Manx Language
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The official languages of the Isle of Man are Manx (Manx Gaelic) and English.
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Brief History
Manx is a Goidelic Celtic language and is one of a number of insular Celtic languages spoken in the British Isles. Manx Gaelic has been officially recognised as a legitimate autochthonous regional language under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, ratified by the United Kingdom on 27 March 2001 on behalf of the Isle of Man government.
The Manx language is closely related to the Irish language and Scottish Gaelic. By the middle of the twentieth century only a few elderly native speakers remained: the last of them, Ned Maddrell, died on 27 December 1974. By then a scholarly revival had begun to spread to the populace and many had learned Manx as a second language.
Manx Today
In the 2001 census, 1,689 out of 76,315, or 2.2% of the population, claimed to have knowledge of Manx, although the degree of knowledge in these cases was varied. Most new and replacement street name signs are either written in Manx or English with a Manx translation.
In common use are the greetings moghrey mie and fastyr mie which mean 'good morning' and 'good afternoon' respectively. The Manx language knows no 'evening' as it is 'afternoon'. Another frequently heard Manx expression is traa dy liooar meaning 'time enough', and represents a stereotypical view of the Manx attitude to life.
The first native speakers of Manx (bilingual with English) in many years have now appeared; children brought up by Manx-speaking parents.
Education
Degrees in Manx are available from the Isle of Man College and the Centre for Manx Studies. Manx-language playgroups also exist, and Manx language classes are available in island schools.
In 2003, the former St John's School building was opened as the Bunscoill Gaelgagh.
See Also
- Manx Sayings and Expressions
- Manx Literature
- History of the Island
- Manx National Heritage
- Manx Heritage Foundation
External Links
Categories: Culture | Education | History | Policies
