Cymru
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Template:Lang (Template:IPA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is the Welsh-language name for Wales, a country of the United Kingdom, on the island of Great Britain.
Etymology
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The modern Welsh name Template:Lang is the Welsh name for Wales, while the name for the Welsh people is Template:Lang. These words (both of which are pronounced Template:IPA) are descended from the Brythonic word combrogi, meaning "fellow-countrymen" or a "compatriot".Template:Sfn<ref name="WalesPN">Template:Cite web</ref> The use of the word Template:Lang 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 (Template:Lang, 'The Old North'). It emphasised that the Welsh in modern Wales and the Template:Lang were one people, different from other peoples.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is attested in a praise poem to Template:Lang (Template:Lang, by Template:Lang) Template:Circa.Template:Sfn<ref>the poem contains the line: 'Ar wynep Kymry Cadwallawn was'.</ref> In Welsh literature, the word Template:Lang was used throughout the Middle Ages to describe the Welsh, though the older, more generic term Template:Lang continued to be used to describe any of the Britonnic peoples (including the Welsh) and was the more common literary term until Template:Circa. Thereafter Template:Lang prevailed as a reference to the Welsh. Until Template:Circa the word was spelt Template:Lang or Template:Lang, regardless of whether it referred to the people or their homeland,Template:Sfn including as Kymry, in the Armes Prydein, in the 10th century.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
"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').<ref name="WalesPN" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Cambria is a medieval Latin name also historically used to refer to Wales, and is a latinisation of Template:Lang.<ref>Template:Cite Collins Dictionary</ref>
Use of Template:Lang in English
[edit]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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and for all non-Welsh place-names in Wales to be removed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These attitudes have been criticised by the Daily Mail newspaper and by the British government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The controversial origin of the meaning of Wales, which derives from a term meaning 'foreigner', and it is stated to be an "imposed" non-Welsh name, are some of the reasons given for stopping the use of Wales,<ref name="Petition Sky" /> or at least to prefer Template:Lang.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2019, during discussions on renaming the National Assembly for Wales, Template:Lang (Template:Translation) was considered as the body's sole potential name; however, this name was rejected by Assembly Members in November 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Simply "Senedd" was also proposed,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but this was rejected by the first minister Carwyn Jones, who feared that it would not be understood.<ref name="WARename BBC">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The parliament instead chose two names, Template:Lang and "Welsh Parliament", with "Senedd" being the shorthand name used in both English and Welsh.<ref name="WARename BBC" /> However, the legal preferred name, used in all post-2020 legislation, is Template:Lang in both languages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2022, the Football Association of Wales considered changing references to the national football team (both men's and women's)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> to use Template:Lang rather than "Wales". The association already uses the name Template:Lang in its internal and external communications.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was seen as part of the team's overall shift towards becoming more Welsh nationalist and pro-independence.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The association has been increasing its use of Template:Lang and Welsh words in general since UEFA Euro 2016.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Calls for use as the country's sole name
[edit]In 2024, a petition called for the prohibition of the name "Wales" and for the Welsh name Template:Lang to be the only name. The petition had gained 5,400 signatures by 4 January 2024,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Petition Sky">Template:Cite web</ref> and over 10,000 by 15 January, meeting the threshold for a Senedd debate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A counter-petition was launched afterwards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The petition follows other removals of English names in Wales in 2023, such as the removal of the English names "Snowdonia" and "Snowdon" for Template:Lang and Template:Lang, their Welsh names respectively, and the removal of "Brecon Beacons" for Template:Lang.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
While Template:Lang 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.