Multilingualism in the British Isles: The Older Mother Tongues and Europe v.1

It was found in the Language Census of 1987 that there were 172 different languages spoken by children in Inner London Education Authority Schools. In this volume, the descriptions of different speech communities draws attention to the cultural renewals taking place within the value frame of each community. In its attempt to chart the dimensions of linguistic diversity in the British Isles, contributors look at those groups of the population whose linguistic background is European or is part of the older British linguistic heritage. The four sections cover British sign language, Gaelic, Irish, Roma and Welsh. The East-European languages from Hungarian to Yiddish are explored and the volume concludes with the speech communities of the Mediterranean, from Cyprus to Morocco. Each chapter covers the history and origin of the language; its status in the homeland; its strength and vitality; the cultural and community factors which support its use; and the role of both community and mainstream education.