Breton is an indigenous regional language of France which has over
the course of the last two centuries come under immense pressure. At
the turn of the nineteenth-twentieth centuries it was the majority
language of Lower Brittany, though it lacked prestige and a public
presence. It was at risk, and had been acknowledged to be at risk
since at least the early eighteenth century. Nonetheless, in the
early nineteenth century it was codified and a standard, although a
shaky one, emerged.
Some commentators consider that it is too late, but in recent years,
with the plight of lesser-used languages coming under the spotlight
and the acquisition by Breton culture of great popularity, the
situation of the language has stabilized or even improved. Breton has
a presence in education, the Ofis ar Brezhoneg is having considerable
impact, and the language is benefiting from the ?post-standard?
period, users of Breton feeling more at ease in the hitherto
negatively perceived variation in the language. A flexible, community
standard is emerging. The whole of the grammar is reviewed and
explored; everything has been checked by eminent native speakers.
Variation remains, and not every native speaker will agree with
everything, but linguistic debate is a sign of the health of the
language.
Linguistic Field(s): Language Description
Subject Language(s): Breton (Language Code: BRT)
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