New research suggests the Welsh language is under threat by people's habits on social media. A new study from Swansea University has found social media "may be threatening the future of the Welsh language and the psychological health of its speakers".
The research, which has been published in the 'Trends in Psychology' journal, was conducted by experts at Swansea University's School of Psychology and has been labelled "the first of its kind" to compare minority and majority language speakers and their social media responses.
Dr Richard Jones, Dr Irene Reppa and Professor Phil Reed, all of Swansea University, evaluated 800 first-language Welsh and first-language English speakers aged 13 to 15 attending Welsh-medium schools throughout Wales. They found that more than 10% of the pupils had a "high level of social media addiction" and almost 70% of Welsh speakers used English on social media, with the vast majority using it more than Welsh.
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Although previous research has shown that Welsh has a "foothold" within the digital landscape, it's felt that Welsh speakers "switching to the majority language" (English) could threaten the continued use and vitality of the Welsh language.
The study also evaluated the psychological impact of social media use on Welsh-English bilingual speakers, and revealed that Welsh speakers' desire to use social media in Welsh might be driven by wanting to increase self-esteem, to "attain greater linguistic parity with English speakers," or to connect with other Welsh speakers.
Dr Jones explained: "Acknowledging the importance of language to minority-language speakers' cultural and social identities, the erosion of a language online would threaten the cultural identity of a nation."
"The consequence of minority-language speakers switching to the majority language threatens the continued vitality of minority languages and raises questions regarding the significance of the minority language within minority-language speakers' minds."
Professor Phil Reed added: "The study shows that governments need to consider not only the impacts of social media on psychological health and wellbeing but also its impact on the cultures of minority groups who may be forced to abandon important and stabilising influences in the pursuit of digital interactions, which are becoming increasingly necessary for everyday life."
Dr Irene Reppa added: "This work sheds light on the issues that threaten minority languages, such as the Welsh language, when faced with the homogenisation of cultures because of the use of the internet and social media to reach a global audience."
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