Publications
Series : Research Papers|
Number 02: The Coming of the Railways and Language Change in North Wales 1850–1900
Author/
Editor
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Dot Jones
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Published
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1995
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ISBN
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0947531297
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Publisher
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University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
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Price
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£1.50
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Size
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247 x 148mm
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Format
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Clawr papur/Paperback, v+23
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In mid-nineteenth-century Wales the coming of the railways promised sight of an economic and social revolution which would unite all, enabling Wales to exploit fully its rich natural resources and gain recognition in the wider world. Few believed that railway communications were a threat to the native language. By the end of the century, however, the situation regarding the Welsh language was very different and, along with other social and economic forces, it was evident that the railways had contributed significantly to the process of Anglicization. This paper focuses particularly on the language ability of railway workers in north Wales as a force for linguistic change, but it could be argued that the conclusions are applicable to the whole of Wales.