Welsh should not be a mere English dialect

I ENJOYED the recent alternative Eisteddfod yr Urdd, Eisteddfod

Ti, on S4C through the picture connections. But why the use of English words in conversations during the broadcasts? The Urdd after all promotes Welsh culture for young people through the medium of Welsh and the Eisteddfod is exclusively in Welsh.

One adjudicator in a competition was throwing in English words at will – “absolutely gorgeous”, “gosh” and “winners” I noticed; and during the week I also heard “amazing”, “brilliant”, “secretly”, “really”, “stressed”, “greasy”, “special”, “excited”, “kind of speechless”, “see you soon”. Of course there are perfectly good Welsh words to use instead.

This use of English words in conversations only reflects what happens daily in Welsh life. Welsh learners often put natural Welshspeakers to shame because they strive to find the Welsh word every time.

Why does this constant use of English happen? Is it a lack of confidence in our own language after centuries of oppression? Or is it that we think our Welsh is strong enough and it doesn’t matter if we use English words? Is it a lack of vocabulary? Or is it a desire to be modern, especially among the young perhaps, to have one foot in the Anglo-American culture and one in our own? Is using exclusively Welsh words considered oldfashioned? Whatever the reason, the English-speakers snigger and call it Wenglish.

If this trend of constantly using English words and translating English idioms continues, there is a danger that Welsh will deteriorate into a slang language or pidgin English. And if that happens, wouldn’t it be better to speak the original language, English, rather than a parody of it?