Has Welsh had an impact on modern English?

This presentation will explore the extent to which 1,500 years of coexistence have allowed Welsh and other Brittonic languages to shape English. I will focus on the historical context of England's very first colony, Wales. There are some ways in which the influence of Welsh and other Brittonic languages has been underestimated. By examining certain linguistic behaviors in English—such as syntax, phonology, and vocabulary—that diverge from other Germanic languages, I will show that contact with Welsh and other Brittonic languages is a plausible explanation for these anomalies. However, despite over 1,500 years of coexistence and geographical proximity, the Welsh language has had a surprisingly minimal influence on English. Unlike the influences of other languages on English, the impact of Welsh has been notably subdued. The presentation will discuss how colonial attitudes have led to the deliberate political and social marginalisation of the Welsh language, framing it within the broader context of colonial linguistic interactions. We will also look at historical reasons as to why Celtic languages may have been declining in Britain long before English colonialism, such as the theory of displacement by Latin before the arrival of English. I’ll touch on the debate regarding why there are so few etymologically Celtic place-names in England in connection to this. Finally, the conclusion will highlight the resilience and enduring impact of the Welsh language.