Its status is mainly a product[clarification needed] of the last century, and some 200 years ago, very few people in the Channel Islands spoke that language.

Because of their location, the islands' main source of non-UK tourism tends to be French speaking.

Sercquiais is the dialect of Jèrriais spoken by a minority of people in Sark, the original inhabitants of which were settlers from Jersey.

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.