Andrew George, MP

…de la Independent:

Tory and Lib Dem ministers from the coalition Government were among the first batch of newly-elected MPs to take the oath or affirm in order to take their seats on the famous green benches…

…Lib Dem Andrew George (St Ives) took the oath in Cornish. The proud Cornishman led the parliamentary campaign to have the language officially recognised.

He claims to have been the first MP to speak Cornish in the Chamber when he made his maiden speech in 1997.

Mebyon Kernow

...de Ekklesia:

The Cornish party Mebyon Kernow (MK), have launched their manifesto for the general election, calling for a devolved legislative assembly for Cornwall and for the replacement of council tax with a progressive income tax…

… The party's manifesto commits candidates to fighting for all the people of Cornwall, whatever their background. MK insists that Cornwall had its own distinct identity, language and heritage and had as much right to self-determination as Wales and Scotland. …

… Mebyon Kernow's name derives from the Cornish for “Sons of Cornwall”. The Cornish language, which is closely related to Welsh and Breton, almost died out during the twentieth century, but a recent revival has seen a growth in the number of people speaking Cornish as a second language.…

"Malplimulto Lingvoj en la Unuiĝinta Reĝlando"

…de la Konsilio de Eŭropo:

The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has just made public the third report on the situation of minority languages in the UK. This report has been drawn up by a committee of independent experts which monitors the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

On the basis of the report, the Committee of Ministers calls on the UK to continue taking resolute action for the protection and promotion of Scottish Gaelic in all areas, in particular in education, through the training of teachers and the production of teaching and learning materials.

Furthermore, the UK authorities are encouraged to adopt and implement a comprehensive Irish language policy, preferably through the adoption of legislation.

The UK should also ensure that health and social care facilities offer services in Welsh.

Finally, the Committee of Ministers recommends the UK to adopt a strategy to enhance and develop Ulster Scots, in co-operation with the speakers.

The regional or minority languages protected under the Charter in the UK are Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots, Manx Gaelic and Cornish.

The Pipettes

….de WalesOnline:

For Gwenno and Ani Saunders, becoming The Pipettes is a long way from their childhood days in Cardiff spent singing, dancing and making cassettes.

Tomorrow’s release of their catchy new single Stop The Music, which shares the same producer as the Human League’s legendary Dare album, marks a radical departure for the former three-piece…

…Tri-lingual Gwenno and Ani – they speak Welsh, Cornish and English – have huge support from their parents, Cardiff mum Lyn and Cornish linguist dad Tim Saunders.

Ani said: “I think they like the fact we’re looking after each other. Our first language is Welsh, which we speak to mum and our second is Cornish, which we speak with our dad but we try not to speak either around anyone else so we don’t seem rude!”

"Mums of Looe"

….de la Western Morning News:

A campaign to make all signs at National Trust sites in Cornwall bilingual has received fresh backing.

The Kernow branch of the Celtic League has asked the trust to follow in the footsteps of Cornwall Council and English Heritage and display signs in both English and Cornish.

But the National Trust (NT) argues that the signs would have to be bigger to accommodate both languages, making them more unsightly and more expensive to manufacture.

Now a family group has backed the Celtic League's campaign, saying "the Cornish language is part of the history of Cornwall and should be preserved just like any other part of history".

The Mums of Looe group wrote to the League following an appeal for support from the branch to introduce a resolution at the NT's annual general assembly this year.

Mums of Looe founder Katrina Ring, highlighted in a letter to the group the benefits of learning an additional language while still at school. Children at a primary school in the East Cornwall town have recently started learning the language...

Kornvala Infanvartejo

…de la BBC:

A new creche has opened teaching toddlers how to speak Cornish.

Movyans Skolyow Meythrin, Cornish for the Nursery Schools Movement, aims to teach children the language through play while parents also get lessons.

Seven children were registered for the Saturday creche at Cornwall College, Camborne.

The language fell out of use in the 19th Century but there are now believed to be several hundred fluent Cornish speakers in Cornwall.

The first session included lessons in Cornish and songs well-known throughout the county.

Organiser Rhisiart Tal-e-bot said: "This is an idea which I have had for several years.

"This is about teaching parents how to bring up their children alongside our local heritage.

"There will also be classes run at the same time as the creche so that adults can learn a little about the county."

The Cornish creche is the latest in a number of initiatives designed to boost recognition of the Cornish language....

Skol dy'Sadorn Kernewek

...de la Western Morning News:

Young children in Cornwall will be fully immersed into their county's heritage and language when a new creche opens.

The Skol dy'Sadorn Kernewek, which translates as Cornish Language Saturday School, will open in Cornwall College Camborne on Saturday.

The creche, the first of its kind in the county, will involve lessons on Cornish heritage as well as encouraging children to speak some Cornish.

Project organiser Rhisiart Tal-e-bot said many parents had already registered an interest in the weekly creche.

Mr Tal-e-bot, Cornwall College Early Years lecturer and language expert, said: "This is an idea which I have had for several years, and which a lot of people have supported. We have already had seven children register for Saturday, and are hoping we might be able to attract a few more."...

