Language variation

Britain in Europe

At the end of the Second World War in 1945 the economies of most European countries were in ruins. In addition, the then Soviet Union's Communist influence was expanding. In the face of these challenges, the countries of Western Europe sought to co-operate in their reconstruction and to organise themselves in such a way that wars between them would not recur.

Out of the consequent negotiations emerged what is now termed the European Union - an association of sovereign nations, initially comprising six member states in the 1950s but expanding progressively over the years to the current membership of 25. Britain joined in 1973 and its links with its European Union partners have since become ever more closely integrated, influencing the lives of all its citizens.

QUESTIONS:

1. How did the British people evolve?

2. What was the Magna Carta? What were the origins of Parliament?

3. What were the causes behind the English Reformation?

4. What was the historical significance of the Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights?

5. How did the Industrial Revolution change the face of contemporary Britain?

6. When was the Welfare state established in Britain?

7. What was the political aftermath of the breaking down of the British Empire?

8. What is Britain^,s role in modern Europe?

IV. POPULATION OF BRITAIN TODAY: THE SOCIAL FRAMEWORK

- Ethnic Composition

- Language Variation

- Demographic Trends

- Age and Sex Structure

- Distribution of Population

- The Family. Marriage and Divorce

- The Status of Women

- Ethnic minorities

- Living Standards

- Housing

English is the main language spoken in Britain, although with many regional variations in terms of accept and phraseology. It is also one of the most widely used in the world; recent estimates suggest that over 337 million people speak it as their first language, with a similar number speaking it as a second language. Modern English derives primarily from one of the dialects of Anglo-Saxon, but has been very greatly influenced by other languages over time.

About one-fifth of the population of Wales speak the Welsh language, which is of Celtic origin. They are concentrated in the rural north and west, where Welsh remains the first language of most of the population. Both the Government and voluntary groups have taken steps to revive the use of Welsh. Bilingual education in schools is encouraged and there has been an extended use of Welsh for official purposes and in broadcasting. In the context of dealing with public authorities and the administration of justice in Wales, Welsh and English are treated on an equal basis.

Gaelic, also a language of Celtic origin, is still spoken by some 70,000 people in Scotland; the greatest concentration of Gaelic speakers is in the islands of the Hebrides. People in the central lowlands of Scotland have for centuries spoken Scots, a dialect derived from the Northumbrian branch of Old English. This has its own recognised literary tradition and has seen a revival in poetry in the 20^th century. Many words and phrases from the Scots tongue are retained in the everyday English which is spoken throughout Scotland.

Many other languages are spoken by the minority ethnic communities living in Britain.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-05