Friday, May 09, 2003, 14:57 GMT
Dear All,
Today, the people of BRITAIN speak many languages, be they Celtic, Germanic, Latin in origin etc. Here's the basic order to when languages were introduced into BRITAIN:
1. Brittonic Celtic (The native Celtic language of the Isle of Britain and France, this language split into sub-languages known as):
Welsh (Cymraeg), Cornish (Kernewek), Cumbrian (Cumbric), Gaulish, Pictish and Breton (Breizh).
2. Goidelic Celtic (The native language of the Isle of Ireland, this split into sub-languages known as):
Irish (Gaelic), Scottish (Gadhlig, Introduced to Britain by the invading Scotti-Gaels, displacing Pictish and Cumbric) and Manx (Gaelg, introduced by the Scots).
3. Latin (The native language of Italy, this language split-up into sub-languages known as):
Italian, French (displaced Gaulish Brittonic), Spanish / Portuguese / Galician (displaced Celtic-Iberian).
4. Old English Germanic (The native language of Denmark, Northern Germany and Western Netherlands, this language was introduced to Britain and displaced Brittonic Celtic, as did French to Gaulish).
5. Anglo-French (the introduced language of France by the Romans, this language was introduced to Britain and mixed with Anglo-Saxon English).
6. Various languages of the Indian sub-continent, Continental Ethnic languages.
The oldest living languages that are still alive in Britain today are Welsh (Cymraeg) and Cornish (Kernewek). Brittonic was once the domminant tongue of Britain, and so the remaining 3 languages are relevant to all peoples of Britain. Do you think schools in Scotland and Englands should have the choice to learn one of the British-Celtic languages rather than French!
Today, the people of BRITAIN speak many languages, be they Celtic, Germanic, Latin in origin etc. Here's the basic order to when languages were introduced into BRITAIN:
1. Brittonic Celtic (The native Celtic language of the Isle of Britain and France, this language split into sub-languages known as):
Welsh (Cymraeg), Cornish (Kernewek), Cumbrian (Cumbric), Gaulish, Pictish and Breton (Breizh).
2. Goidelic Celtic (The native language of the Isle of Ireland, this split into sub-languages known as):
Irish (Gaelic), Scottish (Gadhlig, Introduced to Britain by the invading Scotti-Gaels, displacing Pictish and Cumbric) and Manx (Gaelg, introduced by the Scots).
3. Latin (The native language of Italy, this language split-up into sub-languages known as):
Italian, French (displaced Gaulish Brittonic), Spanish / Portuguese / Galician (displaced Celtic-Iberian).
4. Old English Germanic (The native language of Denmark, Northern Germany and Western Netherlands, this language was introduced to Britain and displaced Brittonic Celtic, as did French to Gaulish).
5. Anglo-French (the introduced language of France by the Romans, this language was introduced to Britain and mixed with Anglo-Saxon English).
6. Various languages of the Indian sub-continent, Continental Ethnic languages.
The oldest living languages that are still alive in Britain today are Welsh (Cymraeg) and Cornish (Kernewek). Brittonic was once the domminant tongue of Britain, and so the remaining 3 languages are relevant to all peoples of Britain. Do you think schools in Scotland and Englands should have the choice to learn one of the British-Celtic languages rather than French!