The Linguist

10 The Linguist Vol/60 No/4 2021 thelinguist.uberflip.com and y gwyll ('the dusk') were adapted as 'hidden' and 'hinterland'. "It was a collective endeavour. Craith, I think, is a lovely sounding word where 'scar' perhaps isn't, and in Welsh it also speaks to a craith in the land in a way that maybe in English it doesn't. It just has a little bit more heft in Welsh. So we were trying to think of an English title that would reflect the themes of keeping secrets hidden, of keeping emotions hidden," says Thomas. The expansive Welsh landscape is central to Welsh noir, rooting the drama in the wilderness. The title Hinterland clearly speaks to this, and according to Williams, Y Gwyll has a similar feel: "In Welsh you would say 'this landscape is very dusk-like' because it's grey-ish, very dark, kind of gloomy. The worst thing we could do would be to literally translate something like this." Getting the green light For a channel operating in a language spoken by less than 900,000 people, the benefits of co-commissioning a dual language production are many. The fact that two broadcasters have sufficient faith in a series to invest in it, and that an English version is available, boosts confidence among distributors and sales agents. In addition, "having another broadcaster on board instantly doubles the budget", says S4C's Drama Commissioner Gwenllian Gravelle. However, it's about much more than finances. "It's about making sure that our shows are a representation of Wales and the people of Wales, so it's a real responsibility," she adds. BBC Wales also shares this aim, fulfilling its public service remit by providing programmes in Welsh. "We work well together because we've both got the same goals," Gravelle confirms. "But we also have a few projects in development with other UK broadcasters, which is very exciting." For Welsh-speaking creatives who choose to stay in Wales this sense of responsibility is personal. "I feel very lucky – I think we all do – to be able to film in Welsh and to play a part in ensuring that Welsh survives not only in Wales, but also that it's heard internationally. Because lots of people see it as a dying language, which it isn't – it's a vibrant, growing modern language," says Thomas. This linguistic reality is increasingly reflected in S4C programming, as the channel strives to be more representative. "Our channel Hansh, for younger viewers (16+), is a bit more relaxed with the language, you know, whereas 40 years ago when S4C started it wasn't as bilingual," explains Gravelle. Watching Yr Amgueddfa in Welsh on the S4C app, I was struck by the amount of code-switching, especially among the younger characters, which reflects this more natural approach. "We're also trying to encourage our sort of lost audience of mixed households – of people who can speak Welsh but maybe their partner can't – saying, 'You don't have to be fluent to enjoy our dramas.'" In addition to subtitles in English, S4C now includes Welsh subtitles for some of its shows to support language learners and children. This is another area which has been positively impacted by Scandi noir and the subsequent increase in foreign-language TV, driven largely by Netflix. "People who love drama are getting much more used to reading subtitles," says Gravelle. "[Bilingual show] Bang has been shown on Acorn TV in America; 35 Days/35 Diwrnod is on Britbox and that's all in Welsh, so things are changing; people aren't as afraid of subtitles any more." When a show is picked up by a global streaming service, it also raises awareness of Wales's potential around the world. "I think people see that within just a 200 mile radius there's a lot of different kinds of landscapes and there's an industry here full of Welsh creatives who are used to making shows," she adds. Sky's forthcoming thriller Extinction is filming in Cardiff as we speak, and parts of The Crown were shot in Aberystwyth and Caernarfon, with subtitled dialogue in Welsh from Keeping Faith actor Mark Lewis Jones. It is rare for monoglot English speakers to be cast in these productions, and Eve Myles' candour about her initial reluctance to learn Welsh and the subsequent joy she found in it has encouraged audiences to give language learning a go. "I guess I'm a classic example of someone who didn't think it was possible. And it really is," she said. If S4C's remit is to make high-quality, inclusive drama for the people of Wales, it is achieving this while fulfilling further goals of representing Wales and the Welsh language on a global platform. As Thomas says: "Ed [Talfan], who's the co-creator of Hinterland and Hidden, has demonstrated that language can sell – that people can tune in to Welsh." Visit s4c.cymru/clic to watch S4C online. TWICE THE CHARM Eve Myles as Faith Howells in the third series of Keeping Faith/Un Bore Mercher

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