Welsh language social media use ‘restricted’ amongst younger folks

Young folks’s attitudes in opposition to the Welsh language are “encouraging” however English is by means of a ways the principle language utilized by youngsters on social media, a document has discovered.

A big majority of Welsh youngsters keep in touch principally via English on social media even if chatting with different Welsh-speakers, in keeping with the document set to be launched on the Urdd Eisteddfod on Friday.

The survey of round 1600 children discovered “limited” use of Welsh by means of youngsters out of doors of faculty, however added it used to be much more likely to be spoken in actions akin to sports activities.

Responding to the document, Welsh Language Commissioner Efa Gruffudd Jones mentioned it highlighted “significant challenges… [but] also identifies opportunities”.

Cai Saunders attends English medium secondary faculty Treorchy Comprehensive in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

He and his buddies, who’re learning Welsh, have a bunch chat the place they follow prior to courses and assessments, the 16-year-old mentioned, talking from this yr’s Eisteddfod year Urdd.

“Sometimes we share things on Instagram or Facebook to show friends and family, but my friends who study A-level have set up a group chat so that we can talk in Welsh.”

Cerys, from Ysgol Gyfun Gwent Is Coed, close to Newport, speaks Welsh together with her circle of relatives.

She mentioned a large number of her buddies went to English faculties and used English out of doors of faculty as a result of their circle of relatives and oldsters “don’t speak Welsh”.

“If there are more places where they are able to speak Welsh, I think more would speak Welsh,” she mentioned.

Mathew Franklin from Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni on Anglesey mentioned he normally blended Welsh and English when speaking with buddies in class.

He mentioned he preferred to talk Welsh, including: “I don’t get a lot of time to speak [Welsh] with my friends.”

Cari Lovelock from Anglesey mentioned she concept it used to be “important” that the more youthful technology use the Welsh language when socialising.

“We are the next generation who are going to promote the language and keep it alive so that we get things like the Eisteddfod and I think that is an important thing,” she mentioned.

Hari ap Llwyd Dafydd from Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, in Caerphilly county, mentioned he speaks English along with his buddies as a result of that’s the house language for plenty of of them.

Although he speaks Welsh at house, he mentioned: “We don’t see any entertainment in Welsh, they’re all in English, so it’s not easy to speak Welsh with friends.”

1,600 youngsters and younger folks – maximum of them between the ages of 11 and 16 – took phase within the analysis for the report back to the Welsh Language Commissioner.

Among the principle findings of the document used to be that the overall use of Welsh by means of youngsters and younger folks out of doors of faculty used to be “limited”.

But youngsters are much more likely to make use of the language in wearing actions, particularly with coaches and leaders, it mentioned.

Attitudes in opposition to the Welsh language had been additionally usually “positive”, particularly amongst those that had been fluent and had learnt the language at house.

But the document discovered there used to be little or no use of Welsh on social media, with the bulk the use of English “because it is easier and reaches a wider audience”.

Around 80 % of those that spoke back to the questionnaire mentioned they use English each time or normally to keep in touch on-line, even with different Welsh audio system.

But fluent audio system had been much more likely to keep in touch at once in the course of the language, with part pronouncing they normally textual content in Welsh, or use each languages ​​similarly.

According to the Welsh Language Commissioner, the tips amassed will lend a hand tell the commissioner’s long term paintings, in addition to others.

“Children and young people are vital to the future of the Welsh language. This wide-ranging research offers us an insight into the use of Welsh by young people,” mentioned Ms Gruffudd Jones.

“There is no doubt that the report highlights significant challenges particularly in the field of social media but it also identifies opportunities, in the area of sport for example, and I will prioritise creating and strengthening strategic partnerships in order to further develop those opportunities.”

Myfanwy Jones, director of Mentrau Iaith Cymru, a countrywide organisation that helps a community of 22 native Welsh language projects, mentioned there used to be a wish to make bigger the alternatives to make use of the Welsh language out of doors of faculty.

“It is clear that there are a large number of respondents who do not use Welsh very often outside of school but are generally supportive of the Welsh language and wish to have more opportunities to use the language,” she mentioned.

“As part of our remit, we are constantly looking for further opportunities to expand our community activities in order to offer opportunities for young people to use the Welsh language naturally. The report shows that this work is crucial and we will work with the commissioner and other partners to develop it further in the future.”