Lloyd Evans Lloyd Evans

Inside the Welsh village where English speakers aren’t welcome

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issue 05 October 2024

On a Saturday morning, no life stirs. The village café is closed and the ancient church of St Beuno’s is locked and deserted. Beside the stone porch stands a dusty glass case that advertises church services and parish gatherings. Not a single event is scheduled. This is the peaceful village of Botwnnog (pronounced Bot-oon-awg) in the Llyn peninsula, north Wales, whose council recently rejected a plan to build 18 houses for rent.

Few Welsh words have found their way into English, even though we inhabit the same island

The language chosen by the council made headline news.

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