Minority Languages in UK

I learned about minority languages in last week. I'm going to write about them here.

Most people think English have been used in UK but other language has been. It is Welsh language. It is also called Cymric. Minority people have been using it. But its language gradually have been declining. Another living language is Scots Gaelic. Scots Gaelic is spoken in north of Scotland. A famous alcohol drink in Scotland is whisky. The word of whisky come from 「uisce beatha」 of Scots Gaelic. 「uisce beatha」is said water of life in English. Then Scots Gaelic is also spoken in Ireland. Many Irish people speak the language. In the other hand, dead languages are Manx, Cornish. Manx was spoken by the Isle of man and Cornish was spoken by the Cornwal. They are called Celtic languages. Celtic language was spoken by Celts. How we revise these languages?


About Welsh
We talked about how we promote Welsh. For example, a government make TV and Radio program to promote Welsh. The way is realized recently. Next British government make a club since people study Welsh language. If they make many devices for promoting Welsh, people become to be interested. By the way, why English became to be spoken by Welsh in Wales? Because English people conquered and annexed Wales, English was spoken by Welsh. The history makes me sad.

Welsh is loved by many people. So some people tried to revive Welsh. The Welsh language society was established to protect Walsh in 1962. And Walsh and English were recognized as equality by Welsh language act in 1967 and 1997. Thus many people tried to revive Welsh. Then Welsh is used as official language.

references: "British Cultural Identities" http://www.eigo.be/cultures/globallanguagewales.htm

Westminister schools

I'm going to introduce one of school in UK. It is West minister School. Westminister is a day school in the center of London next to Westminister Abbey and the House of Parliament. It is a public school. Though the school is built in center of London, there have first class facilities for activity. So the school has a long sporting tradition and sports teams leave good record. And Westminister school only ancient school in London.

Then Westminister schools involve Westmnister school and Westminister under school.
Boys are admitted entering under school at seven years old. And they can go to main Westminister school at thirteen years old. Only girls can go to main school at sixteen. The schools have around 750 pupils. It is so many pupils.

Next, I'm going to write about activities. Many kind of activities are offered to all a key activity at Westminister to balance the school work of students. During the school year, the school organises some expeditions. In addition, some students participate in annual events such as PHAB. PHAB is one of events for physically handicapped people. So Westminister is a famous school as activities.

references: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_School

Education in UK

I'm going to write about education in UK. Education in UK start from the age of 5 to 16. During this time parents and schools educate children. And when they become the age of 11, they start to go to secondary school. When children become the age of 16, some children leave school. But other students go to University and take GCSE and A-Level. They are national exams. Students can learn general classes by exams.

Next I will introduce Oxbrige. They are Oxford and Cambrige university. These university were founded in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries respectively. University student don't have to pay money as school fee. British government pays school fee. So it helps students. Oxford university is oldest in British bloc. So there has a long history.

I'm going to write about private school. Small percentage of the students go to private school. And most students go on to Oxford and Cambridge from private school.
It is very expensive to go to private schools. So parents whose students going there have a lot of money.

British Class System

I have been learned about class system in British. I will write class syatem I have been learned about.

I'm surprised by difference of pronunciation in British people. British people speake different pronunsiation on each class. And they can know where they come from and thier education by their pronunciation. The pronunciation have some kinds like received pronenciation and queen's English. So they don't want to enjoy talking to strangers.

I feel class system isn't good system. I feel like knowing why class system was estabilished.

Then we can know what class someone belong to. They are accent, Newspaper, TV, drink, job, music, sports and so on.

I will introduce classes of Britain.

Upper Class
Most people graduate from private school and public school. Their job is lawyer, doctor,politician and so on. People of upper class have much money so they are wealthy. They speak Queen's English. They play Polo as their favorite sport.

Middle Class
Most British people are belong to middle class. Their job are proffesionals, businesspeople, shop ownner and so on. They mainly drink wine. They often see working people as uneducated. The class is divided by three parts. The upper section compromises the service class.

Working Class
Working class people are generally die younger and less healthy. But they have tendency to want to stay working class. And they tend to leave school earlier so they are seen not clever. Then working class people see the middle class as snobbish. They often drink beer unlike middle class people's drink.

Britain

I will write about Britain. Britain consists of Wales, Sccotland, North Irland, England. A formal name of Britain is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Irland.

I have a image that Britain was strong in war. Especially, there was very strong in the first world war. Britain suceeded industrial revolution first.
Then there traded with many countries.

A famous war about Britain is The battle of Waterloo. Another name of tha war is Napoleonic wars. This battle was between Britain and France. Britain won this battle.

Report

I will write something I learned about NZ in this class.

First, I will write about treaty of Waitangi. It is a concluded treaty in Waitangi between British and Maori. The lands of New Zealand transferred from Maori to British by the treaty. Maori agreed with the treaty, because Maori want British to stop a civil war among Maori. The treaty was concluded by fifty people of Maori and Captain Hobson of British colonel. Hobson had been sent by the British government. The main contents of the treaty were divided into three. First, all Maoris have must been follow a queen of British. Second, Maori hold lands of New Zealand were insured. But the all lands were sold by only British. Third, Maori was admitted as the British nation. The treaty was written by English. And the treaty translated the English into Maori language that had some problems. Maori recognized that all lands of NZ were Maori’s by the treaty. But British recognized that NZ were a British colony. It were difference of knowledge. So from 1843 year Maori rose in rebellion to British.

I will write some explorers of NZ. Abel Janszoon Tasman is a first explorer. He visited Jakarta, Tasmania, NZ. When he arrived in NZ in 1642, his team was attacked by Maori. Maori was mistaken about attack. 4 people died by the action. He hadn’t been to there ever since. A second explorer is James Cook. He sailed three times with his team by Endeavour. Then he made a map of NZ. It was a very correct map. He used some kind of equipment.

I will write about Maori. They are native people of NZ. They are a kind of Polynesian. Their native language is Maori language. Its language was admitted as an official language in 1987. Almost Maori lives in the northern island of NZ. They dance an ethnic dance. It is called “Haka”. They dance before fighting and as a greeting of welcome. They have been living NZ yet now. Their country is “Hawaiki”. They came to NZ from there about one thousand ago. Now, the population of Maori is about fourteen percentages of all. Maori made many artistic works. The works is displayed at a museum of NZ. So Maori’s culture is taken over even now.

I will write a little about my first presentation. I spoke about Wellington of New Zealand. There is a capital of New Zealand. Many people visit there. The density of population is very high. There is a center of policy. So there is an important city. I spoke about some famous spots of Wellington. There are a museum, a cable car, a zoo. A famous museum of Wellington is a “Tepaa” national museum. It is like an amusement park. If people visit the museum, they can surely enjoy during a day.
Finally, I will write about my presentation. I spoke about Japan’s cartographer and New Zealand’s cartographer. New Zealand’s one is James Cook. The other one is “Tadataka Ino”. I want you to know not only James Cook but also “Tadataka Ino”. Then, I wanted to compare cartographers of both countries. I’ don’t know which person has trouble with measurement. But it is that probably both persons accomplished a feat. I told you how to make a map, essential equipments to survey, and their difficulty. I could know some information of both cartographers through my presentation.

Introduction

I have been learning about New Zealand. I have never been there. But I think I will want to go there in future. I will write something of New Zealand to my blog.

There is located in southern hemisphere. And there has many famous cities. For example Auckland, Taupo , Wellington,Christchurch and so on. I did presentation about Wellington 2 month ago.Because of the presentation I could learn about some cities of New Zealand.