Languages of the Bailiwick of Guernsey in local toponyms. The island of Herm appears to have spoken Norman in the recent past, but there are no records of when it died out. Other islands such as Brecqhou, Jethou, les Casquets and Burhou were too small to support real communities. Although there are fewer Portuguese people in Guernsey than in Jersey, they still form a small part of the population, roughly 2% of the population speak Portuguese. Languages of the Bailiwick of Guernsey The linguistic situation of the Bailiwick of Guernsey is quite similar to that of Jersey, the other Bailiwick in the Channel Islands. English is
History of Guernsey and Jersey were given certain privileges as the English crown needed the Islands to be loyal, not least of which was the Islands neutrality, allowing trade to be pursued with France and England, even when these were at war. The trade creating revenue from taxes to pay for the Island garrisons. During the English Civil War, Guernsey sided with the Parliamentarians, while Jersey remained Royalist. Guernsey's decision was mainly related to the higher proportion of Calvinists and other Reformed churches, as well as Charles I's refusal to take up the case of some Guernsey seamen who had been captured by