In the Isles, Language is being used to divide us. This assault of our unity has to be exposed, confronted and ended.
The Welsh Language Issue
In Wales, the divisive Welsh Assembly has weaponised language, barring non-Welsh speakers from many jobs. This is an attack on English language speakers, and the attack is more than a petty nationalist tantrum, it is one which denies able people work. Everyone in Wales speaks English, so there is no need to have employment restricted to those who are fluent in Welsh.
The east of Wales is almost bereft of people who speak Welsh on a daily basis. Only in the west, in large parts of Gwynedd and in some areas of Ceredigion is Welsh the first language of choice for conversation. Even in these areas the standard of Welsh varies, with the language used invariably being a hybrid of Welsh and English. Those who speak a purer form of Welsh are mocked as 'book Welsh' speakers, and tellingly of speaking in the Southern dialect. The hostility to 'South Waleians' outstrips the hostility to the English.
The anti-English nonsense is such that the largest town in the north - Wrecsam - is regarded as 'foreign', with people in Gwynedd mocking the folk of Wrecsam as 'scousers'. To the unaccustomed ear, the Wecsam accent is similar to the Liverpool one, but to people who are familiar with both, the difference is quite clear.
There are whole swathes of Wales where Welsh is learnt in schools as a second language, in the same way as French is taught across the UK. The majority of people in the East and South learn Welsh in school, never use it outside classes, and promptly forget all but a few phrases when they no longer have to use it in education. The Welsh Language Fanatics in the Assembly, by pushing through requirements to work in the medium of Welsh in many local and regional authority jobs, are denying people born and bred in Wales, work. This is an outrage and is motivated not by Welsh Patriotism, but anti-English xenophobia - a xenophobia which extends to Welsh People who live their lives through the medium of the English language.
Languages across the British Isles
English is spoken by everyone from across the Isles. Just as in Wales, in Ireland, Irish Gaelic is taught in schools, but only a minority of people use it as the daily language. Again just as with Welsh in Wales, Irish Gaelic in Ireland does tend to be a language studied in school then forgotten.
There are Cornish speakers in Cornwall - although this is a matter of controversy, due to the language dying out, making all those who speak it now do so as a deliberate act, rather than a natural one. The likes of Mebyon Kernow are divisive bigots who use the language as a means of attacking the 'English' of whom they refuse to consider themselves a family member.
In Scotland the lowland Scots dialect is a variation of the Germanic tongue known as English. The differences between Scots and English are differences which are to be expected region to region. The fanatical separatists in the SNP are keen to create artificial divisions between the peoples north and south of the River Tweed. They have misused their powers when in Government to promote Scottish Gaelic in schools, even though the percentage of people who speak it in Scotland is minute. Just like in Welsh in Wales, Gaelic in Scotland is largely confined to the fringes (particularly the Outer Hebrides), and even there is usually a bastardised language.
Languages Groups in the Isles
- Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic and Manx are distinct, but close enough for a speaker of one to converse with a speaker of another.
- Scots and English are interchangeable, with only accents and dialects needing attuning to
- Welsh in its various forms is understandable to any Welsh speaker, again with dialect differences taken into account.
Language as a form of Unity, not Division
Across the Isles, we ALL understand and speak English. There should be no barriers to English speakers gaining employment anywhere, and actions such as the Welsh Assembly's bigoted Welsh Only aka 'English Not', policies must be ended.
The weaponisation of language is being used to divide us. But it doesn't have to be this way.
Teaching multiple languages at once leads to an imperfect knowledge of all. English must be taught first, then other languages after. By this method, languages with different letter sounds can be better understood. Keeping English as the official tongue would actually increase the proficiency in the other languages by making mastery of the basics in one come first. The current bilingual approach in Wales brings unrealistic demands to the learner and the un-necessary confusion of trying to learn different vowel sounds at once.
(The letter U in the Welsh word 'un' sounds like the English double e in the English word 'seen', and conversely the letter U in the English word 'bus' is pronounced like the Welsh letter w in the Welsh word 'bws'. With these and many other contradictions thrown at children in Welsh schools, it is no wonder that both languages suffer.)
We propose that the education system in the Isles stops teaching foreign languages in schools, and starts teaching our own. We want to see a standardised version of Gaelic which is understandable and usable as a gateway to Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic and Manx Gaelic, to be developed which is then taught across the Isles as a means of breaking down regional barriers which pit different language groups against each other.
Likewise we want a standardised version of Welsh acceptable to the varied dialect groups, to be taught across the Isles so that everyone can enjoy the folklore of our past and enjoy what really is a challenging language to get to grips with.
We want those who wish to explore other indigenous tongues to do so, within the framework of a broadening of our shared experience, rather than a form of division. Englisc, Norn, Cumbric, Yola, Pictish - these have their place in our common heritage.
What we propose is that English as the standard official language keeps its place across the Isles and that there is an end to discrimination against people who only speak that and no other indigenous language. We also propose that Gaelic and Welsh be taught across the Isles to bring our People closer by allowing us all to enjoy the rich diversity of the languages of the Isles. Further we propose that even languages which have died out be examined by those who wish to do so. We are no poorer for Manx and Cornish being revived. Why not revive others? If we do this in a spirit of cultural exploration, we all benefit. It is only when language is used as a weapon to pit us one against the other and to create false regional division that problems arise.
SMPBI members are encouraged to set an example by looking into our indigenous tongues and at making an attempt at learning at least one more of the languages of the Isles.
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