BRETON LANGUAGE

Breton Breiz a member of the Brythonic group of Celtic languages, spoken in Brittany in northwestern France. Breton was introduced into northwestern France in the 5th and 6th centuries by Brythonic Celtic refugees displaced from southern England by the influx of Anglo-Saxons. The language is closely related to Cornish and Welsh but has been influenced by French and perhaps by a continental Celtic language formerly spoken in the region. After the 17th century, Breton occurs in four major dialects: those of Lon, Trguier, Cornouaille, and Vannes. Two standardized forms of Breton were developed in the mid-20th century to encourage the literary development of the language; but the French government encourages the use of French rather than Breton, and the number of Breton speakers is declining.