Elen Bonner is a Doctoral Researcher at Bangor University. This is her second guest blog for Arsyllfa, to read her first contribution click here.
The out-migration of Welsh speakers from the language heartlands is a challenge for those striving to revive the language in these areas. Indeed, one of the strategic aims of the Arfor scheme, a programme funded by the Welsh Government to support the economy in the Welsh speaking heartlands, is to encourage young people and families to stay in or return to their communities. As a result, it could he argued that understanding the migration decisions of Welsh speakers is essential to language revival efforts. A recent paper by Bonner et al. (2024), which is based on my PhD work, introduces a typology of migration decisions made by Welsh speakers from these areas. This blog discusses some of the key findings and the implications of the research.
Recent statistics show that the Welsh language is under pressure in its strongholds. Of course, language shift is driven by a variety of forces, however understanding the factors that drive out-migration of young Welsh speakers from these areas is one of the priorities of language planners and policy makers alike. Despite this, research on the topic is sparse.
Early migration research within a rural context (which is often a feature of Welsh speaking communities) tends to focus on economic migration, whereas more recent research highlights cultural considerations. However, studies that differentiate between groups whose priorities vary are few and far between. A rare example is a typology developed by Cooke and Petersen (2019) which looks at the experiences of young people from rural islands as they make decisions regarding education, employment and location. Although this work doesn’t look specifically at Wales it provides a useful framework for us to consider the nature of migration in west Wales.
Cook and Petersen (2019) recognise that the challenges facing young people on rural islands in relation to migration are likely to be similar to the challenges faced by those on the mainland. However, they argue:
“this dilemma can be exacerbated for those living on islands because of the logistical and psychological complexity of the “stay or leave” decision”.
This raises the question, considering the cultural and economic significance of the Welsh language, does the language complicate matters for its speakers? Although minority languages are spoken in some of the researchers chosen locations (e.g., The Faroe Islands and Donegal), there is no reference to minority language considerations in the research. One of the aims of my research therefore is to adapt the typology developed by Cooke and Petersen (2019) and apply it to a context where Welsh is spoken while considering the significance of the language in the migration decisions of its speakers.
Our study consists of 60 semi structured interviews with Welsh speakers between 18-40 years old who have stayed, left or returned to the Welsh language heartlands in order to create a typology representing the variety in speakers’ priorities as they come to a decision about migrating. There are 23 groups within Bonner et al’s (2024) typology, set within 3 categories, the Stayers, the Leavers and the Returners.
Below we consider three typology groups where the Welsh language is a significant factor in the migration decisions of the group, they are The Rooted, The Welsh Language Cosmopolitans, and the Family Orientated Returnees.
Beginning with The Rooted, located within the Stayers category. A feature of this typology group is that they are voluntarily rooted within their community and choose their location based on strong social networks and community use of the minority language. In the words of Cadi:
“Being able to speak Welsh was really important to me. And one of the reasons I wanted to stay in Wales. […] So having the opportunity is important to me, just going to the pub and speaking Welsh, I like being able to do that”.
Therefore, as well as being close to family and friends, Welsh is a key factor in the decisions of this group because they enjoy the opportunities that exist to speak Welsh socially and believe that leaving would limit such opportunities.
Welsh is also important to the The Welsh Language Cosmopolitans typology group. However, this group has decided to leave because they want to experience city life. As a result, this group is usually found in Cardiff as this is where the highest number of Welsh speakers can be found outside the heartlands and therefore opportunities to socialise in the Welsh language are more prevalent. Elin explains:
“But I knew Cardiff is where I was going to go because […] I wanted to be in a Welsh community. So Cardiff is the only place where I could really have that in a city”.
Welsh is also an important consideration for The Family Orientated Returnees. As the name suggests, the members of this group have returned to raise a family in Welsh. Although a combination of factors are important to this group such as being close to family networks to receive help with caring responsibilities, Welsh is a prominent consideration. Liam says:
“I was actively looking at Estyn reports on schools, I was actually looking at how many children came from first language Welsh homes and the percentages […] I felt quite strongly that we were going to move to a Welsher area for the schools – and that’s what we did.”
In contrast to Cook and Petersen’s (2018) typology, the results of my research suggest that considerations relating to the minority language are a key factor in the decisions of some typology groups. However, it must be acknowledged that the Welsh language is not a priority for every Welsh speaker. Most of the other groups within the typology give priority to other factors such as economic, social, and educational considerations. However, although these groups don’t necessarily prioritise issues to do with the Welsh language, understanding their decisions remains essential to language planning efforts as migration can either weaken or support language communities. The typology therefore provides a nuanced understanding of the priorities of Welsh speakers’ migration decisions and highlights the need for targeted, evidence-based policy interventions. By addressing the socio-economic needs of Welsh speakers and fostering environments where the Welsh language can thrive, it is possible to maintain Welsh speakers within their communities or attract them back thus supporting the long-term vitality of the language.
You can read the full paper here.
Elen Bonner is a PhD student in the School of History, Law and Social Sciences at Bangor University and is a recipient of the Martin Rhisiart scholarship via the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. Elen’s supervisors are Dr Cynog Prys, Dr Rhian Hodges and Dr Siwan Mitchelmore. Elen would like to thank all those who have helped or contributed to her research.