Episkopo Graham Leonard

…de la Telegraph:

The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Monsignor Graham Leonard, who died on January 6 aged 88, was the most senior Anglican churchman to convert to the Roman Catholic Church since the Reformation…

…When Stopford retired in 1973 and was succeeded by Bishop Gerald Ellison, of Chester, Leonard was appointed Bishop of Truro. He was at home in that diocese's strong Anglo-Catholic tradition, getting on admirably with the local Methodists, who had their own reasons for opposing the proposed reunion.

During his first year at Truro he visited 130 parishes and, in 1977, ensured that the diocese's centenary was celebrated with great style. He also set up an advisory board for services in the Cornish language…

Kornvala Nacio Malakceptita por 2011 Censo

...de la BBC:

MPs have rejected a bid to allow people to list their nationality as "Cornish" on the 2011 census.

Cornwall North's MP Dan Rogerson had put forward the proposal as MPs debated the Draft Census Order 2009 for England and Wales.

A Facebook campaign Cornish Tickbox for the 2011 Census has been backed by Mr Rogerson and more than 3,000 people.

But as MPs rejected it by 261 votes to 49, they approved questions the Tories say amount to "bedroom snooping".

The government says the issue of Cornish language and identity was "considered" by the Office for National Statistics but was "not included in the proposals for the 2011 census"...

Kornvalaj Vojŝildoj

…de This is Cornwall:

Street signs in Cornwall could be bilingual in future as a result of plans put forward by Cornwall Council this week.

A draft Cornish language policy was set to be considered by the council's cabinet today and puts forward ways to promote the Cornish language, including making all street signs bilingual.

While not going as far as in Wales, where all road signs are bilingual, the policy would see residential street signs and signs in council buildings in both Cornish and English.

The document suggests the introduction of bilingual signage in all council buildings and using Cornish in all council publications and literature, including on the council's website….

Skath

…de This is Cornwall:

The programme for the 2009 Cornwall Film Festival has been announced by festival director Donna Anton.

Scheduled for November 13 to 15 , the eighth annual festival will be held in four venues around Falmouth…

… The world premiere of the Cornish language film Skath, directed and produced by Paul Farmer, the winner of last year's £5,000 Govyn Kernewek filmmaking commission. Skath, which means 'gig' in Cornish, documents the ambitions of Pol Hodge as he progresses from unfit novice to serious competitor in the World Pilot Gig Championships in Scilly...

Lingva Morto

...de la BBC:

An estimated 7,000 languages are being spoken around the world. But that number is expected to shrink rapidly in the coming decades. What is lost when a language dies?

In 1992 a prominent US linguist stunned the academic world by predicting that by the year 2100, 90% of the world's languages would have ceased to exist.

Far from inspiring the world to act, the issue is still on the margins, according to prominent French linguist Claude Hagege.

"Most people are not at all interested in the death of languages," he says. "If we are not cautious about the way English is progressing it may eventually kill most other languages." ,,.

...Closer to home, Cornish intellectuals, inspired by the reintroduction of Hebrew, succeeded in bringing the seemingly dead Cornish language back into use in the 20th Century. In 2002 the government recognised it as a living minority language. ...

Kornvalaj Piratoj!

…de The Tribune:

As I learned more about British history, I learned about “piracy” in Cornwall and the adjacent Scilly Isles. The Cornish Peninsula is the most westward part of England. It’s both extremely rugged and remote.

By 1860, more than 692 shipwrecks were recorded off southwest England’s dangerous coastline. While there were sometimes French pirates off the coast, most often it was the indigenous population of Cornwall that was engaged in piracy….

… The locals would then plunder the wrecked ship’s hold for what they referred to as “legal salvage.”

There were numerous squadrons of soldiers and police sent by officials in London to suppress these acts of piracy.

But the Cornish had their own Celtic language dating to pre-Roman days, and they could be most secretive. As W. S. Gilbert wrote, “A policeman’s lot is not an easy one.” …

Lowender Peran Festo

….de Travelbite:

From delightful dancing to majestic music, local traditions are rejuvenated every year with a Cornwall festival.

In a celebration of the region's Celtic roots, the Cornish town of Perranporth comes alive as it hosts the Lowender Peran Festival. Taking place every October, the event serves up a wide range of things to see and do for all the family.

Five days of festival fun…

…Meanwhile, those looking to get a true taste of culture during cottage holidays in Cornwall may wish to take a Cornish language lesson. And doing so may mean that visitors are able to feel - and speak - like one of the locals in no time...

“Petroc”

…de la North Devon Journal:

Petroc has been revealed as the new name for North Devon College.

The name was revealed to staff and students at 10.40am today.

Principal David Dodd said the merger of North Devon College with East Devon College meant both names had to go.

The college has worked with a company called Interbrand to come up with the new name, brand and logo.

Revealing the new name Mr Dodd said: "In a series of language and naming exercises, we explored perceptions of Devon, of the colleges and its people.”…

….Anticipating criticism that Petroc is a Cornish name, the college said in a statement: "Petroc is a Celtic name that has connections with Cornwall but even stronger links with Devon where the county's flag is dedicated to him.

