• oscarlavi@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Welsh here. Not everyone speaks it, but that’s because the English (even as late at the 1950’s) used the school system to literally beat it out of us (look up the Welsh Not). Even with that concerted effort to force the language out, it’s growing again after a few generations have passed. Being from the south, I know relatively few people who speak it fluently, but I know exactly 0 people who would actually want it abolished.

    • SomeoneElse@lemmy.worldOPM
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      11 months ago

      My cousin is dating a guy who’s first language is welsh. His family live basically at the base of Snowdonia. He is fluent in English but welsh is definitely his preferred language. I thought he was a bit aloof when I first met him but he later explained he finds it hard to keep up with the conversation and be as witty and quick in English as he is in welsh, especially in a noisy pub. He’s in his early 30s and all his friends from home are bilingual but consider their native language welsh.

    • Neon@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      the British trying not to commit cultural genocide for 10 Minutes (impossible)

    • sab@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      The language revival efforts in the British isles are honestly inspiring. In Scotland a lot of people are making sure their children are educated in Gaelic, even though they don’t speak a word themselves.

    • CosmicApe@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      Not everyone speaks it, but that’s because the English (even as late at the 1950’s) used the school system to literally beat it out of Us

      Seems like the typical British MO. Same thing happened with te Reo Maori in New Zealand.