'Spladn!' Cornish language given more protection

7 hours ago

Julia GregoryCornwall

News image — Primary schools have signed up to the Go Cornish language programme

Matt Pengelly/BBC The black Cornish flag with a white cross superimposed on it is held aloft at a St Piran's Day gathering in Lemon Quay in Truro. A large crowd is gathered and it is a sunny day. — Primary schools have signed up to the Go Cornish language programme

The Cornish language has been given extra protection through the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

The move gives Kernewek the same level of protection as all the other Celtic languages recognised across the British Isles, including Welsh, Manx, and Scots Gaelic.

Cornwall Council has estimated that there are 400 to 500 advanced Cornish speakers and 2,000 to 5,000 have some basic knowledge. The UK government announced in December it would apply the extra Part III status, after the language was officially recognised in 2002.

The Council of Europe said: "This decision significantly strengthens the protection and promotion of the Cornish language."

The council said UK authorities had pledged to "implement 36 promotional measures" including teaching in or of Cornish and the possibility to submit documents and applications in the language to authorities.

The measures also cover provisions for the use of Cornish in media, cultural activities, economic and social life.

'Pur da!'

Cornwall Council leader Leigh Frost said it was "a proud day" and recognised the hard work to revive the language and to "bring it into wider use" across Cornwall.

He added: "Seeing bilingual signs, and hearing Kernewek spoken within council meetings is now an everyday occurrence, which shows how far we have come, and this is a further step in ensuring further growth in its use."

St Ives MP Andrew George said the news was "Pur da! Spladn! (Very good. Brilliant.)

He recalled it caused "quite a stir" when he spoke Cornish during his maiden speech in 1997.

"We've come so far since I took our campaign around five government departments in the late 1990s, until ministers realised we weren't going away.

"With the Cornish language community, we successfully fought to secure official recognition in 2002."

'On a par with other languages'

Redruth and Camborne MP Perran Moon said the new status put Cornish "on a par with all other Celtic languages".

He added: "I have already personally asked the Prime Minister this week to consider the obligations inferred from Part III status and in particular the changes required to allow anyone that wishes to learn Cornish to do so."

So far 26 primary schools in Cornwall have signed up to the Go Cornish scheme to teach children the language.

Pic: Porthtowan by BBC Weather Watcher Jo Shreeve.