"Cornwall's main patron saint is St Piran, whose flag is recognised as the Cornish national symbol.

"St Petroc was born in Wales but primarily ministered to the people of sixth century Dumnonia (now Devon, Cornwall and parts of Somerset and Dorset).

"He is one of Cornwall's patron saints but there are 17 churches dedicated to him in Devon, while there are just five in Cornwall....

Klarigo pri Kornvala

…de rimarko afiŝita sur ĉi tiu blogo:

Nigel Haywood re skrifas dhymm adro dhe'n leverans devynys ma esa pryntyes heb kettestenn vydh. Ev re skrifas, " My a gar an taves Kernewek ha my a studhyas an yeth hengovek dres pedar blydhen, yth esa Derivadow Unesco yn kever Tavosow yn Peryll a dheklaryas bos Kernewek Hengovek gyllys glan, byttegens ny hyllir bos leverys an keth adro dhe'n KERNEWEK DASSERGHYS hag y hevelir yma hi niver hi ow tevi yn sad. Yma lies den ha benyn owth oberi yn krev dasserghi an Taves Kernewek delleveris vy dhis hudol yw ha teg lowr. Hi a waynyas gre yn dann an Chartour Ewropek rag Yethow an Ranndiryow ha Byghan yn dhe 2002. Ow foynt vy yn sympel o nyns esa le vydh oll ragov yn argerdh an dasserghyans. Ytho ha Kernewek Hengovel ow merwel y'n 18ves kansvlydhen ha nyns esa ranndir ha Kernewek kewsys ena ages an Gaeltacht yn Iwerdhon po nebes tiredh yn Kembra nyns yw henna an hwedhel yn tien"

Nigel Haywood has written to me about the reported statement which was printed without any context at all. He wrote" I love the Cornish language an I studied the traditional language for four years, it was the Unesco report about endangered laguages which declared Traditional Cornish extinct, but the same cannot be said for REVIVED CORNISH whose numbers seem to be contantly growing.There are a lot of people working hard to revive the Cornish language, which, as I said to you, is fascinating and quite beautiful. It gained status under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages in 2002. My point was, simply, that I do not have any role in the revival process. So while Cornish died out in the 18th Century, and there are no areas of Cornish speaking comparable with eg the Gaeltacht for Irish, or large parts of Wales for Welsh, that's not the whole story!"

* Dankon al Mick Paynter/Skogynn Pryv.

La Korvala Lingvo Vivas!

Haywood: La Korvala “ne estas vivanta lingvo

…de MercoPress:

Governor designate Nigel Haywood* will hit the ground running – literally – when he takes up his new post in September next year.

And the career diplomat, a keen marathon runner and fly fisherman, says he is well prepared for the country’s notoriously fickle climate…..

…Mr Haywood said he was eager to immerse himself in the Falklands community….

…“Some fascinating things have been written about me, but not all of them are true,” he said. “I am a Cornish bard, but none of this is to say I speak the language. No one speaks Cornish as such. It is not a living language.” …

* ADRESO:
..Office of the Governor
..Government House,
..Stanley, FIQQ 1ZZ
..Islas Malvinas

Dr-o Mark Turin kaj la Kornvalalingvo

…de la Western Morning News:

More resources should be devoted to preserving traditional British languages such as Cornish, a University of Cambridge anthropologist has said.

Dr Mark Turin, a research associate in social anthropology, is heading up the World Oral Literature Project, which aims to create lasting records of traditional languages.

The project, in association with Cambridge University's Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, aims to capture the poetry, myths, stories and folk songs of ancient languages on a variety of media.

But although grants are being given to tribes and groups around the world, no money will be allocated to UK groups, although Dr Turin admits that along with Breton, Welsh and Gaelic, Cornish is a threatened language.

He said: "People often think it's often only tribal cultures that are under threat.

"But all over Europe there are pockets of traditional communities and speech forms that have become extinct.

"It is the domain of stronger nation states with better resources to look after their own indigenous tongues, through Welsh language TV and Breton literature.

"Given our small team, we are focusing on the indigenous people who do not have the funding to help themselves."…

Kornvala kaj la Censo

…de thisiscornwall.co.uk:

Campaigners are stepping up their bid to have Cornish listed as a nationality in the 2011 census.

Thousands have joined the crusade online while MPs and councillors have pledged to lobby the Government to ensure people from Cornwall do not have their identity "swept aside just because they are small in number".

Under current plans, there will be no tick-box for people responding to the census to say they are "Cornish". Instead, they will have to tick "other" and then write in their response.

Critics say the omission will mean many people who consider themselves to be Cornish will not realise they can do this, and instead select one of the other options: English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or British.

In 2001, some 37,000 people recorded their nationality as Cornish, leading officials to assign the response a designated code for the first time…

…The issue of Cornish language and identity was "considered" by the Office of National Statistics but was "not included in the proposals for the 2011 census".