Saunders Lewis's 1962 lecture predicted the demise of the Welsh language if no action was taken.
Although the role of the government has fundamentally resolved the main contradiction that the Welsh language is gradually disappearing, if the people do not want to inherit the Welsh language and feel that it is a language that does not need to be preserved, then there will not be strong support from the government now, because all this is for For the people of Wales, it's hard to come by.
Since Henry VIII’s Union Act in 1536 officially established Britain’s sovereignty over Wales, Welsh has gradually been banned. [1]If someone accidentally speaks Welsh, they will be discriminated against by people around them. Moreover, the official status of the Welsh language has been cancelled, and people can only use English in work and development, which has resulted in fewer and fewer native speakers. In general families in the UK, children born are not taught to learn Welsh, so Welsh is on the verge of extinction. Welsh children usually receive English education and are often punished for speaking Welsh in school. It is not a punishment used in some schools in Wales. In the 19th century, it may also be the beginning of the 20th century to discourage children from speaking Welsh. It is depicted as a piece of wood with the letters "WN" engraved on it. On the neck of a Welsh child. "No" is given to any child who overhears Welsh, and if they overheard Welsh, they can pass it on to another child. At the end of the day, the wearer of "no" will be punished, usually with caning. However, they will continue to speak Welsh with their families at home. After people realized the seriousness of the problem, people started long-term demonstrations in order to make the government pay attention to their language and protect their own culture that is about to disappear.
The Fate of Language-February 13, 1962
The fate of language is a speech delivered by Saunders Lewis on BBC Radio on February 13, 1962. [2]Saunders Lewis is the former president of Plaid Cymru, and his speech had a profound impact on Welsh-speaking Welsh people.
Sanders Lewis called on Welsh people to refuse to fill out forms, pay taxes and licenses if they cannot do so in Welsh. His view is that in order to save the Welsh language, activists need to be prepared to pay fines and face jail.
1971: Protest against the destruction of the Welsh language trial
In the early 1970s, the Welsh Language Association began campaigning for the Welsh radio and television service.[3] Some protesters refused to buy TV licenses, while others climbed up to the TV mast to cause riots in the TV studio.
After disrupting the court proceedings, the Welsh police had to take the demonstrators away from the entrance of the court.More than 40 people were dragged away from Carmarthen’s Shire Hall, where the circuit court is proceeding with preliminary proceedings against eight members of the Welsh Language Association.The eight people were accused of conspiring to damage, dismantle or destroy English road signs in Wales at a rally in December last year. This case was seen as a major event in the struggle for greater recognition of the Welsh language.
But protesters complained that the police did not allow them to enter public galleries, and they did their best to sing Welsh songs on the sidewalk outside to disrupt the proceedings.At the same time, in the courtroom, Justice Howard is listening to some defendants' applications to hear the case in Carmarthen. He said that the trial is more fair in a Welsh-speaking area.The judge rejected the application and stated that it will start at Glamorgan Assizes in Swansea on Monday, May 3, and will be heard by a Welsh-speaking judge.
One of the defendants, Chairman of the Welsh Language Association, Duffy Iwan, said: "We are here as Welsh. What makes us break the law is that today Welsh cannot be completely in his own language.
Broadcasting authorities are under increasing pressure to provide Welsh language services. In 1977, the BBC established Radio Cymru. There were also plans to establish a separate TV channel for Welsh programming, but in 1979, the Conservative government announced that it would not honor its promise to provide such a channel. So Gwenfer Evans announced that unless the government fulfilled its promise, he would not eat. His threat caused quite a stir, and some people worried that it might lead to a violent campaign. Eventually the government succumbed to pressure and announced in September 1980 that Welsh language programs would be broadcast on the new Channel 4 Sianel Pedwar Cymru (S4C), which was launched in 1982.[4]
So everything that has been hard-won will be inherited and carried forward by the Welsh people themselves. There is nothing more proud of than protecting your own culture!
Reference
[1] Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (2021a, November 21). Laws in wales acts 1535 and 1542. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_in_Wales_Acts_1535_and_1542
[2] Wimhurst, L. (2017, December 18). Wales plans to revive Welsh language with one million speakers by 2050. INews. https://inews.co.uk/news/education/well-million-speaking-welsh-2050-says-government-111469
[3] News, B. (2012, February 13). Welsh language status needs to be improved, BBC survey suggests. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-16985298
[4] BBC ON THIS DAY. (n.d.). 1971: Protest Disrupts Welsh Language Trial. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/27/newsid_2953000/2953265.stm
[5] Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (2021d, December 8). Welsh Language Society. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Language_Society
[6] Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (2021f, December 19). S4C. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S4C
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