What is Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg?

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) is a pressure group campaigning for the future of the Welsh language. Established in 1962, they believe in non-violent direct action. Ithe course of their campaigns over a thousand people have appeared before the courts for their part in these campaigns, many receiving prison sentences. These campaigns have resulted in many gains for the language, including two Welsh language acts , bilingual road signs, and the establishing of S4C, the Welsh language television channel.

"Cymdeithas" is a voluntary movement entirely dependent on its members and supporters to run its campaigns. Two full-time members of staff are employed at their head office in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.

According to the census of 1991, 18.7% of the people of Wales spoke Welsh. This percentage varies according to locality: 67.3% of the people of Gwynedd speak Welsh, whereas only 2.3% do so in Monmouthshire. However other studies have put the figure for the percentage of people in Wales with some degree of fluency at 24%. No figures are available for the numbers of speakers outside Wales, although these are thought to be substantial. Welsh is also on the increase in the former Welsh settlement of Patagonia, Argentina, where the language is still spoken in some communities.

2001 Census

The numbers of Welsh speakers rose for the first time in the 2001 census, due to the popularity of Welsh-medium education and the numbers of adults learning the language. However, Welsh is still declining as a community language with only 3% of Welsh children brought up in homes where both parents are Welsh-speaking.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg today

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg are campaigning for the language in many fields: education, media and culture, planning, local authorities. At present they are calling for a new Welsh Language Act which covers the many fields ignored by previous legislation passed in 1993: e.g. telecommunications, the private sector.

Welsh as the official language of Wales

Welsh is not at present the official language of Wales, in the opinion of Cymdeithas yr Iaith. The Welsh Language Act of 1993 declared that Welsh should be treated on the basis of equality with English. However this falls short of what is needed and they are calling for Welsh and English to be declared official languages in Wales. The lack of official status means that the Welsh language misses out on many crucial European grants .

Is Welsh used widely?

Welsh is used in every imaginable field: education at all levels, businesses, local authorities, media, publishing, health and the voluntary sector. Both Welsh and English are spoken in the National Assembly for Wales: however Cymdeithas is pressing for more politicians to use Welsh in the chamber.