by Paul Schoonenberg
The history of the Breton language began with the appearance of the Bretons in Britain in the 6th century BC . After the fall of the Roman Empire, many Bretons immigrated to Armor (the coastal region of Brittany) and there founded kingdoms that soon unified under Nominoe against the Frank enemy (the Battle of Ballon in 845 AD).
This ancient Breton language (Brythonic), which is spoken from the south of Scotland to the mouth of the Loire (from Dumbarton to St. Nazaire), is divided into three branches: Welsh and Cornish in Britain, and Breton on the Continent (where Gallic has disappeared)
In 1951, the Deixonne law authorized the teaching of Breton, which was prohibited until then. However, in 1993 successive French governments, left and right, refused to sign the European Charter of Minority Languages and to recognise the linguistic rights of the Bretons.
While there are occasionally radio and television broadcasts in Breton, there still are no channels broadcasting in Breton. There is no official statue for Breton in the public life. According to the revised Constitution of the Fifth Republic, "French is the language of the Republic.
Bijou (derives from bizou in Breton) = jewel
Pote (derives from paotr in Breton) = little boy
The name Yannick (derives from Yannig in Breton)
The official flag of Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, is called the Gwenn-ha-du, which means white and black, in Breton
Paul Schoonenberg teaches French and Business Studies at DLD College