The Welsh Language
Welsh is one of the few Celtic languages still spoken, with possibly the greatest number of speakers. The natural communities of Welsh speakers can be found most obviously in Wales, but also in a small colony in Patagonia (in the Chubut province of Argentina). There are also many Welsh speakers elsewhere, particularly in England, Australia and the United States of America.
Today, around 30% of all people in Wales speak Welsh fluently. According to the 2001 Census, 5427 (roughly 9.5%) of the people in Merthyr Tydfil said they had some ability to speak Welsh compared to 4238 in the 1991 Census (roughly 7.4%), so the language is very much a living language.
Most Welsh-speakers live in the north and west of the country. There are several dialects of Welsh, most audibly north and south. The language continues to flourish within Wales - thanks to Welsh-medium education, a lively media industry and the enthusiasm of people living in Wales. The rights of the language have also been helped by bilingual and language policies made law by Parliament and the Welsh Assembly Government.
The spoken language is lyrical, flowing and poetic in sound. The written language can be difficult to get to grips with, due to its unique use of mutations and complex grammatical constructions !
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The visitor to Wales and Merthyr Tydfil is unlikely to have to speak any Welsh, but an understanding of the language will make a trip more enjoyable. For businesses, the use of Welsh, together with English, is seen as giving a clear competitive edge in helping to win new customers. It gives an advantage when dealing with Welsh-speaking customers and for non-Welsh-speaking customers, seeing and hearing Welsh adds a sense of difference and is a talking point.
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council is committed to bilingualism and aims to offer its customers the choice of communicating in either English or Welsh, where practical. MTCBC has started to build close links with Menter Iaith and other Welsh-speaking groups in the County Borough, and supports them in their Welsh Language initiatives. There are two Welsh-medium primary schools in the Borough, with roughly 1000 pupils attending. As the County Borough does not have a Welsh-medium secondary school, pupils make the short journey to the nearby Welsh-medium secondary school in the Cynon Valley. MTCBC offers staff free language courses in Welsh to increase the number of bilingual staff available.
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Our Revised Welsh Language Scheme is now available for consultation.
For any queries or for further information, please contact us at:
Improvement Planning, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, Civic Centre, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AN.
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