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Cymru

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For the country it refers to, see Wales.

Satellite image of Wales.

Cymru ([ˈkəm.rɨ] ⓘ)[1] is the Welsh-language name for Wales, a country of the United Kingdom, on the island of Great Britain.

Etymology

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See also: Etymology of Wales and Wales § Etymology

The modern Welsh name Cymru is the Welsh name for Wales, while the name for the Welsh people is Cymry. These words (both of which are pronounced [ˈkəm.rɨ]) are descended from the Brythonic word combrogi, meaning "fellow-countrymen" or a "compatriot".[2][3] The use of the word Cymry as a self-designation derives from the location in the post-Roman era (after the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons) of the Welsh (Brythonic-speaking) people in modern Wales as well as in northern England and southern Scotland (Yr Hen Ogledd, 'The Old North'). It emphasised that the Welsh in modern Wales and in the Hen Ogledd were one people, different from other peoples.[4] In particular, the term was not applied to the Cornish or the Breton peoples, who are of similar heritage, culture, and language to the Welsh. The word came into use as a self-description probably before the 7th century.[5] It is attested in a praise poem to Cadwallon ap Cadfan (Moliant Cadwallon, by Afan Ferddig) c. 633.[6][7] In Welsh literature, the word Cymry was used throughout the Middle Ages to describe the Welsh, though the older, more generic term Brythoniaid continued to be used to describe any of the Britonnic peoples (including the Welsh) and was the more common literary term until c. 1200. Thereafter Cymry prevailed as a reference to the Welsh. Until c. 1560 the word was spelt Kymry or Cymry, regardless of whether it referred to the people or their homeland,[2] including as Kymry, in the Armes Prydein, in the 10th century.[8]

"Wales" on the other hand, is derived from an Old English word meaning 'foreigner', specifically those who were under Roman rule (specifically a 'Romanised foreigner').[3][9] Cambria is a medieval Latin name also historically used to refer to Wales, and is a latinisation of Cymru.[10]

Use of Cymru in English

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In recent history, in particular following Welsh devolution, calls to drop English-language place-names in Wales in favour of their Welsh-language equivalents have been increasing. These have included calls to prohibit the coining of English-language names for places with existing names in Welsh[11] and for all non-Welsh place-names in Wales to be removed.[12] These attitudes have been criticised by the London-based Daily Mail newspaper and by the British government.[13] The controversial origin of the meaning of Wales, which derives from a term meaning 'foreigner', and it stated to be an "imposed" non-Welsh name, are some of the reasons given for stopping the use of Wales,[14] or at least to prefer Cymru.[15] Proponents for such a change compare Wales's case to those of other countries which have changed their names in English-language usage, such as Ceylon to Sri Lanka, Persia to Iran and, in 2022, Turkey to Türkiye.[16]

In 2019, during discussions on renaming the National Assembly for Wales, Senedd Cymru (lit. 'the Parliament of Wales') was considered as the body's sole potential name; however, this name was rejected by Assembly Members in November 2019.[17] Simply "Senedd" was also proposed,[18] but this was rejected by the first minister Carwyn Jones, who feared that would be not understood.[19][20] The parliament instead chose two names, Senedd Cymru and "Welsh Parliament", with "Senedd" being the shorthand name used in both English and Welsh.[19] However, the legal preferred name, used in all post-2020 legislation, is Senedd Cymru in both languages.[21]

In 2022, the Football Association of Wales considered changing references to the national football team (both men's and women's)[22] to use Cymru rather than "Wales". The association already uses the name Cymru in its internal and external communications.[23][24][25] This was seen as part of the team's overall shift towards becoming more Welsh nationalist and pro-independence.[26] The association has been increasing its use of Cymru and of Welsh words in general since UEFA Euro 2016.[27]

Calls for use as the country's sole name

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In 2024, a petition called for the prohibition of the name "Wales" and for the Welsh name Cymru to be the only name. The petition had gained 5,400 signatures by 4 January 2024,[28][14] and over 10,000 by 15 January, meeting the threshold for a Senedd debate.[29][30] A counter-petition was launched afterwards.[31]

The petition follows other removals of English names in Wales in 2023, such as the removal of the English names "Snowdonia" and "Snowdon" for Eryri and Yr Wyddfa, their Welsh names respectively, and the removal of "Brecon Beacons" for Bannau Brycheiniog.[32]

While Cymru is also used by pro-independence organisations such as YesCymru and AUOBCymru, it is also used by various non-political charities and organisations. The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru is a recent example of dropping Wales for Cymru in English.

See also

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Look up Cymru in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

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  1. ^ "Will Wales change national football team name to Cymru? | Goal.com UK". www.goal.com. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b Davies 1994, p. 69.
  3. ^ a b "Welsh language history – place names". Wales. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  4. ^ Lloyd, John Edward (1911). A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest (Note to Chapter VI, the Name "Cymry"). Vol. I (Second ed.). London: Longmans, Green, and Co. (published 1912). pp. 191–192.
  5. ^ Phillimore, Egerton (1891). "Note (a) to The Settlement of Brittany". In Phillimore, Egerton (ed.). Y Cymmrodor. Vol. XI. London: Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (published 1892). pp. 97–101.
  6. ^ Davies 1994, p. 71.
  7. ^ the poem contains the line: 'Ar wynep Kymry Cadwallawn was'.
  8. ^ Thomas, Rebecca (6 October 2017). "How the people of Wales became Welsh". The Conversation. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  9. ^ Petro, Pamela (2 May 1993). "Gymru and Cymru and All That". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  10. ^ "cambria". CollinsDictionary.com. HarperCollins. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Petition to stop Welsh place names being changed into English set to be debated". North.Wales. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  12. ^ Price, Emily (20 April 2023). "Petition launched to scrap non-Welsh place names". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  13. ^ Mansfield, Mark (23 April 2023). "Daily Mail attacks 'extremist' Welsh place names petition". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Thousands sign petition for Wales to be referred to only by Welsh language name Cymru". Sky News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  15. ^ "BBC – Wales – History of Wales". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  16. ^ Harries, Robert (14 January 2024). "People want Wales to only be known as Cymru from now on". Wales Online. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Assembly rejects Welsh-only Senedd Cymru name". BBC News. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  18. ^ Morris, Steven (8 November 2019). "Renaming the Welsh assembly: 'If we can say Dáil, why not Senedd?'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Welsh assembly renamed Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament". BBC News. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  20. ^ "National Assembly set for new bilingual name instead of Welsh-only moniker". BBC News. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Senedd Cymru". law.gov.wales. Welsh Government.
  22. ^ "Wales consider Cymru name change after World Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Wales football team consider name change after the World Cup". Wales Online. Press Association. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  24. ^ Media, P. A. (31 October 2022). "'We are Cymru': Wales football teams could change name after World Cup". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Wales considering name change to Cymru". ESPN.com. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  26. ^ Worth, Owen (18 November 2022). "The Welsh soccer team and the growth of an 'indy-curious' Wales". RTE News.
  27. ^ "Use Cymru around world instead of Wales, Plaid says". BBC News. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Should Wales be known only as Cymru?". BBC News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Cymru not Wales – Welsh public (our readers) vote for nation name change". Denbighshire Free Press. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  30. ^ Bagnall, Steve (10 January 2024). "Ditch Wales for Cymru petition could get Senedd debate". North Wales Live. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  31. ^ Price, Stephen (16 January 2024). "Senedd petition to 'keep the name Wales and not waste any more taxpayers money' launched". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  32. ^ Price, Stephen (5 January 2024). "Petition calling for Wales to only be referred to as Cymru receives surge in support". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 20 January 2024.

Bibliography

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