Language politics and linguistic justice: A response to 'Politics of Language in a (Dis)United Ireland' by Brian Ó Conchubhair

A Response to 'Politics of Language in a (Dis)United Ireland' by Brian Ó Conchubhai

Translating y Cofnod: translation policy and the official status of the Welsh language in Wales

It might safely be said that no issue is as politically contentious in Wales as that of the status of the Welsh language in society in general and in public life in particular, along with its relationship to the English language. This article draws upon a range of papers from within the National Assembly for Wales (NAfW) and the Welsh Government, some of which have been made available only as a result of a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, in its careful examination of how the translation policy of the Welsh Assembly became the subject of a very excited and divisive public row. Moreover, the article shows how this translation problem evolved into a matter of constitutional difficulty, as yet unresolved, at the highest level of public life in Wales

Croedau am werth cynhenid a pherthynol byd natur: Sut maent yn cydberthyn ag ymddygiad cynaliadwy yn y Dernas Unedig?

Public messages use a variety of methods to encourage sustainable behaviour (i.e. pro-environmental behaviour), including emphasizing the intrinsic value of nature (the value of nature beyond its usefulness to people) and the relational value of nature (the value of people’s relationship with nature). In this study, we present the results of a survey of adults in the United Kingdom (n = 499) who completed questionnaires that reflected the intrinsic value of nature (intrinsic value beliefs and biospheric values) and two that reflected the relational value of nature (connectedness to nature and empathy towards nature). The sample reported that they perform low-cost behaviour very often (e.g. taking short showers), consumption behaviour less often (e.g. buying a product with less packaging material), and committed behaviour very rarely (e.g. participating in conservation work). No variable predicted low-cost behaviours. Biospheric values and connectedness to nature were found to predict consumption behaviour. Only the relational value beliefs (connectedness and empathy) predicted committed behaviour. The results have implications for presenting environmental messages from the point of view of the intrinsic and relational value of nature. Recommendations are made for future work in this area

Adolygiad o Waith y Mentrau Iaith, y Cynlluniau Gweithredu Iaith a Chynllun Hybu'r Gymraeg Aman Tawe/A review of the work of Mentrau Iaith, Language Action Plans and the Aman Tawe Language Promotion Scheme

