History
The Welsh Language originated from the old Celtic languages. Celtic languages were brought to the region in around 600 BC. The ancient Britons used to speak many different forms and dialects of the old Celtic languages. Since then the languages have evolved into many more modern languages including Breton , Cornish and Welsh. The Welsh language that we know of today has gone through a lot of transformation.
Interesting Facts About The Welsh Language
Speakers
There are around 900,000 speakers of the Welsh language worldwide.
Official Language
The Welsh language is the official language of Wales however only around 30% of the population can speak fluent Welsh.
Dying Language?
Even though some recent surveys have shown that the number of Welsh speakers is increasing. Many language experts believe that Welsh is a dying language. They believe that the younger generation does not prefer to speak the Welsh language. Studies show that the Welsh language was rapidly declining in the 1800s and 1900s however it has seen a rise in the 21st century.
Speakers in The Chubut Province Of Argentina
One of the most surprising facts on the list. Did you know that Welsh is a very dominant and influential language in the Argentinean province of Chubut. A large population of the province of Chubut can speak fluent Welsh.
Vowels In The Welsh Language
There are 7 vowels in the Welsh Language. These vowels are A, E, I, O, U, Y and W.
Alphabet
The Welsh language has more letters in its alphabet than the English language. It has 28 letters.
The ‘LL’ Sound
Many words in the Welsh language have LL in it. The LL in welsh doesn’t sound like how you would think it does. It actually makes a sound similar to how SH or CH would sound in English.
Relationship With Other Languages
The Welsh language takes a lot of words from other Celtic languages. Speakers sometimes speak a mixed version of Welsh and English. Even though both languages share some sort of cultural history, there are very few words in the English language that were borrowed from the Welsh language.
Minority Language
Welsh was considered as a minority language in the UK around the year 1901.
Gwynedd and Anglesey
There are 22 counties in Wales. Out of these 22 , the Welsh language is dominantly spoken in only 2 of the counties. Those counties are Gwynedd and Anglesey. It is a minority language in all other counties.
The Longest Name For A Place
The longest name for a place in Europe is in Welsh language. It is a 58 lettered word called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. This town is located in the North Western region of the country of Wales.
Difficulty Of Learning
Welsh is considered as a difficult language to learn. This is due to the fact that it lacks high standardization.
Yes and No
The Welsh language has around 20 ways to say the word yes. However they do not have an official word to say No. The No is Welsh language is equivalent to Yes No in the English language.
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