Manx is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, historically spoken by the Manx people. Only a small minority of the Isle of Man's population is fluent in the language, but a larger minority has some knowledge of it. It is widely considered to be an important part of the island's culture and heritage. Although the last native speaker, Ned Maddrell, died in 1974, the language has never fallen completely out of use. However in recent years the language has been the subject of revival efforts, so that despite the small number of speakers, the language has become more visible on the island, with increased signage and radio broadcasts.