Yn mis Mawrth 2013 comisiynwyd Prifysgol Caerdydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i gynnal Adolygiad annibynnol o waith y Mentrau Iaith, y Cynlluniau Gweithredu Iaith a Chynllun Hybu’r Gymraeg Aman Tawe (‘y sefydliadau’). Bu’r Brifysgol yn cydweithio gyda Chwmni Sbectrwm Cyf ar hyd y broses ymchwil. Yn gryno, nod yr Adolygiad annibynnol yw llunio adroddiad i Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch nifer o faterion gan gynnwys: • y dulliau a ddefnyddir gan y sefydliadau i hyrwyddo a hwyluso’r defnydd o’r Gymraeg; • adnabod yr ystod gyfan o weithgareddau a gynhelir gan y sefydliadau—ac asesu i ba raddau maent yn adlewyrchu anghenion lleol, ac i ba raddau mae’r sefydliadau’n casglu data yn effeithiol mewn ymgais i asesu effaith gweithgareddau; • a yw strwythurau’r sefydliadau’n sicrhau gweithio effeithiol, gweithio mewn partner-iaeth a rhannu arfer da; • faint o botensial sydd i ddatblygu rôl y mentrau ymhellach; • a yw’r mentrau yn gwneud gwaith y dylai eraill fod yn ei wneud (fel awdurdodau lleol); • a yw lefel y cyllid a roddir gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn briodol. Mae’r Adolygiad hwn yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth a ddarparwyd i’r tîm ymchwil drwy holiaduron, cyfweliadau a dogfennaeth gan y sefydliadau. Ceir 23 Menter Iaith yng Nghymru. Maent wedi tyfu mewn modd organig, mewn gwa-hanol gyd-destunau ieithyddol a daearyddol, yn bennaf ar lefel sirol neu rannol sirol. O’r herwydd ni ellir bellach gyfeirio atynt fel un endid, ond yn hytrach fel casgliad o wahanol weithgareddau a strwythurau a elwir yn Fentrau Iaith. Cryfder amlycaf y math hwn o sef-ydliad yw bod gwreiddiau’r Mentrau Iaith yn ddwfn o fewn y cymunedau. Erbyn hyn, fodd bynnag, nid yw’n deg gofyn iddynt gyflawni’r holl swyddogaethau y mae disgwyl cyffredinol iddynt eu cyflawni. Ni allant fod yn bopeth ieithyddol i bawb. Mae’r cysyniad o’r tri model o gynllunio ieithyddol y mae’r Adolygiad hwn wedi eu hastudio (Mentrau Iaith, Cynlluniau Gweithredu Iaith, Cynllun Datblygu Ardal), hyd y gwelwn, yn unigryw i Gymru. Mae 5 Cynllun Gweithredu Iaith yn weithredol yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd. Yn wreiddiol, sefydlwyd Cynlluniau Gweithredu Iaith i gydgysylltu ymdrechion hybu ieithyddol mewn sefyllfaoedd trefol lle yr oedd y Gymraeg yn colli tir a lle nad oedd yr egni cymunedol yn ddigonol i gynorthwyo i adfer y Gymraeg. Ceir un Cynllun Datblygu Ardal yng Nghymru, sef Cynllun Hyrwyddo’r Gymraeg Aman Tawe. Fe’i sefydlwyd er mwyn chwilio am fodel newydd o gynllunio cymunedol trawsffiniol (mae’n pontio tair sir) a fyddai’n cynnwys yr holl elfennau cymunedol o fewn y broses adfer iaith gan gynnwys maes addysg, yr economi, ynghyd â chynyddu defnydd o’r iaith ymysg pobl ifanc. ________________________________ In March 2013, Cardiff University was commissioned by the Welsh Government to conduct an independent Review of the work of the Mentrau Iaith, the Language Action Plans and the Aman Tawe Language Promotion Scheme (‘the organisations’). The University worked with Sbectrwm Consultancy throughout the research process. In summary, the aim of the independent Review is to prepare a report for the Welsh Government on a number of matters, including: • the methods used by the organisations to promote and facilitate the use of Welsh; • identifying the whole range of activities conducted by the organisations—and assessing to what extent they reflect local needs, and to what extent the organisations collect data effectively in order to assess the impact of activities; • do the organisations’ structures ensure effective working, partnership working and sharing of good practice; • the potential to further develop the role of the Mentrau; • are the Mentrau doing work that should be done by others (such as local authorities); • is the level of funding provided by the Welsh Government appropriate. This Review is based on evidence provided to the research team through questionnaires, interviews and documentation provided by the organisations. There are 23 Mentrau Iaith in Wales. They have grown organically, in varying linguistic and geographic contexts, primarily on a county or part-county basis. As a result they can no longer be referred to as one entity, but as a collection of activities and structures that are called Mentrau Iaith. The most prominent strength of this type of organisation is the fact that the Mentrau Iaith are rooted in their communities. However, it is no longer fair to expect them to achieve all the functions they are generally expected to achieve. They cannot be all things Welsh language to all people. The concept of three models of language planning studied by this Review (Mentrau Iaith, Language Action Plans, Area Development Scheme), as far as we see, is unique to Wales. Five Language Action Plans are currently operational in Wales. Originally, Language Action Plans were established to coordinate language promotion efforts in urban areas where the Welsh language was losing ground and where community energy wasn’t considered sufficient to revive the language. There is one Area Development Scheme in Wales, the Aman Tawe Language Promotion Scheme. It was established in order to find a new model of cross-border community planning (it spans three counties) which would include all the community elements within the language revival process including the areas of education, economy and increasing the language’s use among young people

The Welsh Language Commissioner in context: roles, methods and relationships

This research monograph is the first authoritative work on the office of the Welsh Language Commissioner and the associated Welsh language regulatory and statutory regime. In setting the Commissioner in context – in Wales, the UK and internationally – the work draws upon a rich variety of source material arising from fieldwork conducted in a number of jurisdictions. The research data includes, for example, an extensive series of documents obtained under a number of Freedom of Information applications, in-depth interviews with key actors from pertinent legislatures, governments, regulatory offices, interest groups and civic society. The linguistic coverage of source material includes English and Welsh, as well as, where relevant, Irish, German, Catalan, Spanish, French and Basque, in a publication which is multi-disciplinary in approach, engaging with the scholarly and professional literature in language policy and planning, socio-legal studies and the politics of language

The Welsh Language Commissioner in context: roles, methods and relationships

This research monograph is the first authoritative work on the office of the Welsh Language Commissioner and the associated Welsh language regulatory and statutory regime. In setting the Commissioner in context – in Wales, the UK and internationally – the work draws upon a rich variety of source material arising from fieldwork conducted in a number of jurisdictions. The research data includes, for example, an extensive series of documents obtained under a number of Freedom of Information applications, in-depth interviews with key actors from pertinent legislatures, governments, regulatory offices, interest groups and civic society. The linguistic coverage of source material includes English and Welsh, as well as, where relevant, Irish, German, Catalan, Spanish, French and Basque, in a publication which is multi-disciplinary in approach, engaging with the scholarly and professional literature in language policy and planning, socio-legal studies and the politics of language