Do People in Carmarthenshire Speak Welsh
- Posted by:
- Admin
- Tags:
- Welsh Language, Carmarthenshire, Welsh Speakers
- Posted date:
- 19-04-2023
This article asks: Do people in Carmarthenshire speak Welsh? Find out more about Which part of Wales speaks the most Welsh.
Holiday Cottages Laugharne provide a luxury Holiday Cottage located in Laugharne, Carmarthenshire. Find out more about booking your stay in Wales at the bottom of this page.
Welsh Language in Carmarthenshire
What language do people speak in Carmarthenshire? How many Welsh people live there? This article answers many questions you might have regarding the culture of Carmarthenshire.
Carmarthenshire is a southern county known as the "Garden of Wales". It's situated between the Brecon Beacons to the East and the Pembrokeshire Coast to the West. Of all the counties in Wales, Carmarthenshire has the largest number of native Welsh speakers outside of Cardiff. The bilingual population is a valuable asset, as it helps the Welsh people preserve their native language.
Local authorities in the region are obligated to provide Welsh medium services to all their residents. Despite being a statutory responsibility, there is also a great deal of passion and pride behind this. Allowing residents to learn and use their native Welsh every day is the best way to preserve it. This also means preserving national Welsh heritage and culture.
The 2011 Census revealed that we are losing Welsh speakers at a dramatic rate. This makes Carmarthenshire's efforts to protect the language even more important. They are committed to the Welsh government's aim of raising the number of native speakers to one million by the year 2050. A significant achievement such as this is the ideal way to preserve Welsh identity within the Union.
Using the Welsh language as part of everyday life is the best way to ensure it survives. Communities throughout Carmarthenshire offer Welsh language opportunities to residents and visitors alike. From local businesses to schools and leisure activity sites, the Welsh language is rightfully everywhere.
Carmarthenshire council wants people to use Welsh confidently in everyday life, not just as a novelty. While knowing the language is a good start, it's this everyday use that will truly help the Welsh language to thrive. So, whether you are a visitor or a local, take the time to appreciate the Welsh language in Carmarthenshire and help it grow.
What is the Population of Carmarthenshire?
The population of Carmarthenshire bloomed between the 2011 and 2021 Censuses. It grew by 2.2% from 183,800 residents to 187,900.
The population of Wales as a whole rose from 3,063,000 to 3,107,000 between 2011 and 2021. This is an increase of only 1.4% compared to Carmarthenshire's 2.2%. However, despite this dramatic rise, the size of the county means there is still plenty of room.
In fact, there are currently only 0.6 people per 7km2 in Carmarthenshire, which is roughly the same size as a football pitch.
This makes the county one of the least densely populated regions out of the 22 local authorities in Wales. So, despite the population of the county growing at a faster rate than the rest of Wales, there's still plenty of room.
There are several reasons for this. Its central location in southern Wales provides excellent routes to Swansea and the capital. Housing prices are also more affordable than elsewhere in Wales. Perhaps one of the most popular reasons people move to Carmarthenshire is the scenery.
Nestled between two national parks, there's no shortage of stunning views and beautiful countryside to visit. The county also has some of the longest stretches of beach anywhere in Wales. Besides the countryside, there are plenty of small market towns in the region for visitors and residents to explore.
Not to mention the range of historic castles, monuments and sites to visit. With all this, it's easy to imagine why many people are choosing to move to Carmarthenshire from other regions in the UK.
How Many Welsh Speakers Live in Carmarthenshire?
To explain the population changes mentioned above, we can look at the percentages of Welsh speakers currently in the region. Between 2011 and 2021, the percentage of Welsh language speakers in Carmarthenshire fell from just under 44% to 40%.
While the percentage of Welsh speakers might be falling generally, some regions are growing. Cardiff, for example, saw an increase in Welsh language speakers from 11.1% to 12.2%. Proving that Carmarthenshire is experiencing something different in its population change.
And what is this change? In 2021 there were 5,200 fewer Welsh speakers than in 2011, but over 10,000 more non-Welsh speakers. This population change suggests more non-Welsh-speaking people are moving into the area. If this trend continues over time, there may come a day when the Welsh language dies out altogether in Carmarthenshire.
Given the many advantages Carmarthenshire has to offer, it's not surprising that people from outside the region want to move there. But, as we can see, this has had a detrimental impact on the number of Welsh speakers in the county.
This is a trend we see across other areas of Wales. The percentage of Welsh language speakers has also fallen in nearby Ceredigion, from 47.3% to 45.3% between 2011 and 2021. Overall, throughout the whole of Wales, the percentage of Welsh-speaking residents has fallen from 19% to 17.8%.
All these figures suggest a significant drop in those using the Welsh language. With such a threat to national identity, it is understandable why local authorities want to encourage more people to take it up. By providing ways for residents and newcomers to learn and use Welsh every day, they hope to end the decline.
Again, Carmarthenshire is one of the regions supporting the growth of the Welsh language and culture. The combined efforts of the Welsh government and local authorities will surely be able to turn things around. But it is also down to the people living in Carmarthenshire and elsewhere to take up the language and ensure it continues.
Reaching the target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050 would be a great achievement. It would certainly secure the survival of the language and regional culture. Wales has a fascinating history and countless renowned artists, writers and poets. The cultural treasure trove of the Welsh language should never be abandoned.
Is Carmarthenshire's Welsh Language in Decline?
There was a time when Carmarthenshire had the largest proportion of Welsh speakers anywhere in the country. Back in 2001, 84,196 people in the region were Welsh language speakers. However, as mentioned before, this has dropped significantly over the past two decades.
The 2021 Census suggests Carmarthenshire has the second-highest percentage of Welsh language speakers. Falling from first place shows how significant this decline is. The age ranges covered in the Census also reveal worrying insights.
Children in Carmarthenshire who can speak Welsh fell by 2.6% at the 2021 Census. This suggests the future of the language may be in trouble. Without the younger generation learning their native language, they can't ensure its continuation into the future.
Perhaps the most shocking percentage falls were in the 16-64 and 65+ age categories. While the percentages of children not learning Welsh are worrying, the fact that there was an 8.7% drop in the 65+ category suggests even more worrying population trends.
This again suggests that more non-Welsh-speaking adults are moving to Carmarthenshire. At the most recent Census, only 1,828 people could speak, read and write in Welsh. While speaking Welsh is still popular, reading and writing are also important skills.
Which Part of Wales Speaks the Most Welsh?
You'll find the largest number of Welsh speakers in the capital, Cardiff, with over 101,000. Again, Carmarthenshire sits in second place with 93,400 Welsh speakers. Some of the regions with the lowest number of Welsh language speakers include Blaenau Gwent, with 9,700 and Merthyr Tydfil, with 11,200.
In terms of the largest percentage of Welsh speakers per population, the regions of Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey have the largest, with 75.5% and 63.3%, respectively.
If you are planning a stay in Carmarthenshire we hope this page has offered some good reasons to come visit us. For accommodation in Carmarthenshire you can find no better location than Laugharne, the home of Dylan Thomas.
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