Welsh and English in the city of Bangor: A study in functional differentiation

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article considers the ways in which the Welsh and English languages are currently used in Bangor, a cathedral and university city in North Wales. The two languages carry different kinds of authority in different contexts and are acquired in different ways by children from different backgrounds. Some religious institutions have a clear commitment to one language, but others practice various forms of bilingualism. The relationship between the two languages in education and the other public services is partially determined by consciously formulated language policies but is less consistent than some official statements might suggest. The patterns of usage in commercial and domestic life are even more various and frequently involve complex forms of code-switching. (Welsh, English, Wales, bilingualism)