Isles. This usage is political rather than geographic. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are British Islands in United Kingdom law. Celtic names There are five Celtic languages in current use in the region. Each has names for the islands and countries of the British Isles. They are divided into two branches: Brythonic – which includes Welsh and Cornish Goidelic – which includes Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx Some of the above are: The English word Welsh is from a common Germanic root meaning "Romanised foreigner" (cognate with Wallonia and Wallachia, and also cognate with the word used in Mediaeval German to refer to the French and Italians). The English names Albion and Albany are related to Alba and used poetically for either England or Scotland, or the whole island of Great Britain. English Erin is a poetic name for Ireland derived from (or rather, from its dative form ). Terms for the British Isles in the Irish language In Irish, the term Oileáin Bhriotanacha is a translation of the English term British Isles. Another translation is Oileáin Bhreataineacha, which was used in the 1937 translation from English to Irish of a 1931 geography book. Earlier dictionaries give Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa as the translation, literally meaning West European Isles. Today the most common term Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór is used, meaning, literally, Ireland and Great Britain, as provided by terminological dictionaries. See also Administrative geography of the United Kingdom British–Irish Council British and Irish Lions British Overseas Territories Glossary of names for the British References External links Geography of the British Isles British Isles Politics of the British Isles