Figures
All usual residents aged
3 and over
|
No skills in Welsh
|
Can underst-and spoken
Welsh only |
Can speak Welsh
|
Can speak
but cannot read or write Welsh |
Can speak
and read but cannot write Welsh |
Can speak, read and write
Welsh |
Other combin-ation of
skills in Welsh
|
|
Persons
|
Persons
|
Persons
|
Persons
|
Persons
|
Persons
|
Persons
|
Persons
|
|
2,955,841
|
73.3
|
5.3
|
19.0
|
2.7
|
1.5
|
14.6
|
2.5
|
|
Isle of
|
67,403
|
30.4
|
10.7
|
57.2
|
7.0
|
4.3
|
45.6
|
1.9
|
Gwynedd
|
117,789
|
26.5
|
6.9
|
65.4
|
5.8
|
3.4
|
56.0
|
1.5
|
Conwy
|
111,724
|
60.6
|
9.5
|
27.4
|
4.1
|
2.4
|
20.6
|
2.7
|
Denbighshire
|
90,527
|
64.6
|
8.5
|
24.6
|
3.6
|
2.2
|
18.6
|
2.6
|
Flintshire
|
146,940
|
79.4
|
5.1
|
13.2
|
2.4
|
1.2
|
9.3
|
2.5
|
Wrexham
|
129,425
|
78.7
|
5.9
|
12.9
|
2.3
|
1.2
|
9.2
|
2.7
|
Powys
|
129,083
|
72.0
|
6.7
|
18.6
|
3.0
|
1.6
|
13.7
|
3.0
|
Ceredigion
|
73,847
|
42.4
|
8.1
|
47.3
|
4.9
|
3.4
|
38.8
|
2.4
|
Pembrokeshire
|
118,392
|
72.5
|
6.1
|
19.2
|
3.2
|
1.9
|
13.9
|
2.3
|
Carmarthenshire
|
177,642
|
41.9
|
11.7
|
43.9
|
6.7
|
4.2
|
32.8
|
2.8
|
231,155
|
80.7
|
5.5
|
11.4
|
2.0
|
1.2
|
8.1
|
2.6
|
|
Neath
|
135,278
|
75.2
|
6.4
|
15.3
|
2.7
|
1.6
|
10.8
|
3.3
|
Bridgend
|
134,545
|
82.7
|
4.1
|
9.7
|
1.5
|
0.9
|
7.3
|
3.6
|
The Vale of Glamorgan
|
122,018
|
83.7
|
3.3
|
10.8
|
1.6
|
0.9
|
8.2
|
2.2
|
332,273
|
83.8
|
3.1
|
11.1
|
1.4
|
0.8
|
8.7
|
2.1
|
|
225,555
|
80.4
|
4.2
|
12.3
|
1.6
|
0.9
|
9.7
|
3.3
|
|
56,623
|
84.9
|
3.5
|
8.9
|
1.5
|
0.7
|
6.5
|
2.8
|
|
Caerphilly
|
171,972
|
83.9
|
3.0
|
11.2
|
1.7
|
0.9
|
8.4
|
2.1
|
Blaenau Gwent
|
67,348
|
88.5
|
2.2
|
7.8
|
1.5
|
0.6
|
5.5
|
1.7
|
Torfaen
|
87,844
|
86.5
|
2.3
|
9.8
|
1.8
|
0.7
|
7.1
|
1.7
|
Monmouthshire
|
88,609
|
86.0
|
2.5
|
9.9
|
1.8
|
0.7
|
7.2
|
1.9
|
139,849
|
86.9
|
2.2
|
9.3
|
1.7
|
0.7
|
6.5
|
1.8
|
I am not convinced that the UK census is the best and most efficient way of measuring peoples ability to speak Welsh or to measure competence and we need much more breakdown particularly regarding to age differences and origins
And " No skills in Welsh which has a Welsh average of 73.3 " seems to be high as most of the people I know in this area have some knowledge of Welsh and certainly more than they would have than any other second Language.
And it would be Interesting to see the questions asked in 2001 compared with 2011 (Were they exactly the same).
But it does appear that there has been a fairly large drop in areas like Gwynedd (-3.6) Carmarthen (-6.4) and Ceredigion(-4.7) which have not been made up (see the Table provide by Syniadau here
Nor has there been a increase in Welsh Speakers out side Y Fro Gymraeg areas as expected
Clearly In-migration has had a major effect in Y Fro but emigration has to be a major problem.we need to address the dispersion of our people
Its all very well having a Welsh Speaking Scientist working in Silicon Valley in California but it would be much better if they were able to work in Aberystwyth.or Bangor
And work must be found for those who are not so well qualified.
We need to look at a Mondragon stule cooprative movement for Y Fro Gymraeg based on Gwynedd Carmarthen and Cerdigion with cooperatives linked to the Universities of Bangor, Aberystwyth and Trinity St Davidas as well as other educational institutions to create new an innovative jobs which will be linked to the use of the Welsh Language.
The answer to the fall in Welsh Language speakers will always be work for those who speak it where they live and quality work at that.
But it also means that we must also aim to provide a working environment where the Welsh Language is used regularly..To the extent that Non-welsh speakers are encouraged to learn Welsh as part of their employment
Our Political Parties must work through our Assembly to ensure that this becomes a reality.
Even if the Census figures had shown a slight growth we would still need a new initiative from the Welsh Assembly Government the response from Leighton Andrews seems complacent Leighton Andrews said:
The Welsh language and Welsh language communities face challenges and the issue now is not to blame people but decide how to work together to ensure a sustainable future for the language."
He said he would be open to new ideas and had a strategy, launched in March, which included encouraging the use of Welsh in social media.
A Welsh government spokesman added that the strategy recognised the "fragile state of the language" and looked to promote its use across all walks of life.
We need something more than people having a Facebook page in Welsh.
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