Introduction
In practice, even though it is not stated in the constitution, English is the official language of the United Kingdom. It is used in all official circumstances, as most people are familiar with it. Minority languages are most commonly heard in northern Scotland and Wales, where regional languages are spoken. English has not always been the UK’s official language. Other languages were already spoken on the continent before the arrival of the French or Germanic people, with English still spoken today, albeit in a different form. Such languages include Scots and Welsh, spoken by the two communities analyzed in this essay.
Scots is the second most widely spoken language in Scotland, after English. It has been significantly influenced by English and is spoken by approximately 1.5 million people (Chalmers, 2021). Welsh is another popular language in the UK, almost as popular as Scots. According to the 2011 census, this language is spoken by over half a million people in the UK (Sebba, 2019; The Migration Observatory, 2014). The communities in Stornoway and Swansea have several similarities and differences in the language displayed on the streets.
Stornoway: Begin Outside Town, Walking South Along A857
Since prehistoric times, Scotland has had a distinct cultural identity within the United Kingdom. However, there does not appear to be enough evidence to support the notion that language plays a significant role in forming identity. A small but distinct number of people in this part of the United Kingdom speak Scots. The Scots language has had a significant influence on the country’s political and cultural history. People in Stornoway speak both English and Scots, as illustrated by the combined use of these languages in commercial buildings and billboards. Additionally, other languages, such as Chinese, are also used on billboards, albeit insignificantly.
A walk through the streets shows that Stornoway places a significant value on the Scots language. Many billboards along the roads show information in two languages. This reveals that the government acknowledges the community comprises both English and Scots speakers. As a result, displaying information in one language may affect a large group of people and lead to misdirection and road accidents. It is noted that the Scots language is closely related to English in pronunciation. There are several reasons why Stornoway may have this bilingual nature. For a long time before Scotland became a part of the United Kingdom, Scots was the language of governance.
Scots and English, therefore, share the same ancestors because they are both of West Germanic and Anglo-Saxon origin. The similarities between the two languages are mainly due to their joint use in the past. Scots has been employed in writing since the late 1400s for literary, administrative, and judicial purposes (Sebba, 2019). Scots were the most recognized by the law and were popular until the seventeenth century.
Although few people speak Scots, authors, politicians, teachers, and others who enjoy the language are enthusiastic about it (Sebba, 2019). Some displays contain the Scottish language only, indicating that the language is gaining popularity and there is hope that it might eventually overtake English in this particular community. Because the public supports a separate legal system, there may be a strong case for restoring Scots as the official language. Scotland’s rich political history has likely influenced how people think about and perceive the law. In politics, culture, and everyday life, Scots is considered a valid aspect of regional identity in Stornoway.
Swansea: St. Helen’s Rd., Walking Northeast
Since each country has its unique history and origins, its customs and traditions are as diverse as they are distinct, and each country has played a distinct role in world history. Wales is a country in the UK, west of England, that is comprised of native Welsh people. The inhabitants of Wales are aware that they are distinct from the rest of the United Kingdom, and as a result, they work hard to preserve the Welsh language and culture. Additionally, they highly value learning about the country’s history and the Welsh language.
A walk along St. Helen’s Road in Swansea, one of the cities in Wales, reveals the use of both English and Welsh in billboards and buildings along the route. Almost all billboards on the roadside display information first in English and then translated into Welsh. This highlights that most Welsh people want to preserve their history.
While they have had opportunities to learn English, they choose to speak the Welsh language. The same assesses the message that legal institutions, such as the Ministry of Transport, value and support the Welsh people in preserving their originality. Instead of using one language in the stresses, they consider all inhabitants to use both languages.
Wales has undergone significant changes as a result of several pivotal historical events. The Welsh descended from the Celtic people and have faced numerous foreign invasions throughout the centuries. These invasions have had a devastating impact on the country’s political, social, and cultural development. The Romans forced the Welsh to become Christians, the Normans altered the governance structure, and the English kings and queens eventually annexed Wales (Jones & Lewis, 2019).
Due to their history with the English and the global expansion of globalization, it is challenging for the Welsh to preserve their distinct culture and language. However, the Welsh government recognizes the need to preserve Welsh culture and language for the country’s future. Welsh political parties devise new measures to promote and safeguard Welsh culture yearly.
These broadcasts often discuss the Welsh people’s diverse cultural roots and how the country has evolved over time. The screenshots taken from the walk along St. Helens Road demonstrate the value placed on both Welsh and English languages, not only in Swansea but also throughout Wales.
Quantitative Analysis
A walk through Swansea reveals that around nine in every ten written messages on posters, commercial buildings, or road signs contain both English and Welsh. The case differs in Stornoway, where approximately four in every ten people speak both English and Scots. According to data retrieved from the 2011 census, the population distributions in these areas are as shown below (The Migration Observatory, 2014; The Migration Observatory, 2013).
