Indo- European language

Celtic language family

Breton language
 Origin:

Breton or Brezhoneg is a southwestern Brittonic language from Celtic language family mostly
spoken in Brittany . Breton was came from Great Britain to Armorica ( is the name given in
ancient times to the part of Gaul between the Seine and Loire that includes the Brittany
Peninsula). Breton is closely related to another southwestern Brittonic language named Cornish
. There were also other western Brittonic languages that are more distantly related to Breton
language named Welsh and Cumbric. Britain was ruled by the Romans from 43 CE to 410 CE but
after the departure of the Romans the Anglo-Saxons were invade Britain.

 During Early Middle Ages:

In the early middle ages , Brittany was divided into three Kingdoms that is Domnonee ,
Cornouaille and Bro Waroc’h , which conclusively were included into the Duchy of Brittany
( was a medieval feudal state that existed between 939a and 1547b ). By migrating Britons
during early middle ages , it is thus an insular Celtic language (the Celtic languages that
developed in the British Isles are known as the Insular Celtic language) that is not closely relate
to Gaulish language.
Brittany and its inhabitants are counted as one of the six Celtic nations. Morally, along
with the Cornish and welsh ,the Bretons were Celtic Britons.

 Heritage:
During the Anglo- Saxons invasion of Britain ,to groups of Brittonic speakers who emigrated
from southwestern great Britain , they traced much of their heritage. From 3rd to 9th century they
migrated into waves into Armorica ,which was afterward named Brittany.
 Traditional Vernaculars:
The Britons spoke an insular Celtic language that is Common Brittonic also known as old
Brythonic or old Brittonic. Breton is in fact spoken in Continental Europe in the Brittany region
of France even though it’s an insular Celtic language. It has been spoken there since the 6th
century CE when Celtic speakers fled during the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain. Another
regional language of Brittany is Galo a Romance language ( descended from Latin) . Galo and
Breton both are not nationally recognize by French state but Galo is a close comparative of
standard French. Galo is spoken in less dominant part of Breton that is upper Brittany.
Brezhoneg is another Brittany traditional language spoken in lower Brittany ( western part of the
peninsula). The Brittany region become part of France in the 16th century. French begun rapidly
replacing Breton all over Brittany in 1845 features in Finsterer the western most department of
Brittany were told:
“Above all gentlemen , remember that you have no higher purpose to kill the Breton
language”.
By the time World war 2 rolled around Breton was already in a dire situation. A Breton
sociologist quotes an eighty-year old as saying :
“If you cannot defend yourself in French, what can you do? You can only keep quite and
let others step all over you”. (an unnamed 80 year old)
. In France there is no official recognition of any Regional languages most Breton speakers today
are in their 60s or older and the number of speakers could be dropping by 10,000 per year. It is
considered “severely endangered” by UNESCO.
The four dialects of Bretons correspond to
medieval bishoprics are Leoneg ( Leonard was a feudal state in utmost western in the high
Middle ages Brittany ). Tregerieg ( tregorrois , or tregor is one of the nine Traditional provinces
in northwestern area of Brittany). Kerneveg ( is a historic region of Brittany on the west coast in
western France ). Gwenedeg ( vannetais of vannes is a commune in northwestern France).

 Flags of Brittany :
The first known flag of Brittany was the Kroaz Du ( or Groaz du) , the lack Cross, virtually the
reverse of the old Cornish flag .This was the effectively the national flag of Brittany until 1532.
The second Flag within Breton history is also the Ermine banner or Ar Banniel Erminigaouet
which was the part of the arms of the Dukes of Brittany and dates back to 1316.
The Present Flag ‘Gwenn Ha Du’ means simple ‘white and black’ and was designed as late as
the 1920’s and incorporates II ermines to represent traditional rattan with black and white bars to
represent the Breton and Gallaise speaking regions

Refferances:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_language

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmJVBhKsSN0