Geography ETDs

Publication Date

5-1-1979

Abstract

The idea that Welsh speakers and non-Welsh speakers will respond differently to questions designed to measure the degree of feelings of "Welshness" of the two groups was investigated. The data were gathered by the use of a specially designed questionnaire administered to 404 randomly selected respondents. Four assumptions were considered: (1) Welsh speakers will identify more closely with other Welsh speakers, they will show a preference for writers who write in the Welsh language, and they will show a heightened sense of a feeling defined as "Welshness"; (2) Welsh speakers will more vigorously support the use of the Welsh language in political and educational affairs and will advocate the official recognition of the language by the government; (3) Welsh speakers will exhibit decidedly more nationalistic political views and will identify more with the political parties which espouse such views; and (4) Welsh speakers will more frequently support the traditional Welsh cultural and social events, will display a more interdependent family structure, and will tend to attend church and display common denominational preferences more frequently than the non-Welsh speakers. Each of the four assumptions was stated as a null hypothesis, and each was tested by a series of questions the respondents answered. Statistical significance of the results were analyzed by Chi Square test. Significant differences did exist between the two test groups in each of the four hypotheses tested. Welsh speakers (1) tended to display a heightened sense of a feeling of "Welshness", (2) supported the use of the Welsh language and displayed a desire to perpetuate the continued use of the language, (3) exhibited stronger nationalistic political ideas, and (4) supported the traditional Welsh cultural and social events, and displayed stronger religious habits than did the non-Welsh speakers of the sample.

Degree Name

Geography

Department Name

Geography

Level of Degree

Masters

First Committee Member (Chair)

Robert Dale Campbell

Second Committee Member

Richard E. Murphy

Third Committee Member

Elinore Magee Barrett

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

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