The Role of Cymraeg in Shaping Welsh Identity

The present day world once again raises the question of national identity, especially in places where migration or more nationalistic policies have caused visible social implications. In Wales, for long, this issue appeared to have been marked by a strong reference to the Welsh language and the importance of having an ethnic Welsh identity. However, since the decline of Cymraeg (the Welsh indigenous language) and new social developments in the last two centuries, the notion of Welsh identity has required a reconceptualization to face up to new realities. The following article attempts to indicate to what extent the Welsh language was and still is part of the essence of Welshness and what other factors aff ect the understanding of Welsh nationhood presently.