The languages of UK

Minority languages of UK

Scotland
By examination in 2001, there are 58,652 Scottish Gaelic speakers in Scotland. It’s nearly 1 percent of the population of Scotland. People who aged three and over in Scotland (total 92,400 people) had some Gaelic language abilities in 2001. By examination of the General Register Office for Scotland, People who can speak Scots are 30 percents of Scottish population. It’s about 1.5 million speakers. Scots is a kind of Germanic language. It’s traditionally spoken in Lowland Scotland and a part of Ulster. It’s also called Lowland Scots. It’s divided Scottish Gaelic, a kind of Celtic language that is spoken in the Highland and Hebrides. Scots sometimes is regarded as a direct Germanic Language.

Northern Ireland
By examination in 2001, about 7 percents of the population of Northern Ireland can speak Irish. It’s about 110,000 speakers. Irish is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language category. Irish is now only spoken by a small part of the Irish population but also regarded an important symbolic part in the life of the Irish state. It’s used across the country in a variety of media, personal and social situations.　In other hand, according to the 1999 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey, 2 percents (about 30,000 speakers) of the population can speak Ulster Scots.

Cornwall
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language. It’s recognized a minority language of Britain. The language continued to be used as a community language in parts of Cornwall until the late 18th century and an act was started to revive the language in the early 20th century. Now, Cornish is spoken by about 3,500 people in Cornwall. The result was generated by a revival started Henry Jenner in 1903. He published the book, Handbook of Cornish that was based on Cornish spoken in the 18th century. Cornish were officially admitted as a native national minority of the UK by the United Kingdom Census 2001.

Promoting Welsh language

In 2001, Welsh is spoken by 20.5 percents of Welsh people. The main reason is the annexation of Walsh by England. By it, English became the main language in Wales and speaking Welsh was banned at also school. Speaking Welsh also decreased by prejudice and discrimination. However, promotions to preserve Welsh increase in Wales. For example, Welsh education is carried out in an elementary and junior high school, TV programs as Welsh (BBC Wales and ITV Wales) are broadcasted. Welsh speaker increase by it now.

Language and Ethnicity

There are many languages in England. Those were dialects like England English, Wales English, Scottish English, Irish and other languages. Now, the language which is regarded standard in Britain is called Standard English. It’s used 12-15 percents people among British people.

Received Pronunciation(RP)

Recieved Pronunciation also called the Queen English or BBC English. It’s the language which is used by upper class people and it’s traditionally standard of BBC program. Now, RP decreases among yang people in upper class so RP’s speaker is about 2 percent in Britain.

Cockney English

Cockney English is almost used working class people in London. Cockney speakers have a different accent and dialect, and frequently use rhyming slang. Rhyming slang is a form of slang which a word is by the second word of a two words phrase (rhyming word).

Estuary English

Estuary English is the new English born in 1980s. It’s the English mixed between RP and Cockney English. Estuary English is a name which is given to the dialect of English. It’s widely spoken in South East England, especially along the River Thames and its estuary. Phonetician John C. Wells defines Estuary English as a standard which is spoken with the accent of the southeast of England. The name comes from the area around the Thames Estuary, particularly London, Kent and Essex.

Other dialects

In England, there are various dialects.
Scouse (Liverpool)
Geordie(Newcastle)
Manc(Manchester)
Brummie(Birmingham)
Tyke(Yorkshire)