Reasons to learn a minoritised language: the case of migrant new speakers of Welsh in Cardiff, Wales

Abstract

This paper explores the reasons for migrant new speakers of Welsh in Cardiff to learn the language given that English is the main communication medium in everyday life. From interviews with 10 migrant new speakers of Welsh and their language diaries, this paper shows that migrant new speakers were interested in accessing the Welsh culture and society through the Welsh language. Although they did not learn it for financial gain, migrants noticed the linguistic capital of Welsh. It is also found that migrant new speakers had personal reasons for learning the language based on their unique language timelines and interest in languages. Findings show that neither Gardner’s socio-educational nor Dörnyei’s psychological frameworks can fully explain reasons for migrant new speakers to learn Welsh. Although minoritised languages are conventionally regarded to be related to nativeness, this paper argues that people who are non-traditional speakers, including migrants, can play a role in revitalising the languages.

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