kimkat2054k The Utilisation Of The Home Language Of Wales.
Western Mail. 28 Awst 1885.
10-09-2018
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Western Mail 28 Awst 1885 THE UTILISATION OF THE HOME LANGUAGE OF WALES. DISCUSSION AT THE MEETING OF THE CYMMRODORION SOCIETY. At a meeting of the Cymmrodorion Society, held at Aberdare on Thursday, the subject of “The Utilisation of the Welsh Language as an Instrument of Education” come on for discussion. Dr. Isambard Owen presided, and, in opening the proceedings, he said the question which would be before them to conslder was very simple. It was this: Whether it would tend to promote the intellectual development of children in Welsh-speakirig districts to have the Welsh language taught as a subject of instruction in their schools, in addition to, and side by side with, the Engliah language, so that the two languages might serve one as a prop to the other. That it would do so had long been his own personal opinion, but he should never have ventured to express that opinion publicly had he not found, two years ago, that it was expressed with far greater force than he could express it by a gentleman born and bred in Wales, who at the present moment occupied a distinguished position as a teacher in the Principality. He believed It had been thought in some quarters that this movement originated among certain members of the Cymmrodorion Society in London. How, as a matter of fact, the movement originated with Professor Powel, of Cardiff. The action of the Cymmrodorion had been simply to make inquiries in Wales, in order to ascertain to what extent the opinions of Professor Powel were shared by those of his own countrymen who were most competent to deal with the question. About eighteen months ago the Society of Cymmrodorion, after the reading of a paper by Professor Powel, appointed a committee to make some inquiries aad the report was now availlable. THE REPORT. The report states that in response to 1,400 questions sent out 628 replies bad been received, the result being: - For Welsh being taught 339 Against 257 Neutral 33 Majority for the teaching of Welsh 82 It will, threfore, be seen that, in spite of the long and scarce challenged prepossession which has obtained throughout Wales In favour of the exclusion of Welsh from the schools, a marked majority of head teachers – or, at least, of those who have tkaen the trouble to reply – has formed, idependently, a decided opinion that such exclusion is nota desirable course. It must be remarked too, that of the negative replies a portion come from the English-spoken districts, and that 31 such replies are avowedly given on that very ground, while three more object to the proposal on the ground that It does not go far enough. Fifteen of the correspondents consider that the proposal submitted to them does not go far enough; and recommend the Introduction of Welsh as a “class” instead of a “specific” subject. One correspondent suggests “that night schools for the purpose of teaching the Welsh language be supported by the Education Department inthe same or a similar manner as the science and art classes are already supported.” The committee, having carefully reviewed the whole subject in the light of these replies, say: - We venture to give an expression of our own opinion upon it. We consider – That the slow rate of decrease generally observed in the Welsh-speaking area, in spite of all discouragements offered to the language, in spite of its being ignored in the schools, and in spite of the copious introduction through many channels of English and English-speaking immigrants, is a phenomenon of a remarkable character, and may be taken to Indicate that the language possess a hold upon the Welsh mind due to no superficial cause, and not likely in the immediate future to be greatly weakened. That, with a comparatively small extra expenditure of labour In elementary teaching, the acquaintance with colloquial Welsh, which the children of the greater part of Wales already possess, might be converted into a competent knowledge of the literary language, the orthography of which is so simple and easily learned. That this could be done at the same time that the children are acquirlng English, certainly without hindering the acquisition of that tongue, and probably in many cases with the effect of promoting its intelligent acquirement. That, without denying the greater practical utility of French or German, well learned over Welsh, yet the fiarly complete knowledge of the Welsh language which could be so easily imparted to Welsh children, who already speak II colloquiaIly, would be of far greater service as an educational discipline than the smattering of the other languages named which could alone be gained in an elementary school course. |
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That children trained as suggested would be placed in a position of
