Cornish, the language of Cornwall in far southwest
England, which began its decline in the sixteenth century, is making a comeback. Scholars have recently developed a standard written version of the language, which has about 300 speakers. The
Telegraph has the
story.
Comments
Matt, interesting piece about Cornish, but the county is called Cornwall not Cornwell
Yes- I understand there is even a group of people in far-off Melbourne, Australia who are learning and practicing Cornish. These people need to get a life! Why waste time on something so useless, when there are infinitely more practical and important subjects to study in the world.
I seem to remember watching a TV show in the early 70s about a woman who was born and lived in Cornwall but couldn’t speak english!
There’s a lot to be said for feeling a connection to one’s heritage through language. I’m born and raised in the US, will probably never visit Scotland in my life, but I’ve studied a bit of Scots Gaelic as a way to feel closer to the history of my father’s family and to give me an excuse to study Scottish history.
I can certainly respect anyone in any of the old British colonies who would want to keep the languages of their forefathers alive as a hobby.
My family are cornish and we are very proud. I would love to be able to speak the language of my ancestors