Welsh

Welsh (Cymraeg or y Gymraeg) is a Brittonic language of the Celtic language family. It is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut Province, Argentina). According to the United Kingdom Census 2011, 19 percent of residents in Wales aged three and over were able to speak Welsh. According to the 2001 Census, 21 percent of the population aged 3+ were able to speak Welsh. This suggests that there was a decrease in the number of Welsh speakers in Wales from 2001 to 2011 – from about 582,000 to 562,000 respectively.
The Annual Population Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics for the year ending in March 2019 suggests that 874,600 Welsh residents (29 percent) aged three or over were able to speak Welsh.The results for the most recent National Survey for Wales (2017-2018) suggest that 19 per cent of the population aged 16 and over were able to speak Welsh, with an additional 12 per cent noting that they had "some Welsh speaking ability".
The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 gave the Welsh language official status in Wales, making it the only language that is de jure official in any part of the United Kingdom, with English being de facto official. The Welsh language, along with English, is also a de jure official language of the National Assembly for Wales.
== Links to Peel ==
Peel played tracks in Welsh as early as 1978 and gave large amounts of airtime to Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and Datblygu (who only recorded in that language). He also did his National Service in Anglesey (Welsh: Ynys Môn), a predominate Welsh speaking island in Wales and often frequently expressed regret on his shows that he had never learned the language.
Apart from broadcasting Welsh language music, Peel also appeared on Welsh language music programmes on S4C, especially Fideo 9 and Bandit, where he talked about Welsh language music. And he was also interviewed on a Welsh fanzine called White Lemonade in 1991, where he was asked how he became aware of and interested in bands that sang in Welsh?
"Well, I was always aware of Wales, as it were, because we could see it across the Dee where I lived – we were three miles from the frontier. My grandfather lived in Rhosneigr, Ynys Môn (Anglesey). Also, I went to school near Conwy and my brother went to Treaddur, also in Ynys Môn. And I did my national service in Ty Croes which is where Gorwel Owen, a prime mover in Welsh language music now lives. I bought my first iced-lolly I ate in my life from a shop in Rhosneigr!
Rhys from Anhrefn was the first person to bring the music to my attention and, although he no longer calls, he kept me posted for several years. Now Dave Edwards from Datblyguwrites to me a lot. Gorwel keeps in touch and I hear intermittently from Y Llwybr Llaethog and others. Although I am not too keen on the wave of nationalism that has destabilised Yugoslavia, and will do the same for other eastern European countries before we are through. I do understand why people feel it is vital to preserve their language and culture against all the odds. Although I am revolted by violence, I can understand, living in a village where a pattern of life is being first distorted and then destroyed by incomers, why Meibion Glyndwr are moved to such extreme measures by the insensitivity of some English incomers. I’d like to find a Welsh holiday home in England by way of comparison though."
He was also asked whether it was a good thing that such bands do sing in Welsh:
"Yes, I do. I have pointed out to bands overseas – Japan, Spain, Germany, Bulgaria, etc – that they are already too many English speaking (or singing anyway) bands in Britain, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand; so trying to interest the world in yet more English speaking bands from Japan, Spain, etc, seems doomed to failure. I prefer bands to sing in their own language and, without getting silly about it, to have some element in their music that identifies it as being of their culture – this doesn’t mean that Anhrefn should a harpist or anything. Using Welsh is enough in itself, I think."Given all of this, it was surprising and distressing that a listener in May 2004, five months before his death, accused him of neglecting Welsh and urged him to "die soon". 
In 2018, BBC Radio Cymru paid tribute to Peel's contribution in helping Welsh language artists, by dedicating a programme of his Welsh language sessions called Sesiynau Cymraeg John Peel, which translates to English as John Peel's Welsh Sessions.
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
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This is a list of Festive Fifty entry songs whose titles are in Welsh
* 1992 Festive Fifty: Datblygu: Popeth
* 2004 Festive Fifty: Texas Radio Band: Chwareon Bwtleg Pep Le Pew
* 2004 Festive Fifty: Kentucky AFC: Nesa
== Sessions ==
This is a list of session artists whose song titles were mostly in Welsh
* thumb|330x330pxAnhrefn: (3 sessions, 1986-1993)
* Datblygu: (5 sessions, 1987-1993)
* Fflaps: (2 sessions, 1988-1990)
* Gorky's Zygotic Mynci: (9 sessions, 1993-2003)
* Ian Rush(2): (1 session, 1993)
* Llwybr Llaethog: (4 sessions, 1987-2001)
* MC Mabon: (1 session, 2000)
* Melys: (8 sessions, 1997-2004)
* Plant Bach Ofnus: (2 sessions, 1988-1991)
* Tystion: (3 sessions, 2000-2001)
== See Also ==
* Glossary
* Irish
* French
* German
== External Links ==
* Wikipedia
Category:Subjects