The data show that Scotland has fewer new inhabitants than Wales, and the same is the case in Swansea, which had 17,233 foreign-born residents (The Migration Observatory, 2014). Analysis indicates that Swansea should be doing worse in retaining local languages, but that is not the case. The current findings can therefore be supported by the extensive promotion of Welsh language education in Swansea compared to Scots in Stornoway.
Table 1 – Population of Scotland and Wales
Comparison
The two communities analyzed have several similarities and a few differences. Firstly, the communities value their original languages and are continuously fighting to retain their culture, even with resistance to the continued use of the English language. In both communities, the governments have allowed the use of English and Welsh in Swansea and Scots in Stornoway, respectively.
Furthermore, the national governments have allowed the inclusion of these languages in schools to promote their use and appreciation. Research shows businesses have also accepted the languages used in advertising and displaying customer information. They, therefore, have institutional support, and those who use them are passionate about it and ready to fight to retain their language.
The Welsh language has a long history and remains dominant due to the country’s low immigration rate. According to the Migration Observatory (2014), Wales had only 5.5% of its inhabitants born outside the UK. The settlers, therefore, have a good knowledge of the language and understand its value. However, they have faced several challenges as they defend their language against political forces.
For instance, when Henry VIII signed the Act of Union, giving England dominion over Wales, Welsh became unlawful to use and was removed from the list of official languages. Learning English was critical for social and economic mobility. The second step was to stop teaching Welsh in schools. This was done because many believed speaking Welsh impeded Wales’ moral and economic development, and direct actions and political moves averted disaster.
There were sit-ins at government buildings and the writing of Welsh on English road signs as examples of minor acts of civil disobedience. Children in various parts of Wales can learn Welsh in school until they are 16 (Siencyn, 2019). There are numerous TV stations, festivals, and films in Welsh, as well as numerous schools that teach the language. By 2050, there will be twice as many Welsh speakers as there are now (Chalmers, 2021). This is why most street signs in Wales use the Welsh language extensively and sometimes do not translate into English.
The main difference between the two communities is that the local languages are not supported equally. In Stornoway, the national and local governments support the Welsh language more than the Scottish language. In some cases, the Welsh language is used solely on billboards because most of the population speaks Welsh. Research shows that local and national governments in Wales promote bilingualism, aiming for over a million Welsh speakers by 2050 (CASC, n.d.).
A good example is the government-funded programs that provide opportunities for young people to learn the Welsh language. In addition to providing opportunities, the government and other associated groups encourage parents. Some schools have allowed students to sit for Exams in the Welsh language, contributing to the rising popularity of the language in Swansea (CASC, n.d).
This also explains why some boards and commercial posts are available only in the Welsh language. Some people can only speak Welsh and have chosen to do the same for their children, taking them to schools where the Welsh language is upheld. Based on the findings from Swansea, the English language may lose its superiority over time, not only in Swansea but also throughout Wales.
Stornoway presents a slightly different picture of the government’s support for local languages. As a result, research shows that a small number of people speak the local languages in Scotland, especially Scottish Gaelic. However, Scots is popular in Stornoway, and hence there is an increased use in commercial buildings and on posts along the roads. The Scottish government recognizes the value and richness of the Scots language in the state. This is mainly because it is widely used in songs, poetry, and literature, and hence cannot be ignored (Scottish Government, 2015).
As a result, the government supports communities in preserving the language and passing it on to the next generation. However, the support is minimal as English dominates most institutions and education systems. Stornoway has other languages, such as Chinese, displayed in buildings, though in a few instances. The Stornoway community is, therefore, more diverse than the Swansea community.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both communities value the use of local languages and are passionate about retaining them. However, a closer look reveals that the Swansea community is more determined, as evidenced by its extensive use and government support. The government has seen their efforts and heard the advocates for the language, hence the support.
Conversely, the Stornoway community is fighting for the language, but the rest of Scotland does not appear to share a similarly passionate stance. It is, therefore, possible that Swansea may excel in preserving the Welsh language while English overtakes Scots in the near future. This threat is more prevalent due to the increased impact of technology and globalization, which brings people from different cultural backgrounds together.
References
Chalmers, D. (2021). The Futures of Scottish Gaelic under the Microscope.
Cyngor Abertawe Swansea Council (CASC). (n.d). Welsh-medium education in Swansea. Web.
Jones, R., & Lewis, H. (2019). Wales and the Welsh Language: Setting the Context. In New Geographies of Language (pp. 95-145). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Scottish Government. (2015). Scots language policy: Scots version. Web.
Sebba, M. (2019). Named into being? Language questions and the politics of Scots in the 2011 census in Scotland. Language Policy, 18(3), 339-362.
Siencyn, S. W. (2019). Early years’ provision for young children in Wales: History, challenges, and the Welsh language. TEANGA, the Journal of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics, 10, 19-37.
The Migration Observatory. (2013). Scotland: Census profile. Web.
The Migration Observatory. (2014). Wales: Census profile. Web.