‘Welsh speakers in Patagonia face social divisions’

A CARDIFF University linguist fears course books used by Welsh learners in Patagonia may be hindering their integration into the local Welsh-speaking community.

Dr Iwan Wyn Rees, from the School of Welsh, has been in Chubut Province in Argentina to examine how speakers’ social background influences their use of dialect.

He said that the Welsh Language Project in Chubut had been a huge success, with large numbers learning the language in the region – but claims this may hinder learners’ integration into the local community and could have a negative effect on the confidence of some native Welsh speakers to use the language.

Dr Rees said: “There can be no doubt that the Welsh Language Project in Chubut has been a huge success, and that is reflected not only by the sheer number of children and adults learning Welsh today in the region, but also by the hard work and dedication of so many teachers and tutors from Patagonia.

“However, it’s clear from the data that some considerable differences are seen between learners and native speakers in terms of their use of some dialect forms, and this clearly raises some interesting questions. For instance, are the Welsh course books used in Patagonia today actually helping learners integrate into the local community?”

He added: “There is some evidence too to suggest that some native speakers don’t feel confident enough to speak Welsh with their grandchildren because of their inability to understand some of their words. In my opinion, this problem needs to be addressed urgently, and it wouldn’t be too difficult for the Welsh for Adults sector to adapt their new courses specifically for the needs of the Welsh community in Patagonia.”

He will discuss his findings at the Bob Owen Society annual lecture at the National Eisteddfod today.

Dr Rees also has a second event today at the Eisteddfod aiming to introduce Welsh learners and tutors to the language’s wealth of dialect varieties.