[lg policy] Wales: Royal Assent for official status of Welsh language

[Dave Sayers]

The 'official' question was one that heavily occupied the debate behind 
the Welsh Language Measure ('Measure' = Welsh law). Here's a report of 
part of that debate from Dec 2010:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2010/12/spot_the_link.html

Here's a record of when official status was being tinkered with in the 
proposed legislation:

http://www.assemblywales.org/summary_of_amendments_wl.pdf#page=9

...and here's the relevant bit on 'official status' in the version of 
the legislation as passed:

http://www.assemblywales.org/welsh_language_measure_as_passed-e.pdf#page=12

Notably, although this requires Welsh to be treated 'no less favourably 
than English', it nevertheless 'does not affect the status of the 
English language in Wales.'

As for the Western Mail, yes this is the only Wales-wide newspaper - not 
to be confused with The Western Telegraph, which serves only 
Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire (in South-West Wales). The Western 
Mail is no relation of the Daily Mail; there are no Welsh editions of 
UK-wide papers (as there are in Scotland). This dearth is a bugbear for 
many.

Dave

--
Dr. Dave Sayers
Honorary Research Fellow
College of Arts & Humanities
and Language Research Centre
Swansea University
dave.sayers at cantab.net
http://swansea.academia.edu/DaveSayers/About


On 19:59, Damien Hall wrote:
> The Queen has given Royal Assent to the Welsh Language Measure, which 
> (to paraphrase this Western Mail article) gives official status to 
> Welsh. The article doesn't make it clear, but I believe the Measure 
> was adopted by the Welsh Assembly (Wales' regional legislative 
> assembly, which holds certain powers delegated from the UK 
> Parliament). Royal Assent is the final, ceremonial stage for all UK 
> laws, which actually gives them legal force.
>
> Wikipedia
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales#Languages
>
> says that Welsh and English (presumably before this Measure's 
> adoption) had 'equal status in Wales'; I'm not sure what the 
> difference is between this and Welsh now being official in Wales. The 
> UK as a whole doesn't actually have any languages legally defined as 
> official. I got this newspaper article through @hyperlingo on Twitter, 
> and have asked the Twitterverse for clarification of the difference, 
> but haven't had any yet, probably because this is the weekend. I also 
> directed my tweet at the Welsh Assembly, so I will pass on any 
> clarification I get. Maybe people here will be able to help?
>
> I think that despite its name, the Western Mail, from which this 
> article comes, is the main newspaper in Wales. To me, this has always 
> been a bit surprising, as the paper's name refers explicitly to the 
> fact that Wales is a Western part of the United Kingdom; and yet the 
> paper obviously often covers affairs that are explicitly internal to 
> Wales and have nothing to do with the broader UK context, and also 
> (nationalist) affairs that are explicitly antithetical to the broader 
> UK context.
>
> Article URL:
>
> http://j.mp/WelshOfficialInWales
>
> Royal Assent for official status of Welsh language
>
>    * by James McCarthy, Western Mail
>    * Feb 12 2011
>
> POWERS confirming the official status of Welsh received Royal Assent 
> yesterday.
>
> The Welsh Language Measure will create the post of language 
> commissioner and ensure services can be provided in Welsh.
>
> Approval for the controversial measure - which has been criticised for 
> not going far enough by language campaigners - was granted following a 
> meeting of the Privy Council.
>
> Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said: "The Welsh language is a 
> source of great pride for the people of Wales, whether they speak it 
> or not, and I am delighted that this measure has now become law.
>
> "I am very proud to have steered legislation through the Assembly 
> which confirms the official status of the Welsh language, which 
> creates a strong advocate for Welsh speakers and will improve the 
> quality and quantity of services available through the medium of Welsh."
>
> Bethan Williams, chair of language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith 
> Gymraeg, gave a mixed response to the move.
>
> She said: "Through this measure we have won official status for the 
> language and that has been warmly welcomed. But there was a core 
> principle missing in the law passed by the Assembly before Christmas.
>
> "It doesn't give language rights to the people of Wales in every 
> aspect of their lives. Despite that, an amendment to that effect was 
> supported by 18 Assembly Members from three different parties, and 
> that was a significant step forward."
>
> She claimed defects in the law would become apparent.
>
> "Our intention as campaigners is to call for new legislation in the 
> next Assembly - legislation that would empower citizens by bestowing 
> rights for people to see, hear, learn and use the language in their 
> communities, right across Wales," she added.
>
> "I believe that everyone who wants to access services in the Welsh 
> language should be able to do so, and that is what this government has 
> worked towards.
>
> "This legislation is an important and historic step forward for the 
> language, its speakers and for the nation."
>
> Read More 
> http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/02/12/royal-assent-for-official-status-of-welsh-language-91466-28159012/#ixzz1DqA8rPdU
>
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