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[[Image:Roadsign.png|thumb|right|200px|A bilingual roadsign]] | [[Image:Roadsign.png|thumb|right|200px|A bilingual roadsign]] | ||
Wales is a bilingual country. '''Welsh''' has equal status with '''English''' in the public sector in Wales and the teaching of both languages is compulsory in all schools up to the age of 16. | |||
The most recent census figures for Wales (2001) indicate that 582,400 (21% of the population) were able to speak Welsh. However, in the western parts of the country the language is spoken by over 60% of the population. | The most recent census figures for Wales (2001) indicate that 582,400 (21% of the population) were able to speak Welsh. However, in the western parts of the country the language is spoken by over 60% of the population. | ||
Wales has one television channel, [http://www.s4c.co.uk/ S4C (Sianel 4 Cymru)], and one radio station, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/radiocymru/ BBC Radio Cymru], broadcasting in the Welsh language. | Wales has one television channel, [http://www.s4c.co.uk/ S4C (Sianel 4 Cymru)], and one radio station, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/radiocymru/ BBC Radio Cymru], broadcasting in the Welsh language. | ||
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== The Welsh Alphabet == | == The Welsh Alphabet == | ||
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages. | |||
Though the Welsh and English alphabets are very similar, each has some letters not used in the other. The letters q, v, and z are not used in the Welsh language and the letters j and k only occur in 'adopted' words. The following double letters are treated as a single letter in Welsh: ch, dd, ff, ll, ng, ph, rh, and th. These letters are part of the Welsh alphabet. | Though the Welsh and English alphabets are very similar, each has some letters not used in the other. The letters q, v, and z are not used in the Welsh language and the letters j and k only occur in 'adopted' words. The following double letters are treated as a single letter in Welsh: ch, dd, ff, ll, ng, ph, rh, and th. These letters are part of the Welsh alphabet. | ||
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*[http://users.comlab.ox.ac.uk/geraint.jones/about.welsh/ Geraint Jones' Welsh information] | *[http://users.comlab.ox.ac.uk/geraint.jones/about.welsh/ Geraint Jones' Welsh information] | ||
<br>[[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Portal:Wales|Return to the Wales Portal page]] <br> | <br>[[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Portal:Wales|Return to the Wales Portal page]] <br> <!-- Tidy found serious XHTML errors --> | ||
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[[Category:Wales]] | [[Category:Wales]] | ||