This post is part of our Research Initiation Scheme for 2020-2021.
On Friday the 12th of March 2021, I attended Dr Merryn Davies-Deacon’s talk on Lexical Innovation and Terminological Advice in Breton and French: The Role of Online Spaces. I was intrigued by this presentation, because as part of my level 2 studies, I completed an assignment on the regional language of Breton as a token of identity. Furthermore, after having spent my year abroad in Spain, I became familiar with attitudes towards Spanish regional languages, and so, I was eager to find out more about the situation with regional languages in France.
Merryn’s talk certainly satisfied my desire for more information on the Breton language. Firstly, she broke down the complex title so that those who are not experts on the topic (like myself) were able to grasp it. From my understanding, lexical innovation involves words and phrases that Breton speakers coin from other languages, such as English and French, and adopt as part of their own dialogue. Terminological advice, however, involves the influences and guidance of official sources and authorities. As the focus of Merryn’s research was on online spaces, she delved into what the internet and social media means for the evolution of the Breton language. She raised the possibility of the internet being a leveling space, as it is a tool that all speakers can use to give their input. However, she juxtaposed this theory with the suggestion that given the Internet is subject to the control of authorities who own it, in fact, it replicates hierarchies instead of being an equal space.
From my previous research on Breton, I knew that it was a minority language but I was unaware of just how much it was declining, and Merryn explained that there are currently only 200,000 active Breton speakers. Despite being simultaneously separated from and influenced by the French language, the French government is reluctant to encourage its citizens to learn and speak Breton. There are various bodies which work to protect the Breton language such as the Office public de la Langue Bretonne. Merryn showed us their website, TermBret, and talked us through its numerous features such as discussion forums where speakers can propose and discuss Breton words and phrases. However, she also explained some of the issues associated with the website, such as the questions around their level of representation: as there is very little uptake from Breton speakers, the reliability and the influence of these forums can be questioned.
I thoroughly enjoyed Merryn’s talk – it opened my eyes to how the internet and social media influence minority languages. Her research prompted a particularly interesting discussion afterwards about the parallels between lexical innovation in Breton and in the Irish language. Furthermore, after the talk I contacted Merryn to ask about the attitudes of younger generations towards Breton. She explained to me that whilst many young Breton citizens are proud of their regional identity, the use of Breton amongst them is not common, mostly due to the lack of Breton in educational and familiar settings. This allowed me to identify some clear differences between young people’s attitudes towards regional languages in France and Spain. I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to learn more about this niche topic – Merryn’s presentation was captivating, well-rounded and accessible for all who attended.
Report by Emily Anthony, final-year undergraduate in French and Spanish