Hinterland: "A lot of people I've met abroad didn’t even known that Wales has its own language." Photo via BBC; photo courtesy of Josh
S4C is the only Welsh language channel accessible on television. For a long time, its best-known show was probably the soap opera Pobol y Cwm, but after a 39-year run it was finally unseated in 2013 by noir police drama Y Gwyll (The Dusk).Dubbed "Celtic noir" for its similarities to so-called Scandi noirs like The Killing and The Bridge – which aired around the same time and featured similarly dark themes – Y Gwyll fed into the UK's fresh appetite for psychologically unsettling crime dramas in a rural setting.The show's immediate success took it to BBC One Wales, where it was aired bilingually under the name Hinterland and became the first BBC drama to feature dialogue in both English and Welsh. It was also aired in Welsh by broadcasters in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia, before being picked up by Netflix and served to US audiences.
Welsh TV is Having a Moment
When filmed, Hinterland recorded each scene twice – once in Welsh and once in English – and although the two versions are identical, Welsh speakers have differing views on which has more impact for representing Welsh culture. Ultimately, though, it was the first in what would be a long line of Welsh language dramas – paving the way for more stories to be told in Wales, about Wales, and quite literally in our own words.
JOSH, 26
I think Hinterland represented the Welsh language well to European countries. A lot of people I've met abroad didn’t even known that Wales has its own language, so I think it's important to show this to an international audience. The fact that the show used some 'Wenglish' (a use of English words while speaking Welsh) was also realistic as I find that's the way most people speak Welsh.
RAE, 21
Photo courtesy of Rae (right)
I started watching Hinterland with my parents, who are not Welsh speaking and found myself translating things that they missed, just from how quickly the actors spoke. Although the Welsh I was taught in school was slightly different to the one on the show (I'm from south Wales and certain words vary), I believe it represents the language accurately. It had enough Welsh laced throughout to keep the feeling of being truly Welsh but also had nice breaks of English for those who may not speak it to follow along without trying too hard. All in all I believe it represented the Welsh language in a realistic but still poetic way.
LEIGH, 30
As a Welsh speaker, any representation of our language and culture that reaches beyond our borders is brilliant to me. As well as outside of Wales, there are even Welsh people who don't realise how widely spoken the language is day-to-day in parts of our country. The fact that this presents this side of life in Wales is great. In the English language version of the show, the switching of languages between characters depending on who they speak to is a very realistic portrayal of life in Wales.
HYWEL, 25
Photo courtesy of Hywel (left)
To an extent, Hinterland does a good job of representing the Welsh language internationally, but not as much as I think it could do. Shooting a separate Welsh version means there's less pressure to include the language in the English version.
MICHELLE, 34
As a Welsh person living in England, Hinterland helped me rediscover my Welsh identity. Seeing the Salem portrait, the legend of the Devil's Bridge, and hearing compelling, contemporary stories about Wales was an incredible new experience. Being able to talk to my friends about Hinterland in conversations similar to how we speak about Scandi dramas like The Killing was genuinely thrilling.
MORGAN, 19
Personally I think the show does Welsh culture a fantastic service, in particular to the way it merges Welsh and English together, so as to make it seem very naturally conversational in everyday lives for most people as it is in reality. I've always loved the show, having first seen it on S4C. I introduced it to my family and they also started watching and loving it. We still watch it occasionally, because of the beauty with which the show is written – combining the harsh rugged terrain of Ceredigion and how that ruggedness is reflected in the people who live there, as well as the way it is conveyed through the use of the Welsh language.Hinterland has reached out to many audiences across the world, and in my opinion that it does bring a focal point to how the Welsh language is used and spoken [in Wales]. As far as shows go, it tops my list every time.CLICK HERE TO READ VICE'S 50 BEST TV SHOWS OF THE CENTURY SO FAR.@GINATONIC
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FAQs
To an extent, Hinterland does a good job of representing the Welsh language internationally, but not as much as I think it could do. Shooting a separate Welsh version means there's less pressure to include the language in the English version.
Why is it important to speak Welsh in Wales? ›
The Welsh language is at the heart of our modern Welsh identity. Its history is remarkable. The fact that we, in the twenty-first century, can enjoy family life, education, work and leisure all through the medium of Welsh is testimony to the importance of the language to the people of Wales.
