languages:breton_in_france
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Table of Contents
Breton in France
Language designations:
- In the language itself: Brezhoneg
- ISO 639-3 standard: bre
Language vitality:
Linguistic aspects:
Language standardization:
Breton has known many ortographies, and Breton has been written since the 6th Century1). In the 20th century, several orthographies were produced to try encompass the regional variations an/or to create a universal spelling:
- 1941:Peurunvan('totally unified')/zedacheg (for digraph zh)/KLTGw (the four variety's initials).
- 1954: Orthographie Universitaire
- 1970: Etrerannyezhel (‘interdialectal’)
Demographics
Language Area
operating instructions
Various functions are available as part of the map.
mouse/touch operation
- moving by grabbing the map with a mouse-click you can move the map around
- overview map using the < button in the bottom right of the map you can expand an overview map
- zooming in and out using the + and - buttons in the top left of the map you can obtain more or less detail in the map
- switching themes or maps clicking on the ≡ icon on the right-hand side of the map you can view and select available maps and themes
- retrieving information the map may contain elements that contain more information, by clicking these a popup will show this information
- fullscreen display using the ⛶ button the map can be maximized to fullscreen display, use the ▢ button to return to page display.
keyboard operation
Keyboard operation becomes available after activating the map using the tab key (the map will show a focus indicator ring).
- moving using the arrow keys you can move the map
- overview map using the + button in the bottom right of the map you can expand an overview map
- zooming in and out using the + and - buttons in the top left of the map or by using the + and - keys you can obtain more or less detail in the map
- switching themes or maps clicking on the ≡ icon on the right-hand side of the map you can view and select available maps and themes
- retrieving information the map may contain elements that contain more information, using the i key you can activate a cursor that may be moved using the arrow keys, pressing the enter will execute an information retrieval. press the i or the escape key to return to navigation mode
- fullscreen display using the ⛶ button the map can be maximized to fullscreen display, use the ▢ button to return to page display.
It's possible that some of the functions or buttons describe above have been disabled by the page author or the administrator
| id | symbol | latitude | longitude | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | ||||
| 1 |  |
48.25º | -3.79º | Brittany, France |
Speaker numbers
Language and education legislation:
History of education legislation
European language legislation:
Breton is not covered under the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages as France has signed, but has not ratified the the Charter.
Legislation on national level:
- The Loi Deixonne of 1951 allowed Breton into the schools on a voluntary basis for one hour a week.
- The Circulaire Savary (82-621) of 1982 allowed the teaching of regional languages rom nursery schools to university, inside the school system for a few hours per week, and allowing bilingual programmes.
On April 8, 2021, the French National Assembly passed a bill Protection et promotion des langues régionales (Eng: protection and promotion of regional languages) by 247 votes in favour and 76 against. The approval has been described as 'historic', as it opens the door to implement language immersion through the medium of minoritised languages in public schools, as well as to allow for better funding of immersive, community-run private schools.4)5)6)
On May 21, 2021, the Constitutional Council of France concluded that the law for the protection and promotion of regional languages as partially unconstitutional. One of the two articles deemed inconstitutioanl, article 4, concerns immersive education. The report of the Constitutional Council states: “By providing that the teaching of a regional language can take the form of immersive teaching, article 4 of the referred law disregards article 2 of the Constitution. It is therefore contrary to the Constitution.”7) Article 2 of the Constitution states that French is the language of the Republic. The immersive bilingual Diwan school network has issued a statement shortly after: “From now on, we are in the legal, financial and operational unknown. However, with the ambiguity to our advantage, we will continue our mission as every day for 44 years, with determination.” 8)
Education in practice
Since 1977, there is a bilingual school network, Diwan, which teaches by language immersion, and teaches Breton only in the first years of education. The Diwan schools do not receive state financial support. 9) In 2021, the Diwan school network has 48 schools, 6 secondary schools (colleges), and 2 upper secondary schools (lycées) and had 4,063 students enrolled at the start of the 2020 school year, around 2/3 at primary level, and 1/3 at secondary level.10)
14,710 children (corresponding to 2.4% of school children in Brittany) learned Breton 2012 and 2013, opposed to 5 children in 1985. Few learners reach a reasonable level of fluency. 11)
Bodies controlling enforcement of educational laws:
Learning resources and educational institutions:
- Wikitongues lesson in numbers and phrases
- Wikiversity language lessons
- Ni a gomz brezhoneg, a Breton-English learning book made available online
- Endangered languages with Breton resources
- Edu Breizh (website in Breton)
Mercator's Regional Dossier:
Read more about Breton language education in Mercator's Regional Dossier (2019).
1)
, 3)
Ager, S. (n.d.). Breton (ar brezhoneg). Omniglot. https://www.omniglot.com/writing/breton.htm.
2)
Gutman, A. & Avanzati, B. (2013).Breton.The Language Gulper.http://www.languagesgulper.com/eng/Breton.html.
4)
Protection et promotion des langues régionales (2021). https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/15/dossiers/protection_patrimoniale_langues_regionales.
5)
Nationalia (2021, April 8). France passes “historic” law to allow minoritised language immersion in public schools
Better funding for immersive community-run schools expected. Nationalia. https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/societe/loi-sur-les-langues-regionales-il-faut-voter-en-l-etat-pour-ne-pas-perdre-de-temps-pour-paul-molac-1617868229'.
6)
Lagain, A., Louis, N., France Bleu, France Bleu Breizh Izel (2021, April 8). Loi sur les langues régionales : la proposition est adoptée par l'Assemblée nationale.https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/societe/loi-sur-les-langues-regionales-il-faut-voter-en-l-etat-pour-ne-pas-perdre-de-temps-pour-paul-molac-1617868229.
7)
Louis, N., France Bleu Breizh Izel, France Bleu Armorique, France Bleu, France Bleu Alsace, France Bleu Elsass, France Bleu Pays Basque, France Bleu Roussillon, France Bleu RCFM, France Bleu Périgord (2021, May 21).La loi sur les langues régionales censurée en partie par le Conseil Constitutionnel. France Bleu. https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/politique/la-loi-sur-les-langues-regionales-censuree-en-partie-par-le-conseil-constitutionnel-1621588548?xtmc=protection%20et%20la%20promotion%20des%20langues%20r%C3%A9gionales&xtnp=1&xtcr=5.
8)
Diwan (2021, May 25). Face à l'incompréhension, montrons notre force et notre détermination !
A l'attention des élèves, parents, bénévoles, enseignant.e.s et personnels de Diwan
. Diwan. https://www.diwan.bzh/fr/face-a-notre-incomprehension.
9)
Vallerie, M. & Bouroulleg, C. Breton: Breton language in education in France| 3rd Edition Mercator Research Centre. https://www.mercator-research.eu/fileadmin/mercator/documents/regional_dossiers/breton_in_france_3rd.pdf.
10)
Diwan (2021). Diwan en bref. Diwan. https://www.diwan.bzh/fr/diwan-en-bref.
11)
Goalabre, F. (2015). Immersion Education and the Revitalisation of Breton and Gaelic as Community Languages. Policy and Planning for Endangered Languages
languages/breton_in_france.1622033982.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/05/26 14:59 by ydwine