Rhetoric and reality: critical review of language policy and legislation governing official minority language use in health and social care in Wales

A concerted attempt is being made by the Welsh Government to revitalize the Welsh language in Wales through language legislation and policy initiatives. This paper explores the political rhetoric and practical reality of these recent legislative developments, as they pertain to the health care sector. It offers a qualitative analysis of written evidence provided by key stakeholders during the consultation process on the new legally-binding requirements of Welsh Language Standards for health care providers in Wales. We argue that these meso-level service providers are critical linchpins within the health care system and that it is at the meso level that full tensions between the macro rhetoric and micro reality occur. This contribution highlights shortcomings and barriers to Welsh language service provision in health care in Wales and recommends the adoption of wide-ranging, holistic approaches to language planning that meet the language needs of patients outlined by the Welsh Government.Le gouvernement gallois mène présentement une action concertée en vue de revitaliser la langue galloise au pays de Galles grâce à des mesures législatives et à des initiatives stratégiques en matière linguistique. Cet article explore la rhétorique politique et la réalité pratique de ces récents développements législatifs en ce qui a trait aux soins de santé. Il propose une analyse qualitative des preuves écrites fournies par les principales parties prenantes lors du processus de consultation sur les nouvelles exigences juridiquement contraignantes des normes de conduite concernant l’emploi de la langue galloise, applicables aux prestataires de soins de santé. Nous soutenons que ces prestataires de services de niveau intermédiaire sont des pivots essentiels du système de santé et que c’est au niveau intermédiaire que les tensions entre macro-rhétorique et micro-réalité se produisent. Notre analyse met en évidence les lacunes et les obstacles à la prestation de services en gallois dans les soins de santé au pays de Galles et recommande l’adoption d’approches holistiques dans la planification linguistique qui répondent aux besoins linguistiques des patients décrits par le gouvernement.Gwelir ymgais gan Lywodraeth Cymru i adfywio’r Gymraeg yng Nghymru trwy bolisi iaith a deddfwriaeth. Mae’r papur hwn yn archwilio i’r rhethreg wleidyddol a’r realiti ymarferol y datblygiadau deddfwriaethol diweddar hyn, yn benodol yn y sector gofal iechyd. Mae’r papur hwn yn cynnig dadansoddiad o’r dystiolaeth ysgrifenedig a gasglwyd gan rhanddeiliaid yn ystod y broses ymgynghori i ofynion cyfreithiol Safonau’r Iaith Cymraeg ar gyfer darparwyr gofal iechyd yng Nghymru. Rydym yn dadlau fod y darparwyr gwasanaethau lefel meso hyn yn gyswllt hanfodol yn y system gofal iechyd a’i bod yn lleoliad ble mae tensiynau rhwng rhethreg lefel macro Llywodraeth Cymru a realiti lefel micro’r darparwyr gwasanaeth iechyd yn cael ei amlygu. Mae’r cyfraniad hwn yn tynnu sylw at ddiffygion a rhwystrau i ddarpariaeth gwasanaethau iaith Cymraeg mewn gofal iechyd yng Nghymru ac yn argymell mabwysiadu dulliau cyfannol eang o gynllunio iaith sy’n diwallu anghenion iaith cleifion a amlinellwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru

