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A Standard for Language? Policy, Territory, and Constitutionality in a Devolving Wales

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Sociolinguistics in Wales

Abstract

This chapter discusses the significance of the Welsh Language Measure (WLM) of 2011 in the devolving Welsh political community as well as the wider UK. After an initial discussion of the institutions and mechanisms created by the WLM, the relationship between the official status of the Welsh language and future citizen expectation of Welsh language service provision is explored. The democratic nature of the WLM language standards regulatory mechanism is subsequently considered along with the appropriateness of the discourse of language rights linked to the standards. The chapter concludes with reflections on how these interlinking aspects of the WLM may in the future interact with evolving Welsh and broader UK constitutional debates.

Mae’r bennod hon yn trafod arwyddocâd Mesur y Gymraeg 2011 i’r gymuned wleidyddol Gymreig ac i’r DG ehangach. Ar ôl trafodaeth gychwynnol am y sefydliadau a’r mecanweithiau a grëwyd gan y Mesur, dadansoddir y berthynas rhwng statws swyddogol y Gymraeg a’r hyn y gall dinasyddion ei ddisgwyl o safbwynt darparu gwasanaethau yn y Gymraeg. Yna, ystyrir natur ddemocrataidd mecanwaith rheoleiddio’r safonau iaith yn y Mesur yn ogystal â pha mor briodol yw’r ddisgwrs ynghylch hawliau iaith a gysylltir â’r safonau. Mae’r bennod yn cloi gyda nifer o fyfyrdodau ynghylch y graddau y bydd yr agweddau cydgysylltiedig hyn yn rhan o drafodaethau cyfansoddiadol yn y Gymru sy’n datganoli a’r tu hwnt yn y DU.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Welsh Assembly Government was subsequently renamed the Welsh Government.

  2. 2.

    Language duties resulting from standards were applied to a first tranche of public organisations in March 2016, having previously been approved as regulations by the Welsh legislature.

  3. 3.

    The Welsh legislature does not have legislative competence for the English language. On the significance of this, see Mac Giolla Chríost, 2016.

  4. 4.

    The official status is itself circumscribed in section 1(2) of the WLM. For further details, see Mac Giolla Chríost et al. (2016).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Patrick Carlin & Diarmait Mac Giolla Chríost

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  1. Patrick Carlin
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  2. Diarmait Mac Giolla Chríost
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom

    Mercedes Durham

  2. Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom

    Jonathan Morris

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Carlin, P., Chríost, D.M.G. (2016). A Standard for Language? Policy, Territory, and Constitutionality in a Devolving Wales. In: Durham, M., Morris, J. (eds) Sociolinguistics in Wales. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52897-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52897-1_4

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