Hi Richard,
> > > It's certainly not a language _family_.
> >
> > Change the word family to group.
>
> And change the word 'language' to 'dialect'. There's a discussion
of
> the topic, with further links, at:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/14031
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/14036
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/14037
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/14050
Strange that in some places different languages are understood by
everyone while in other areas different dialects can be
unintelligable. Methinks this language tree of ours needs a great
pruning. Mebets that all world dialects have word stems that they
all share.
> > > >> It is not true to say that Welsh is
> > > >> spoken in the south of England and
> > > >> English is spoken in the north.
>
> > Yep. One needs to be a member of the family to understand the
> > nuances. But I'll bet that there are a few Welsh speakers living
> in
> > London.
>
> I'm not sure there's much of a Welsh-speaking Welsh community in
> London, but I await correction. I don't think the cable TV
companies
> offer the Welsh-language TV channel, S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru) -
> http://www.s4c.co.uk/abouts4c/corporate/c_index.shtml . I wonder
> what language the rugby club called 'London Welsh' uses.
Cockney for the rugby club? But you continue raising the bar --
first it was no Welsh spoken and now you are speaking of a Welsh
community and their own television cable company.
> There has traditionally been a strong Welsh contingent at Jesus
> College, Oxford. However, since Monmouthshire (now called Gwent)
was
> ceded to Wales (in the late 20th Century), I don't believe there
have
> been any significant, permanently settled communities of Welsh
> speakers in England.
And the bar continues being raised. Now you speak of Welsh at Jesus
College, Oxford.
> As to what languages are spoken in England, take a look at the data
> at http://www.rosettaproject.org . Some of the Indian languages
are
> locally significant.
:-)
Gerry