Welsh Language Commissioner announced as Keynote speaker
Welsh Language Commissioner announced as keynote speaker at a one-day conference to consider the situation of the Welsh language in the 'New Normal'.
The Welsh Language Commissioner, Aled Roberts, will be one of the keynote speakers at a one-day conference to consider the situation of the Welsh language in the wake of Covid19. The conference, organised by Academi Hywel Teifi, Swansea University, is held on the 10th of March 2021, a year after the pandemic’s start.
The aim of the conference Gofid ynteu Gyfle? Y Gymraeg yn y 'Normal Newydd’ (A Worry or an Opportunity? Welsh in the 'New Normal') will be to assess the impact of the pandemic on various aspects of life and work in the context of the Welsh language.
Academi Hywel Teifi has issued a call for papers for the conference, which will be held on Zoom with free access to all.
Topics that could be considered include the impact of the pandemic:
- on the cohesion of Welsh-speaking communities
- on the development of new terminology
- on Welsh language policies, procedures and services
- on the living and working practices of Welsh speakers
- on Welsh-medium jobs, workplaces or organisations
- on teaching methods or the effect on the education sector
- on language use in homes
- on the arts and the entertainment sector
- on forming alternative networks to physical communities
- on developments or use of technology in Welsh
Papers presenting either complete arguments or ideas in development are welcome as are papers that shed light on what is happening now, and those which attempt to consider the future and try to predict the long-term effects of the pandemic. The conference is open to participants from all sectors and backgrounds, whether academics, students, practitioners, community workers, policy makers and supporters of the Welsh language.
Director of Academi Hywel Teifi, Dr Gwenno Ffrancon, said:
“We hope to identify patterns, solutions or good practices that can contribute to supporting Welsh speakers during these challenging times, but also to take steps to protect the language in the long term as the pandemic progresses and its effects continue in the long term. While there are obvious challenges to the language resulting from the pandemic and its lockdowns, there are also obvious opportunities, and it is important to shed light on those in order to maximize benefits and ensure an element of resilience for the language from such situations in the future.”
A variety of sessions will be delivered via Zoom throughout the day, and the papers will be delivered in Welsh with simultaneous translation. Depending on the number of papers received, parallel sessions may be organised. Everyone will be able to attend the conference free of charge and drop into sessions during the day whenever convenient. Registration details will be announced in early February.
To propose a paper for the conference, submit a summary to academihywelteifi@swansea.ac.uk by 1 February 2021.
