Tagann staid na Breatnaise anuas go han-mhinic i meáin chumarsáide na Breataine Bige agus chun an fhírinne a rá tá sé thar am againn an port a athrú. Is é bun agus barr an scéil ná gur doiligh liom scéalta tuarúla faoi bhás na teanga a réiteach le mo thaithí féin mar chainteoir óg Breatnaise sa lá atá inniu ann. Cé go bhfuil mé ag déanamh staidéir taobh amuigh den Bhreatain Bheag, tá fonn orm fós an teanga a úsáid. Náisiún imirceach muid, go háirithe i measc na glúine óige, mar sin is annamh a bhítear gann ar chainteoirí agus comhráite Breatnaise. Léiríonn mic léinn eile (Meiriceánaigh go háirithe) an-suim i gcónaí nuair a thugann siad faoi deara go bhfuilim líofa i mionteanga Cheilteach agus is dócha go mbíonn beagán ionaidh orthu faoi chomh maith. In ainneoin an drochscéil faoi staid na teanga, is iomaí cúis le bheith dearfach faoin todhchaí atá amach roimpi. Sa Bhreatain Bheag, cuir i gcás, níl aon chuma ar an scéal go bhfuil laghad ag teacht ar líon na bpáistí atá ag freastal ar scoileanna ina múintear trí mheán na Breatnaise (thart ar 20% sna meánscoileanna agus beagán níos airde sna bunscoileanna). Sa bhaile in Aberystwyth, is féidir liom dul go dtí an dochtúir, pionta a cheannach nó céim a dhéanamh trí mheán na Breatnaise – bíodh is nach ndéanfainn san ord sin iad. Ní mar sin a bhíodh sé. Cé gurbh Bhreatnaiseoirí ó dhúchas iad clann mo mháthar leis na cianta cairbreacha, sna 1960idí chinn tuistí mo mháthar gan an teanga a thabhairt ar aghaidh go dtí an chéad ghlúin eile. Bhí níos lú daoine ag labhairt na Breatnaise agus bhí an chuma ar an scéal gurb é an Béarla teanga na todhchaí. Ar an dea-uair dom féin, tá ag éirí leis an streachailt chun bás na teanga a chur i bhfad uainn, sa tslí is go bhfuil an dochar a rinneadh san fhichiú céad á chur ina cheart arís. Is buntáiste mór é Breatnais a bheith ar do thoil agat in an-chuid gairmeacha sa lá atá inniu ann. Gach uile sheachtain, freastlaíonn mo mháthair agus na mílte eile cosúil léi ar ranganna teanga atá dírithe ar dhaoine fásta atá ag iarraidh cur lena gcuid scileanna proifisiúnta. Ó mo thaobhsa de, tá aiféala orm nach gcuirim go leor ama i leataobh chun staidéar a dhéanamh ar ár bhfilíocht nó ar ár litríocht dhúchais. Tá stair shaibhir ag an mBreatnais mar theanga liteartha agus bíonn fíor-áilleacht ag baint le saothair a scríobhadh inti. Is mór an sólás dom é go bhfuil a lán ama agam chun an éagóir seo a chur ina ceart. Mar chríoch, mholfainn go láidir duit, a léitheoir, cuairt a thabhairt ar an tír bheag seo atá ag gobadh amach chomh fada le Muir Éireann. Tar éis an tsaoil, tá gaol (teangeolaíoch) eadrainn... The condition of the Welsh language crops up fairly often in the Welsh press, and to tell the truth it’s about time we changed the record. The fact is, I have a difficult time reconciling apocalyptic stories of the language’s demise with my experience as a young speaker in 2015. Although I study outside of Wales, the urge to use the language has stayed with me. Especially among the younger generation, we are a nation of migrants, so there is nearly never a shortage of Welsh speakers to have a chat with. My fellow students (Americans in particular) always show an interest, and perhaps a little bit of surprise, when they discover that I am fluent in a minor Celtic language. In spite of the sad news about the language’s health there are a number of reasons to be positive about its future. For example, the number of children attending Welsh medium schools shows no signs of declining (about 20% in secondary schools, a little higher in primary schools). In my local town of Aberystwyth, I can see a doctor, buy a pint or study for a degree through Welsh - if not necessarily in that order. Things were not always so. Although my Mum’s family had spoken Welsh as a first language for generations, in the 1960s my grandparents made the decision not to pass the language down to their children. Fewer people were speaking Welsh and English, it seemed, was the future. Fortunately for me, the battle to defend the language from extinction has been successful insofar as the damage of the 20th century is now being reversed. Today, many professions view the ability to speak Welsh as a considerable bonus. Every week Mum and thousands of others attend language classes for adults to improve their employability. From a personal perspective, I regret that I don’t make enough time to explore our native poetry and literature. As a literary language, Welsh has a rich history with works of true beauty. I take comfort in the knowledge that I have a lifetime to put this right. To close I urge you, the reader, to someday visit this small country that extends out into the Irish Sea. After all, we are (linguistically) related… 19
TCD Multilingual 2015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above