Another sad fact...

[DelP]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8500108.stm

Derek

[Filonian]

Too true Derek.



Graham

[TSR2]

I saw this yesterday.... bit of a damming inditement of 21st century

[simondix]

Whilst reading this my wife is watching Eastenders. I think English has died out as well. Perhaps someone can sortit

[Nigel H-J]

I always thought Londoners had their own dialect!!

Nigel.

[markw]

Not quite in the same league but I'm currently learning Welsh which although probably in a stronger position than many of the languages in that article, is still suffering the after affects of hundreds of years of often officially encouraged decline. Having seen just how much history and culture is only available in Welsh and which can't be easily translated into the often crass grammatical structures of English with it's pick-and-mix history of development, I could see what a disaster it would be to lose any language, no matter how small or localised.

If I ever manage to become fluent in Welsh and if I have time left before I reach senility (touch and go) I would like to move onto Irish Gaelic although if I think Welsh pronunciation is a bit tough, it's nothing to Irish which usually looks like one thing and sounds like something else.

[Nigel H-J]

Wish you all the very best in learning Welsh Mark, I was born in Wales although only lived there until I was seven. When I was 16 I went to (if my memory serves me right) to the area of Llandovery and spent a week pony treking with Thurlow Craig who wrote 'Up Country' every Sunday in (I think) the Sunday Express. Every-one in that region spoke Welsh and only spoke English when faced with a foreigner!!

I have tried but failed miserably and gave up!!

Regards
Nigel.