Breton

Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany, France. It is the only Celtic language that is still spoken in mainland Europe. Breton is a minority language, with only about 250,000 speakers. Most speakers are over the age of 60. Breton is endangered, but there are efforts to revive the language. Breton is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages. It is closely related to Cornish and Welsh. Breton was first written in the Latin alphabet in the 5th century. The first Breton text is a poem about Saint Patrick. In the 9th century, Breton was written in the Old Breton alphabet, which is similar to the Welsh alphabet. In the 19th century, the Latin alphabet was reintroduced. Breton has two dialects, the northern and southern dialects. The northern dialect is closer to Cornish and Welsh, while the southern dialect is closer to French. Breton is an official language of France, along with French, German, and Occitan. Breton is taught in schools and there are radio and TV programs in Breton. There are many Breton cultural organizations, such as the Breton Language Institute and the Breton Music Academy. The Breton flag is a black and white cross on a green background.