Rhetoric or Reality? Is Welsh really a living language and a language for living? Language use of new Welsh speakers in Cwm Rhymni, south Wales

Many minority languages are in a statistically healthier position due to the
success of minority language education; a key component of most devolved
governments' revitalization strategies. Much like other nations with
minoritized languages, despite the continued success of Welsh-medium and
bilingual education, there is a heightened concern regarding the social usage
of Welsh among new speakers. The Welsh Government's Welsh Language
vision places emphasis on the inclusive nature of a truly bilingual Wales for
all (Welsh Assembly Government 2003, 1). More recently, it calls for greater
social use of Welsh within the community so that Welsh is a living language,
a language for living (Welsh Government 2012a, 1). However, what happens
when rhetoric meets reality? In real terms, can the Welsh language flourish
beyond the educational sector if there are limited opportunities for new Welsh
speakers to use Welsh socially? This paper explores parents' perceptions of
their children's language use in Cwm Rhymni, where Welsh-medium education
is flourishing yet English remains the dominant social language. This research
highlights the difficulties facing young new speakers in using Welsh regularly
outside the classroom due to the linguistic infrastructure of the locality. Key
research themes to emerge from this research highlight the complex
relationships that exist between language preferences and local/national
identity, language ownership and a sense of belonging, notions of community
and peer group influences. New Welsh speakers were indeed making use of the of the Welsh language but their usage was largely context-dependent. Interestingly,parents reported a greater social language use amongst females rather than males and reported that many young people shifted towards a greater use of English as they grew older. The study also highlights the often unexpected social use of the Welsh language beyond the classroom and the complexities involving taking ownership of a language not spoken at home or heard within the community at large. This chapter provides some valuable insights into the future linguistic practices and linguistic journeys of new speakers in one valley in Wales