Regional or Minority Languages – Aberystwyth University Research
Theme Leader: Elin Royles (ear@aber.ac.uk)
Our activity seeksto capitalise on the research expertise and teaching strengths in the field of regional or minority languages that already exist at Aberystwyth University spread across academic departments, by pulling them together under one banner. The aim is to establish ourselves as an internationally recognised multi-disciplinary centre of excellence in the field of regional and minority languages.
Among the main areas of research where there is expertise (yet not limited to them) are the following;
• Attitudes to languages, language use practices and acquisition, the effect of bilingualism on speakers;
• Language, ethics and rights: the rights of speakers of minority languages as a human right, the impact of language legislation on linguistic behaviour, bilingualism and translation in the context of the law;
• Bilingual education including pupils’ views on studying minority languages and how to encourage the continuation of studying through the medium of minority languages; the views of pupils from non-Welsh speaking homes and how to support them to study in Welsh, and translanguaging;
• Language Policy and Behaviour Change, Minority languages and sustainable development;
• Studying situations where the Welsh language and other languages have been and are excluded e.g. governance, the law, the world of business and the economy in order to understand factors that lead to those circumstances and strategies to increase inclusivity in terms of language;
• Understand the situation and challenges of maintaining regional and minority languages in the context of social transformations including migration and neo-liberalism;
• Language, literature, drama, theatre, film and television projects: expertise in language, literature, linguistics and the philology of Welsh and other Celtic languages. Projects include ‘Cerdd Iaith’ in terms of multilingual pedagogy, Welsh in the workplace and translation.
Related networks
Associate member of the European Network NPLD, Network for the Promotion of Linguistic Diversity
A founding network member of the academic network, UniNet, NPLD University Network
WISERD Language, Culture and Identity Research Network
Information about our forthcoming conference: ‘Research methodologies and regional and minority language research’ Conference Prifysgol Aberystwyth, Wales, UK 9 and 10 July 2024
Main staff involved, in alphabetical order:
Dr Hanna Binks, Department of Psychology
Dr Cathryn Charnell-White, Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies
Dr Lowri Cunnington Wynn, Department of Law & Criminology
Dr Catrin Wyn Edwards, Department of International Politics
Professor Mererid Hopwood, Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies
Mr Dylan Hughes, Centre for Welsh Language Services
Dr Catrin Fflûr Huws, Department of Law & Criminology
Dr Rhianedd Jewell, Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies
Professor Anwen Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Professor Rhys Jones, Sefydliad Daearyddiaeth a Gwyddorau Daear
Professor Emyr Lewis, Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
Dr Huw Lewis, Department of International Politics
Dr Sian Lloyd-Williams, School of Education
Ms Elizabeth Morse, Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies
Dr Ben Ó Ceallaigh, Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies
Dr Elin Royles, Department of International Politics
Relevant briefing papers and evidence submissions based on our research:
To follow
Related projects:
Education, Language and Identity – WISERD/Civil Society Work Package 2.3 (2016-2019, ESRC)
Revitalise was an AHRC funded network, coordinated by scholars at Aberystwyth University and the University of Edinburgh. It examined the implications of current patterns of social change for our understanding of how efforts to promote the prospects of regional and minority languages should be designed and implemented. The network brought together an international and interdisciplinary group of academic researchers, spanning the arts, humanities and social sciences, along with a number of prominent language policy practitioners. For more information and to access the materials produced as part of the project see:http://revitalise.aber.ac.uk