Discover Wales : Population

Origins of the Welsh population

Heir to many peoples, first the Neolithic populations, then the Celts, the country has throughout history been the site of battles and the union of two different peoples: one continental (the Celts) and the other Nordic (the Vikings, Normans or Anglo-Saxons). Today's population and its rich culture are the result of this mixture. The large wave of immigration that flooded the country during the Industrial Revolution is another factor that explains its cosmopolitanism. During the ^20th century, it was mainly the English who came to live in South Wales to enjoy the Welsh work and landscape. Over the last fifty years, many English people have also settled here for their retirement, creating major tensions in the Welsh-speaking areas, regions with a strong Welsh identity.

The industrial revolution

After the First World War, Wales lost many export markets. In 1921, the crisis began, worsening in 1926 and with the Wall Street crash in 1929. By 1932, 53% of working-age men in the Rhondda region were unemployed. By the end of the Depression in 1939, the valley's population had shrunk by around 36%, most of whom had returned to the cities in search of work in English factories.

In 1945, a new election was held and the Welsh Labour Party won a majority. The mining industry was revived, attracting many workers, especially from Eastern Europe, particularly Poland.

Indian and Pakistani immigration

From 1962 onwards, the main immigrants to Britain were Indian and Pakistani. For one simple reason: working conditions. It all began in 1957, when a rubber firm on the outskirts of London decided to take on these nationalities "in the hope that they would get used to the hot, humid atmosphere of the factory". Other firms followed suit, praising "their docility and the agility of their fingers, but their willingness to work night shifts is especially appreciated".

In fact, today, the Indian minority is the one that voted the most for "leave" regarding the Brexit. According to a study by Eviane Leidig, there are a number of reasons for this: they find it more difficult to obtain visas. They feel that the free movement policy is unfair to Commonwealth migrants compared to those from the EU, and they hope that Commonwealth products will be valued over those from the EU, creating more opportunities for local businesses.

The Welsh language

Welsh is the most widely spoken Celtic language, a fact of which the Welsh are very proud. There are an estimated 500,000 Welsh speakers worldwide. Today, one in five inhabitants speaks Welsh fluently. It's mainly in the north and west of the country that Welsh is spoken on a daily basis. In these regions, over 80% of the population speaks Welsh, compared with 10% in the south-east. Even today - as the Welsh will tell you - the north and south are considered two quite distinct regions in terms of culture and population. Devolution in 1999 recognized two official languages in Wales, Welsh and English. Previously, the Welsh language had already enjoyed some recognition, thanks to the Welsh Language Act of 1967, which tolerated both languages in the courts. In 1993, the Welsh Language Bill (finally!) allowed Welsh to be taught in state schools. A 1997 law established the equality of English and Welsh in the administration of public services (police, health, education, etc.).

For the past 20 years, state schools have offered a choice of first language: Welsh as first language and English as second, as for 17% of primary pupils and 12.6% of secondary pupils, English as first language and Welsh as second, as for 75% of primary pupils, 65% of secondary pupils, English only (5% of primary pupils, 22% of secondary pupils).

The Welsh accent can be a little tricky to understand! And if you'd like to learn Welsh, visit https://learnwelsh.cymru for a list of available courses.

Some vocabulary words

You can try to fit in by testing your Welsh! Some words will be easy to memorize if you see them everywhere: many signs are in both English and Welsh. And in museums and information centers, both languages are always present.

For example, welcome is said "croeso". And bonjour is said "bore da". S'il vous plait" is a little more complicated, as it's "Os gwelwch yn dda". And "merci" is "diolch".

But how do you pronounce it? Here are a few techniques, the first being intonation: pretend you're angry with an Englishman! Next, the F is equivalent to a V, while the FF is equivalent to an F in French. CH or C'H is "jota", W is "ou", TH as in "breath", DD in the same way as TH in "breath" and LL... that's about the sound you can make with a hot potato in your mouth! The best thing to do, however, is to ask for a demonstration.

Bretons and Great-Bretons

What brings Bretons and Welsh together? For a start, we share a common legend, that of King Arthur. His story follows the capitulation of the Romans, who, overwhelmed by the barbarian invasions, gave up "Brittany", as Britain was then known. The Celts then found themselves alone to defend their territory, and their social structure, inherited from the Romans, broke down with their departure. Their disorganization prevented them from fighting the formidable Pictish, Scots and Saxon warriors, until our hero intervened! King Arthur is said to have helped the "Britto-Romans" rally their forces once again to fight the barbarians effectively.