Introduction of a Minority Languages: Welsh

In Britain, there are some minority languages. In the past, many of them were spoken widely, but now, there are only few people can speak these languages. Then why these minority languages have declined? It is related to invasion of Angro-saxon. In the 5 century, Angro-saxon attacked to Britain Island, and killed or captured the former inhabitants as prisoner. Thus Minority language of Britain was born. So Angro-saxon attacked the island from Europe side, minority language of Britain are all in edge of the land. They prohibited to using Welsh,but there only place that allowed to use Welish, it was church because they wanted to spread the new religion quickly.

There are some kinds in minority languages, and spoken in Britain is calls Celtic language. Manx spoken in Isle of Man, Scots Gaelic spoken in north of Scotland, and Welsh spoken in Wales are kind of Celtic language. In these languages, Gaelic and Welish are still using in everyday conversation but there are only less than 1% of all area of Ireland speaks Gaelic as first language. And Manx are almost dead language, and in Britain, government is trying to revive them. And Welsh is one of dying minority language, government also trying to survive them. So I will explain some information about Welsh.

Welsh
Welsh is one of minority language spoken in Wales. Welsh is one of minority language, but it is still official language of Wales with English. According to Storry,M & Childs,P (2007), the survey in 1870, about 90% of Welsh could speak Wales, but the survey in 2001 says, there 20.8 percent of people who live in Wales can speak Welsh. People in northern part can speak Welsh than Southern parts. The number of people who can speak Welsh is decreasing rapidly, and government start to education system of Welsh in elementary school and junior high school in 1907, and started the radio programs in Welsh since 1930, and TV program in Welsh also started by S4C to revive Welsh since 1960s. In 1960, a lot of immigrant came to Wales because of war was over. Immigrants from other country proud their mother tongue, and keep using their language even they are in Wales. So then Welsh change their attitude toward languages to rivive and save their mother tongue, Welsh.

If you search more information, click here. This is a link list of site which is write in English, Welish, and sometimes Japanese.

references:

Books

"British Cultural Identities" Storry, M & Childs, P (2007, P220)

Web pages

Data about change the number of the minority language speaker

http://www.tufs.ac.jp/common/fs/ilr/EU/%89%C8%8C%A4%95%F1%8D%90%8F%91/Urata%20Kazuyuki.pdf#search=

History about Minority Languages in Britain(How the minority language became "minority")

http://www.eikokutabi.com/ukwhatson/uk_guide/features/celt/language.html

Winchester College

Winchester College is the oldest independent school for boys which established in 1382. It located in the city of Winchester in Hampshire. The school building has worked for over six hundred years in its present site, and has the longest history than any of schools in Britain. Winchester is founded by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester.

All scholars known as ‘College Man’ in the Winchester live in the original building and pupils, apart from the scholars are living in the Boarding House. Each house have official name used mainly as a postal address, and an informal name, usually based on the name or nickname of an early housemaster. There are about 6000 student aged 13-18 in this college.

In this college, boys can study a lot of things. Of course, scholars can study not only foreign language(French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Latin, Greek, Russian, Italy), but also study Music, Art, Science, Classic, Mathematics, and so on. When they are freshman and 2nd year student, carriculum is almost decided, but the other 2 years, they can choose class.

In the school, there are a big chapel, and every Sunday , all boys come to pray here. Winchester is one of the Christian school, so there is a weeklymeeting for study bible of the chiriastian.

After graduate this college, a lot of student go to university in America or Europe. And about a third of the student go to Oxbridge every year.