Did you know that the Manx Gaelic language began to sharply decline during the late 19th century? Unfortunately this time period marks the point at which Manx Gaelic became replaced almost entirely by English. This sharp decline was noted by JG Cumming in 1848, when he wrote that there are very few people on the Isle of Man who do not speak English, and most of the younger generation speak no Manx Gaelic at all. Several decades later, Henry Jenner wrote that only 30% of the island's population still spoke Manx Gaelic as a first language. By 1901, that figure plummeted again to 9% for the general population, and by 1921 only 1% of the island's inhabitants spoke Manx. For a period of time, Manx had become associated with low prestige, and parents were encouraged to teach their children English only. Today the language is undergoing a revival, and hopefully it will eventually be picked up as a majority second language.