equal advantage for subsequent acquisition of French or German with children
who have been given such a smattering of these languages, but have not the
insight Into the principles of language which the thorough bilingual
education contemplated for Wales would afford. That, while allowing for the difference of bent In different children, there would be a large proportion of Welsh children to whom a knowledge of two ianguages would be a source of better mental training than the small amount of mechanics or natural sclence which would alone be possible in an elementary course. In fine, we consider that the introduction of the Welsh language as a subject of Instruction in Elementary Scbools in Wales would be the means of converting an existing obstacle into a decided advantage and would afford Welsh children a valuable education (in the proper sense of the word) at an expenditure of labour very little in excess of that now required to instruct them in English. A[n]d that the introduction of it as a "specific” subject would enable the experiment to be tried in in suitable localities without immediately revolutionising the course of educatlon, or hampering those schools in which, from local circumstances, a change is undesirable. To the objections and difficulties in the way of this course urged in the “negative” replies we have given careful consideration, and beg to make the following observations upon them: - The opposition of parents - strong as It appears to be – is based solely on the impression, which, as we have sald, we believe to be a mistaken one, that more Welsh means less English. Should it be decided advantage would accrue from from the introduction of the Welsh subject, and should such introduction be made under the express sanction of the Education Deparment, and with the known general approval of the experts, it may not unfairly be surmised that the opinions of the parents would undergo a chang upon this point, and that they would welcome the introduction ol Welsh as heartily as they are said now to object to it. The fear that the introduction of Welsh would actually be an obstruction to the teaching of English would seem to be counter-balanced by the opinion of at least an equal number of teachers that the teaching of English would thereby be rather promoted than hindered. A considerable number of teachers, too, have remarked that the bulk of the extra work which, it is further objected, would be thrown upon them by the adoption of the proposal is practically already borne by them in the process of instructing Welsh-speaklng children In English. And that the adoption of the proposal would in fact enable them, with very little extra trouble, to obtain an adequate recompense in the way of grant for a work at present unrequited.
As regards the contention that the teaching of Welsh is sufficiently cared for in Sunday Schools, its validity would appear largely to depend on the interpretation which may be attached to the word “sufficiently.” According to the statement of some correspondents on the “affirmative” side, the Welsh instruction of the Sunday Schools seldom goes even as far as to teach the writing, still less the grammar, of the language.
It Is not, of course, intended by this proposal that the Welsh language should be forced as a subject of instruction upon English-speaking children. In schools with only a limited staff and containing many English-speaking as well as Welsh-speaking boys there wiil, no doubt, be a difficulty in the way of taking up this “specific subject,” but this hardly applies to schools In purely or mainly Welsh spoken districts. To a small minority of English children in a Welsh school it would, perhaps, be an advantage to be instructed in the lanaguage of the majority. Though the inquiry upon which this report Is based did not directly ask for opinions upon the question of teaching English through the medium of Welsh, a great number of valuable observations on this subject will be found scattered through the replies. The diversity of opinion Is very great. Some teachers consider the complete exclusion of Welsh from the schools to be an essential element of success; others regard the satisfactory teaching of English as impossible unless conducted through the medium of Welsh. The great majority appear to take an intermediate course, making English the nominal language of instruction, but resorting in a greater or less degree to explanations in Welsh. The conclusions which we should be disposed to draw from these remarks are – that it is equally possible to teach English to Welsh-speaking children on any of the systems above described, the only condition being that it should be that In which the Individual teacher is the most expert; that the present code leaves teachers practically at liberty to select the system they prefer; and that it would be very undesirable to introduce any formal regulation on the subject one way or the other.
