The Welsh people (Welsh: Cymry) are a nation and ethnic group native to, or otherwise associated with, Wales and the Welsh language. The Welsh language, a language within the Insular Celtic family, has historically been spoken throughout Wales, with its predecessor Common Brittonic once spoken throughout most of the island of Great Britain. Prior to the 20th century, large numbers of Welsh people spoke only Welsh, with little or no fluent knowledge of English. While Welsh remains the predominant language in some areas of Wales, particularly in the north and west, English is now the predominant language in most parts of the country, though many Welsh people, even in predominately English-speaking areas of Wales, are fluent or semi-fluent in Welsh or, to varying degrees, capable of speaking