bilingual communities

bilingual communities
   In Britain, bilingualism exists in those areas where linguistic minorities are present, usually as a result of historical and political changes. The Swann Report in 1985 revealed that there are at least twelve main languages in Britain, each involving over 100,000 speakers. However, because of the uniformity of the educational system in England and the existence of regulatory bodies which give an impression of linguistic harmony and order, the English language continues to represent and enhance a mythical unity within Britain. Therefore, it is important to paint a more accurate picture by identifying the silenced languages. There are many examples of indigenous and ethnic languages which challenge the pervasive power of the English language. For example, since the rise of Welsh nationalism in the 1970s, the popularity of the Welsh language has continued to grow. Britain has also had well-established black, Chinese and Indian communities since the nineteenth century; specifically in London and port areas such as Liverpool and Cardiff. Furthermore, since the 1950s and due to economic and political reasons, people from West Africa, the Caribbean, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong have settled in Britain. Languages are closely tied to notions of identity; thus, migrating people brought languages and cultures to Britain as a way of rebuilding or replacing lost countries and communities, as has happened in Chinatown in London and in Liverpool.
   FATIMA FERNANDES

Encyclopedia of contemporary British culture . . 2014.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Communities First — (Welsh: Cymunedau yn Gyntaf) is a programme designed to increase participation and develop the capacity of Welsh communities to make decisions and run projects. The programme was established by the Welsh Government’s Department for Social Justice …   Wikipedia

  • Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium — Map indicating the communities, regions and provinces of Belgium …   Wikipedia

  • Bilingual sign — English–Chinese bilingual traffic sign in Hong Kong …   Wikipedia

  • Bilingual dictionary — Printed bilingual dictionaries come in all sizes and shapes. A bilingual dictionary or translation dictionary is a specialized dictionary used to translate words or phrases from one language to another. Bilingual dictionaries can be… …   Wikipedia

  • Communities —    The communities in Brussels are institutions created in conjunction with federalization that facilitate the exercise of governing powers involving culture (including sports and tourism), education, and certain welfare and social services,… …   Historical Dictionary of Brussels

  • Chinese communities —    Reliable and accurate numbers for ethnic Chinese living in the UK are notoriously difficult to come by, as the community is scattered and widely dispersed and contact with local government structures is low. However, most surveys, including… …   Encyclopedia of contemporary British culture

  • Mayatan Bilingual School — Mayatan School Preparing Our Next Generation of Leaders Location Copán Ruinas, Copán, Honduras …   Wikipedia

  • Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School — Deák Ferenc Gimnázium Address 118 120 József Attila sugárút Szeged, H 6723, Hungary …   Wikipedia

  • List of intentional communities — This is a list of intentional communities. Europe* [http://www.cyborgsociety.org/index.php?article id=9 clang=1 antifascist urban commune berlin] aka CyborgSociety.org * [http://www.canonfromecourt.org.uk/ Canon Frome Court] in Herefordshire,… …   Wikipedia

  • Bimodal bilingualism — refers to an individual or community s bilingual competency in (at least) one spoken language and (at least) one signed language ( spoken and signed are the modes to which bimodal refers). A substantial number of bimodal bilinguals are Children… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”