Exploring A Short History of the Breton Language with Diarmuid Ó Breasláin

A Short History of the Breton Language

Less than a century ago, Breton was the most widely spoken of all the Celtic languages, with more than one million speakers across western Brittany. Today, despite decades of decline and its classification as a severely endangered language by UNESCO, Breton is experiencing a remarkable revival thanks to schools, cultural initiatives and a passionate community of speakers and learners.

In his new book, A Short History of the Breton Language, Irish author and Celtic language enthusiast Diarmuid Ó Breasláin traces the extraordinary journey of Breton—from its origins in post-Roman Britain to its modern-day renewal. Written in English, the book opens the story of Brittany's language to a wider international audience, including the Breton diaspora and anyone interested in Celtic history and culture.

We spoke with Diarmuid about what inspired him to write the book, the lessons Breton shares with other Celtic languages, and why, despite the challenges, he believes the future of Breton is filled with hope.


1. What inspired you to write A Short History of the Breton Language?

I wrote the book to bring a wider audience to the story of the Breton language and it's resilience. It is in English to fill a gap in English speakers knowledge.


2. Your book covers more than 1,500 years of history. What was the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge was for the early period, gathering sources, but it's such an intricate story that other aspects weave it together - from riches, to rags, to rebirth and the stories in between. To be honest I learned a lot.


3. As an Irish author, what first drew you to the Breton language?

I developed an interest in the Celtic languages in my teens while learning Irish at school in Belfast, a city in political convulsion at the time.

I realised that like many other minority languages there was a common theme of disenpowerment and subsequent struggle leading to rebirth that I wanted to contribute to.


4. How closely related is Breton to the other Celtic languages?

I am not an academic linguist. Breton and Cornish are very close and lesser so is Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx. The structure, use of prepositions single Celtic languages out.

I find it interesting, for example, that where as Welsh and Cornish both use 'da' meaning 'good' in English, Breton uses 'mat' and the Irish is ' maith'. How did that happen?


5. Which languages have had the greatest influence on Breton?

Initially, of course, it was the Brythonic languages which became Welsh and Cornish, but as Brittany moved eastward it became influenced by French. Manor and De Restrenen removed a lot of French from the written vocabulary between 1659 and 1730 but, like other Celtic languages in relation to English, the influence of the state language is pervasive.

​Breton, however, is still intrinsically a Celtic language and it's relation to Cornish is very evident.


6. What caused the dramatic decline of Breton during the twentieth century?

There were over 1 million monoglot Breton speakers in 1914. The reasons for the decline are varied but interestingly common to many 'minority' languages. Education in the state language - in Brittany there was Le Symbols, a symbol for children who spoke Breton at school, in Ireland we had An Báta Scóir - the same thing.

The opening up of the countryside to outside influences, which is not a bad thing, but when your language is scorned and mocked, creates a sense of inferiority.

Both WWI and WWII had an influence also, and state hostility , endemic from the revolutionary period and the British state has a similar hostility vis a vis Irish, Welsh and Scots Gaelic.


7. Today Breton is experiencing a revival. What gives you the greatest hope?

Undoubtedly the schools, wether Diwan, Div Yezh or Dihun. The same thing is happening in Ireland. But this development can only happen when there is community initiative. In Ireland working class communities have taken great pride supporting bilingualism for their children and a sense of empowerment.

Added to that is support from regional/national government when they recognise the importance of culture and language in society. The Isle of Man is a good example of this. The Regional Council of Brittany (CRB) is now invested with Otis Publik ar Brezhoneg and Cornwall Council has a dedicated team for the Cornish language. None of this was happening when I started my journey with the Celtic languages in the 1980's.


8. Did anything surprise you while researching the book?

Thankfully I have studied French history, so in looking at the Revolutionary period and the Third Republic I knew the facts, but the concept of centralisation and monolingualism doesn't come across in standard history books.

The legacy maintains still in Paris, but less so  I was also surprised by the resilience of the language from St Briuec to St Nazaire over 350 years and I related completely to the essence of community based revival as I have been part of it here in Belfast.


9. What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

I hope readers will take away a sense of hope and optimism. When I engaged with the Irish, and subsequent Celtic world in the 1980's, still a teenager, things were bleak, but today the vibrancy, positivity and community spirit is uplifting. We have achieved a great deal.


10. Finally, where can readers get a copy of A Short History of the Breton Language? And what's next for you?

It is best to contact me directly at [email protected] and  I am currently distributing the book in Brittany as well.

My next projects are a collection of Celtic languages proverbs translated into Irish, a language and political history of the six Celtic nations and an anthology of Celtic language literature. And a coffee in between!