Page 87 - 《客語及少數族群語言政策》附錄_少數語言法律
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Reaching a million
Reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050 would reverse the decline in the number of speakers
over the twentieth century: in 1911, there were almost a million (977,000) Welsh speakers aged
three and over in Wales.
The chart below shows the progress of the language over the last century. Based on the 2011
Census figures, approximately 438,000 new Welsh speakers are needed by 2050 if we are to reach
a million. This means not only taking action to increase the number of speakers, but also sustaining
existing numbers, since mortality and out-migration will affect the current number of speakers.
Chart 1: Number of people aged three and over able to speak Welsh,
3
1911–2011 Census, together with the ambition by 2050
1,200,000
1,000,000
Number of Welsh speakers aged 3 and over
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2021 2031 2041 2051
Year
Language skills acquisition
The aim of achieving a million speakers means developing further the methods which are
most likely to lead to the necessary increase.
There are two main methods, namely transmitting the Welsh language from one generation to the
next, and developing and sustaining skills through education and training.
3 Note that there was no census in 1941.
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