News Of Cornish Language

[barddas]

 
Trenerry



Cornish gains official recognition
 

More than 3,000 people have knowledge of Cornish
 

Champions of the Cornish language are celebrating the news that it is to join Welsh and Gaelic as a recognised regional language under a European Charter.

After an independent academic study the Government has decided to recognise Cornish as a protected and promoted language and will now register the decision with the Council of Europe.

It means that Cornish will join Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Scots and Ulster Scots under the European Charter for Regional or Minority languages, which commits the Government to recognising and respecting them.

Cornish, a Celtic language closely related to Welsh and Breton, is one of the oldest in Europe.

 

Symbolic importance

Matthew Clarke of the Cornish Language Fellowship said it was "the most important day in the history of the Cornish language".

"It means that Cornish will be afforded a measure of protection and proves that it is a living language," he said.

Minister for Local Government and the Regions Nick Raynsford called the move a "positive step in acknowledging the symbolic importance the language has for Cornish identity and heritage".

"The purpose of the Charter is to protect and promote the historical, regional or minority languages of Europe," he said.



Cornish is now a recognised regional language
 


"Officials will be initiating discussion with Cornwall County Council and Cornish language organisations in Cornwall to ensure the views of Cornish speakers and people wanting to learn Cornish are taken into account in implementing the Charter."

Mr Raynsford was responding to a written question from St Ives Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George.

According to latest estimates, about 3,500 people have knowledge of the language, an estimated 500 use it and a further 100 are fluent speakers.

Cornish died out in the late 19th Century but was revived during the 20th Century following the work of Henry Jenner who published a pamphlet in 1908 promoting its use.

[WizardofOwls]

Hip! Hip! Horray!

I'm a learner of Scots Gaelic which is also struggling, and it does my old Celtic heart good to hear of another Celtic language making a comeback!

[Cù Dubh]

Anyone see this:-

Campaigners demanding independence for Cornwall have been given a massive boost - from the Simpsons.
Fans of the cartoon family will see Lisa take up their cause during a Simpsons Christmas special and even yell slogans in the Cornish language. She will wave the campaigners black and white flag on the Christmas day show and shout 'Rydhsys rag Kernow lemmyn!' - Free Cornwall now!

[greenldydragon]

Is that a joke? Please say it is! (Cu Dubh)

This post has been edited by greenldydragon on 10-Jul-2004, 01:39 PM

[Cù Dubh]

No, no joke greenldydragon. I read this strory in the news a few days ago. Maybe we need Homer to fight for Scottish independence.

[Catriona]

Don't say that Black Dug..... they'll make Groundkeeper Willie the spokesman.... And that would be truly too much to bear - If ever an accent needed to be worked on, it's that one!

[TheCarolinaScotsman]

Thought this news item would be of interest to the Cornish folks here.

'Hi a'th kar,' Beatles songs go Cornish Thu Oct 12, 12:55 PM ET

The Beatles' songs are being given a Celtic makeover by a band playing some of their greatest hits in Cornish.

Skwardya, from Cornwall, England's most southwesterly county, have translated four Beatles songs into the Cornish language -- including "She Loves You" ("Hi a'th kar") and "Something" ("Neppyth") -- with more to follow, the BBC reported Thursday.

Cornish, closely related to Welsh and Breton, died out as a living language in 1777 but has recently benefited from a revival in interest.

Some 3,500 people now speak basic Cornish, or Kernewek, and around 500 can speak it fluently, according to a 2006 estimate and the European Union formally recognised the language in 2002.

Matthew Clarke, half of the Skwardya duo and a Cornish speaker for 16 years, said translating the legendary 1960s pop band's songs was "a bit of fun".

"We're just trying to expand the amount of stuff in Cornish that's out there," the 36-year-old said.

"It's good to have some other things rather than just folk songs and the odd hymn."

"I was in another band and we used to do 'Eight Days A Week' in Cornish, and it went down really well. That started the ball rolling."

The chorus of the love song "Something" by Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison comes out as "Ny vynnar hy gasa mann, Ha ny'm beus na fella hwans".

Now other Kernewek enthusiasts are helping out translating more Beatles hits but Skwardya need to get permission from The Beatles' Apple Records company before they can release the songs.

"We can't sell anything until we get something sorted out," Clarke said.

Half a million people live in Cornwall and many Cornish folk are fiercely proud of the rugged coastal county's distinct Celtic culture and traditions.

[Gwynhwyvar]

This is the first post I have made in any of the language forums. I have a great interest in the different Celtic languages. I have studied both Irish and Scottish. I would love to work on the others. I am glad to see that Cornish is making a come back - who would have ever thought that you could find Beatles songs in Cornish. WOW!
I will have to make further investigation on this.

[sonic-skunk]

Kernewek yw an da kewsel

Im not very good at cornish yet, but thats roughly 'cornish is a good language!'

Sorry if its horrifically wrongq1