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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Europe > United Kingdom > Welsh

Welsh

A language of United Kingdom

ISO 639-3: cym

Population  508,000 in United Kingdom (1991 census). 575,102 in 1971; 32,700 monolinguals, 542,402 bilinguals (1971 census). Population total all countries: 537,870.
Region  North, west, south Wales. Also in Argentina, Canada, United States.
Language map  Ireland and United Kingdom
Alternate names   Cymraeg
Dialects  Northern Welsh, Southern Welsh, Patagonian Welsh.
Classification  Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Brythonic
Language use  Official language. 19% of the Welsh population speak it; 33% understand it (1998). The Royal National Eisteddfod meets annually. 44,600 between 5 and 9 years old, 47,100 between 10 and 14 years old (1991). 88% of those questioned say they should be proud of Welsh, and it should be treated equally with English. Parents choosing a Welsh-medium education for their children increasing.
Language development  525 Welsh primary and secondary schools provide Welsh-medium education to over 82,000 children (1999). Compulsory in most Welsh schools. Magazines. Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1588–1988.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  VSO.

Also spoken in:

Argentina

Language name   Welsh
Population  25,000 in Argentina (1998 A. Leaver).
Region  Patagonia, Chubut Territory.
Dialects  Patagonian Welsh.
Language use  L1 and L2 speakers (1998) since around 1891. Also use Spanish.
 

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BLACK, Cheryl A., author. 2009. Review of: Principles and parameters in a VSO language: a case study in Welsh, by Ian G. Roberts.  Available online

CAHILL, Michael, author. 2005. Review of: Spoken here: travels among threatened languages, by Mark Abley.