Why does no one speak Welsh in Wales? ›
During industrialisation in the late 19th century, immigrants from England led to the decline in Welsh speakers particularly in the South Wales Valleys. Welsh government processes and legislation have worked to increase the proliferation of the Welsh language, for example through education.
What is the most Welsh speaking town in Wales? ›
Percentage of people in Wales who say they can speak Welsh in 2023, by local authority
| Characteristic | Share of respondents |
|---|
| Cardiff | 26.45% |
| Wrexham | 25.8% |
| Caerphilly | 25.74% |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 25.7% |
9 more rowsJul 3, 2024
Welsh language proficiency was highest among younger age groups, with around half of 3-15 year old's being able to speak Welsh, compared with just over a fifth of women over the age of 65, and 18.8 percent of men in this age group.
Why is Welsh so different than English? ›
The Welsh language is in the Celtic language group, whereas English is in the West Germanic group; consequently the English language is further from the Welsh language in both vocabulary and grammar than from a number of European languages, such as Dutch, for example.
Is Welsh still commonly spoken in Wales? ›
Modern Wales
Now more than a quarter of the population of modern Cymru can speak or use Welsh. This figure increases among children, helped by two major education acts passed during the 1900s. You'll hear and see plenty of Welsh – Radio Cymru launched in 1977, and the television channel, S4C, began in 1982.
Can Prince William speak Welsh? ›
Where and from who did he learn it? Yes, he does, though probably not much. In the run-up to his Investiture as Prince of Wales, he went and studied Welsh at (I think) the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Is Welsh a dying language? ›
Welsh Is Growing Stronger
Welsh is the only Celtic language not considered endangered by UNESCO. Though there have been some concerns over Welsh-speaking communities shrinking, Welsh speakers are actually on the rise.
Is Welsh Celtic or gaelic? ›
Cornish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Manx and Welsh belong to the Celtic branch of Indo-European. Celtic, in turn, divides into two distinct subgroups: P-Celtic (or Brythonic) and Q-Celtic (or Goidelic). Cornish and Welsh are P-Celtic languages, whilst Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Manx are Q-Celtic languages.
Today there are over two million people in the USA claiming Welsh ancestry, places such as Malad City in Idaho, Remsen in New York State and Oak Hill in Ohio having the largest concentrations.
Can you live in Wales without speaking Welsh? ›
True the vast majority of people are fluent in English and you don't have to speak Welsh but it will greatly add to life if you can. Do people living in Wales speak Welsh? Some do. Some learn it in school and for some it's still their first language and they learn English second.
Where in the USA do they speak Welsh? ›
Delaware and the Carolinas also have Welsh roots, and a party of Jackson County, Ohio, is called Little Wales. The Welsh language was spoken here widely until the 20th century. It still persists too: according to the 2010 American census, 135 people still speak Welsh.
What is hello in Welsh language? ›
The simplest way to greet someone in Welsh is by saying “helô”. This Welsh word can be used on both formal and informal occasions. An informal way of saying hello in Welsh is 'haia', which is similar to the English 'hiya'.
Is Welsh hard to learn? ›
Welsh has a relatively simple grammar compared to other languages. It follows the same basic sentence structure as English - subject-verb-object. However, it does have some unique features that take time to master. One of the most challenging aspects of Welsh grammar is its use of mutations.
What is Welsh language similar to? ›
Welsh developed from the Celtic language known as Brythonic or Brittonic. The two most closely related languages are Cornish and Breton. Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx are also Celtic languages but are more distantly related.
Is the Welsh language still important? ›
Today, the Welsh language is embraced and spoken at home, in the workplace, in the community and in government. It's estimated that almost 800,000 people speak Welsh.
What is the role of the Welsh language in Wales' social culture? ›
The Welsh language is a key part of the region's culture and identity, being the primary language spoken in some of our communities, as well as having a significant presence in many workplaces, learning institutions, and around our town and village streets.
What is unique about the Welsh language? ›
The Welsh language also incorporates more vowels compared to the English language. English vowels are: A, E, I, O, U whereas Welsh vowels also include W and Y. There are examples of English words where these Welsh vowels have sneaked in, though. For example, words like 'myth' and 'why' use the Welsh vowel: Y.
Why should the Welsh language be preserved? ›
Welsh and other Celtic languages were the first languages of their nations and have strong social significance for their communities; these would be examples of cultural goods.
