2010年1月16日土曜日

Reflection

I learned about UK in this semester. Before I studied about UK, I didn't know much information. I had only one image about UK that is UK's foods are terrible. But after this semester, my image changed well.

In UK, there are many different points each scene. For example, educational system, foods culture, and class system. I have two big impacts in those. First is educational system. First, public school and private school are special meanings in UK. In generally, Public school is low costs than private school and smart, and Private is rich. On the other hand, UK has different meaning. Upper class people go to public school. Most of public schools are boarding school and Most of students go to very famous universities like Oxford and Cambridge.

Second is class system. UK has three class system which are Upper class, Middle class and Working class. Upper class compose Royal family or These systems are unfamiliar in Japan. Middle class is lawyer or doctor or bourgeoisie. Working class is cleaner or electricians or homeless.

If I didn't study about UK, I couldn't know these detail systems. Now, I want to go to UK and I want to go to Oxbridge. If I go there, I occur to this class. I'm glad to take this class and study with Simon.

2010年1月6日水曜日

Minority Languages

United Kingdom has many minority languages such as Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Celtic and Cornish. Most of languages speakers are little none.



*Welsh*

This language is spoken in west of England. About 500,000 people use Welsh. This is about 20.5 percent of all Welsh. In the past, English is a public language. So Welsh is prohibited in school or town. But in 20th century, Welsh was recovering. Now, Welsh is a public language with English. Road signs or archives are written in both languages.

In 20th century, people who speak Welsh are decreasing but Wales population is increase reentry. So, people who speak Welsh are increasing now. The main reason that Wales education is practiced at elementary school or junior high school and broadcast on TV or radio.





*In 1992, the Department of Wales recorded that how many Welsh can they speak Welsh? The results are here.

3-15 people→32.4%, 16-29→17.8%, 30-44→16.7%, 45-64→18.7% and over 55→24.2%.

*In addition, this department ask that are you a good Welsh speaker ? Answer is here.

I speak Welsh mainly→12.0%, I can speak Welsh well→13.4%, I don't know Welsh enough→66.1% .
This result announce that Welsh speakers are decreasing now.


*Reference*
http://tokyo.cool.ne.jp/wanis-crew/page034.html