Some great suggestions in this thread and I am glad to say that I had already seen and responded to the consultation.
I largely echo what has been said previously; important points which I feel could help achieve 1,000,000 speakers:
-
A Welsh first approach on public announcements/correspondance
-
An emphasis on conversational Welsh in English-medium schools over formal written skills (which will inevitably develop from speaking and listening)
-
Incorporating Welsh language history and Welsh history (i.e. pre-England/UK) into Welsh language lessons
-
Make Welsh more interesting by recognising the global influences it has had e.g. Tolkien’s Sindarin, World of Warcraft etc
-
Using ‘Cymraeg’ instead of ‘Welsh’
-
A positive Welsh media to counter the current England-dominated media which we overwhelmingly hear in Wales. Which, incidentally, seems to jump on every chance it gets to patronise the Welsh and our language (views which accurately reflect White middle-class English attitudes in my experience).
-
Promote resources such as Duolingo and SSiW which make learning in your own time far easier than commiting to classroom sessions
-
Promoting cool contemporary music artists such as Kizzy Crawford, Swnami and Candelas (particualrly on English language programmes in Wales) which I think are fantastic adverts for Cymraeg and could appeal to young people
-
A Welsh subtitle option on Welsh language programmes
-
Using Welsh language interviews on BBC Wales news with English subtitles would definitely help normalise hearing Welsh
-
Welsh speakers continuing to be supportive of Welsh learners and recognise that many of us weren’t fortunate enough to be brought up with Cymraeg spoken at home etc
-
Promoting all Welshies (learners and first language alike) to try to use Cymraeg on Dydd Dewi Sant
That’s my two pennyworth - if you agree with any of these points, please feel free to add them to your own when completing the consultation form