Well-being and language: language as a well-being objective in Wales

Increasingly, it is recognised that the opportunity to engage with one’s own culture and language is beneficial for an individual’s well-being. Research among indigenous communities in North America, Australia, Scandinavia, and New Zealand, have illustrated the importance of culturo-linguistic congruity. In Wales, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 has come to define the political and legal pursuance of well-being. A unique piece of legislation, this legally mandates all Welsh public bodies to demonstrate they are working to achieve all seven well-being goals established by the Act. Echoing the conclusions of existing research, one identified well-being objective is the promotion of Welsh culture and the Welsh language. Taking account of the current nature of Welsh language provision within the Welsh National Health Service (NHS), the purpose of this paper is to briefly assess the extent to which the Welsh NHS is in a position to facilitate the well-being objective of ensuring service users have an opportunity to utilise the Welsh language. Despite the ambitions of the legislation, it will be argued that the Welsh language is largely absent from the well-being objectives outlined by local health boards.Increasingly, it is recognised that the opportunity to engage with one’s own culture and language is beneficial for an individual’s well-being. Research among indigenous communities in North America, Australia, Scandinavia, and New Zealand, have illustrated the importance of culturo-linguistic congruity. In Wales, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 has come to define the political and legal pursuance of well-being. A unique piece of legislation, this legally mandates all Welsh public bodies to demonstrate they are working to achieve all seven well-being goals established by the Act. Echoing the conclusions of existing research, one identified well-being objective is the promotion of Welsh culture and the Welsh language. Taking account of the current nature of Welsh language provision within the Welsh National Health Service (NHS), the purpose of this paper is to briefly assess the extent to which the Welsh NHS is in a position to facilitate the well-being objective of ensuring service users have an opportunity to utilise the Welsh language. Despite the ambitions of the legislation, it will be argued that the Welsh language is largely absent from the well-being objectives outlined by local health boards

Migration through a language planning lens: A typology of Welsh speakers' migration decisions

This paper seeks to explain the migration decisions of minority language speakers by investigating motivating factors. Viewed through a language planning lens, the study pushes the parameters of some of the discipline's more recent agency concepts within the context of migration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 Welsh speakers aged 18–40 who have stayed, left, or returned to the Welsh language ‘heartlands’ to create a typology representing the diversity in speakers’ priorities when deliberating migration decisions. The data shows that the Welsh language is a significant consideration in the migration decisions of some typology groups, however most groups prioritised other factors. It was found that, in some cases, employment was a means of sustaining speakers within the linguistic community or attracting them back, offering much-needed evidence to support key tenets of the Welsh Government's current language strategy. Furthermore, given the likelihood of minority language speakers’ decision to stay, leave or return to a language ‘stronghold’ to increase or limit opportunities to use the language, we argue that migration is an important context for probing the use of agency by minority language speakers at a micro level. Consequently, we contend that migration should receive greater attention from language planning scholars

Defining economic impact on minority languages: The Case of Wales

The relationship between economy and language is thought to be key to language revitalisation efforts, although the nature of the relationship is often discussed only in general terms. Royles sets out to address this ambiguity by defining the different dimensions of this relationship, however the resultant framework is based on a limited body of evidence. Using the case of Wales, we undertake a systematic review of what is known about the impact of economic variables upon language, thus generating a wider body of evidence to verify Royles’ framework. Our investigation reveals that of the 15,414 references generated as part of the review, 73 were found to satisfy the search criteria and all of which were successfully allocated within Royles’ categories. In validating Royles’ framework we advance a new understanding of economic impact on minority languages by moving from general to definitive terms and suggest that the clarity that this provides can be utilised by policy practitioners in their efforts to halt language decline

Defnyddio'r Gymraeg mewn Cymunedau yn Ynys Mon

Ym Mawrth 2022 comisiynwyd Prifysgol Bangor (Hodges a Prys) i gynnal astudiaeth ymchwil ar ran Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn a Menter Iaith Môn i archwilio´r defnydd o’r iaith Gymraeg ar Ynys Môn. Diben yr astudiaeth ymchwil oedd ychwanegu at ddealltwriaeth y comisiynwyr o sut mae’r Gymraeg yn cael ei defnyddio mewn cymunedau ar Ynys Môn. Lluniwyd y prosiect ymchwil fel rhan o´r elfen ‘Iaith Môn’ o raglen Adfywio Môn drwy Gronfa Adfywio Cymunedol y Deyrnas Unedig i astudio’r cyfleoedd a´r heriau amrywiol a wyneba cymunedau Ynys Môn wrth geisio cynnal ac adfywio’r Gymraeg yn gymunedol. Clustnodwyd amserlen ymchwil o Ebrill i Ragfyr 2022 er mwyn cwblhau’r astudiaeth ymchwil.<br/