A Brief History Of The Welsh Language

Wales is a proudly bilingual country. If you go to Wales you’ll notice the road signs are in English and Welsh, and you’re likely to hear Welsh out and about although Welsh speakers are still in the minority. However, looking back at the history of the language, it’s a wonder it survived at all.

Cymraeg, or Welsh as its known in English, is, according to the last count, spoken by 23% of the population. Up until 1850, 90% of the population spoke Welsh, but it has since faced a great many challenges which at times almost led to its extinction.

Potentially up to 4,000 years old, Welsh is one of the oldest living languages in Europe. Welsh originates from the Celtic language spoken by the ancient Britons. Before the Roman invasion Celtic languages were spoken across Europe as far as Turkey. Celtic language came to Britain around 600BC, with one version evolving into Brythonic which formed the basis of Welsh, Cornish and Breton.

When the Anglo-Saxons colonised Britain, Brythonic speakers were split up into those in northern England speaking Cumbric, those in the south-west speaking an early version of Cornish, and those speaking primitive Welsh. The Welsh spoken in the 12th to 14th centuries, or Middle Welsh, is what the earliest surviving manuscripts of the Mabinogion, its famous literary collection, are written in, and it is a Welsh which speakers today can more or less understand.

The Industrial Revolution was another challenge to the language, with mass migration of English speakers into Wales diluting the language and making workplaces bilingual or English. With the legal status of Welsh still inferior to English, English gradually became the default language. By the 20th century, the numbers of Welsh speakers had fallen so much it looked as though the language would die out.

Political campaigns and direct action brought it back from the brink. These included a 1962 radio broadcast called Tynged Yr Iaith, meaning ‘The Fate of the Welsh Language’, which prompted the setting up of Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Cymraig (or the Welsh language society). English road signs were daubed in Welsh and there were low-level acts of civil disobedience such as sit-ins in government buildings. In 1992, the Welsh Language Bill gave Welsh equal status with English in all public bodies and drives to boost the language continue to this day. In some parts of Wales it is people’s first language, Welsh school children study Welsh up to the age of 16, Welsh language schools are common and there are Welsh TV channels, festivals, films and more. Last year an ambitious target was announced: to double the number of Welsh speakers to one million by 2050.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.