The report is signed by William E. Davies, David Lewis, Isambard Owen, John Owens, T.W. Rhys-Davids, and T. Merchant Williams, and dated Lonsdale Chambers, Chancery-lane, W.. August 17, 1885. |
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PAPER AND DISCUSSION. Mr. BERIAH GWYNFE EVANS then read a paper dealing with the question, in which he said there were abundant proofs, not only that the Welsh language was yet alive, but that its final extinction was more remote than appeared probable some years ago. The population of the Welsh-speaking districts increased annually from 2 to 4 per rent, more than did the English-speaking dstricts; and while the population of English-speaking Radnorshire was decreasing, the Welsh-speaking population of Rhondda, with its spreading branches; of Swansea, with its growing suburbs; of the North Wales quarry districts, with their connections, was adavancing by leaps and bounds. Could it be proved that the present sysem had fulfilled their expectations, and that the introduction of Welsh would retard rather than assist the progress of their children, then, though loving his native language as ardently as anyone, he should, if with a pang, still with an easy conscience, relinquish it. But had the system worked well? The children of those who entered the day schools as infants where the system of national education was founded 35 or 36 years ago had now either completed, or were about to complete, the course which their parents went through before them in those schools. As a master of an Elementary School he had often felt more than discouraged. He had felt ashamed to acknowledge to himself that his pupils were far from attaining his Ideal of what they should – that the knowledge they showed of their lesson was a knowledge of words and symbols and not what it abould be, a knowledge of ideas. He contended that some portion at least of the simplicity of Welsh might be imparted to the earlier grades of English reading. Even for English or, at least, duoglot-speaking districts there were evident advantages to be derived from a proper utilisation of the Welsh language. Apart from the direct advantage gained by practical acquaintance with the two languages In such a country as Wales, they had the indirect advantage of the additional leverage. The acquisition of the mechanical art of reading Welsh was, from the almost purely phonetic nature of the formation of tha language, a task of comparative ease, and a child could be taught to read Welsh better In six months than he could, under existing circumstances, be taught to read English in three years.The teaching of Welsh, then, would be, comparatively speaking, no addition to the school burden. Referring to the scheme for Welsh instruction, he held that whatever any scheme was proposed it should be so aranged as (1) to make Welsh an aid to the acquisition of English; (2) to give help first where it was most needed – that was in the lower standards of their Elementary Schools; and (3) to be, when applied to the higher cIasses, a material aid to the
acquiring [of] a practical and Intelligent knowledge of English, and where
necessary, of other languages. In conclusion, he made an appeal to the patriotism Welshmen, and entreated their assistance in forming a society which must have an immense effect upon their national entity. A discussion followed, in which several gentlemen took part, the general feeling expressed being in sympathy with the views of the author of the paper. Mr. DAN ISAAC DAVIES said that Mr. D. Tudor Evans had impugned the action of the committee of the Cymmrodorion Society in appealing for information to the teachers of Wales, and had said that other persons ought to have their say. There was a strong feeling that he, as one of those other persons, should come forward and have his say now. Mr. EVANS, who occupied a front seat in the body of the hall, and who resolutely declined to comply with repeated appeals that he should ascend the platform, said he was not prepared that morning to be immolated on the altar of bigotry (Cries of “Shame.") The Ven. Archdeacon GRIFFITHS proposed: - That it is desirable that a society be formed for promoting the utilisation of the Welsh language In education. MABON seconded the motion. The CHAIRMAN, in supporting It, said the teaching of Welsh in schools would, he believed, tend to give Welsh children a further confidence and a better faith in their own nationality, and help them in acquiring habits of self-reliance and self-respect.
The motion was carried unanimously, and it was agreed that it should be left to Mr. D. Isaac Davies to organise the society suggested. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting. TO THE EDlTOR OF THE “WESTERN MAIL. SIR,-Will you allow me to explain, in the same column as the report of the meeting at the Temperance-hall, why I refused to take part in the discussion on the teaching of Welsh in Elementary Schools? I have expressed my disapproval of the method in which the Cymmrodorion Society have proceeded in the matter, and have, consequently, been represented as anti-national. I knew that if I expressed my opinion freely and honestly I should be howled down by the meeting, and said, therefore, that "I declined to be immolated on the altar of national bigotry." No one has greater admiration of the Welsh language, or a stronger wish to see it cultivated, than I have, but I object to thrust it down the throats of children who will have to earn their bread by manual Iabour. There is nothing to prevent the masters and mistresses of schools explaining in Welsh to monoglot children the meaning of English words and phrases. Anything beyond this would be a waste of time. It is a great misfortune that the questions of race and language should be raised when we are about completing our national system of education. The practical and suggestive remarks of Mrs. Bryant and Lord Aberdare are deserving of serious consideration. - I am. &c., Cardiff. D. TUDOR EVANS. |
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