and watch S4C. I cannot see how forcing others to use Welsh helps to support the language. If there is no cultural link between the language and communities it is sterile.
Failure of Compulsory Welsh Teaching in English Medium Schools
The compulsory teaching of Welsh as a second language in English medium schools has been a failure according to ESNN. Forcing pupils to learn Welsh until the age of 16 will not deliver speakers of Welsh and a bilingual Wales.
Problems in the Traditional Heartlands in West Wales
There are linguistic difficulties in many Category A schools in West Wales (Ceredigion Carmarthenshire and North Pembrokeshire) where the quality of the language spoken by some children is very poor indeed. These matters are seldom aired.
The Future
Affording the Welsh language official status and passing laws to enforce its usage will not increase numbers of speakers. What happened to the Irish language should be an example. Further legislation to enforce and expand the use of the Welsh will render it even more deeply embedded as an oft translated but little spoken language. Assembly Members and public bodies in Wales have the luxury of armies of translators to support them. What about the rest of the population? Please think long and hard.
