Stream, St. Breward
Stream near St. Breward on Bodmin Moor...
St Germoe's Church
Germoe church was built in the 12th century on the site of an earlier Celtic church.
On each side of the porch are carved what appear to be long tailed monkeys - it is thought they are intended to wa...
St Germoe's Well
The rather unremarkable St Germoe's Holy Well opposite the church in the village of the same name.
The inscription reads:
St Germoe's Holy Well
A reconstruction of a well which existed here circ...
I was just wondering if you could explain to me why Cornish is not included in the work done by your worthy organisation especially when you consider that Manx is.
So people aren't concerned that the funding recieved won't be able to pay more than 4 teachers, and the fact that the kids won't really be interested? Instead, letters are being written.
Sure, £80k is not a vast amount but it's a start and better than the 5k they were getting before. (you must consider that it took a 7 year campaign before 2002 to even make the UK government officially recognise the Cornish language ! )
Mis Du 2002, wosa kaskyrgh a seyth blydhen gans kowethasow hag awtoritas leel kernewek, governans an Rywvaneth Unys a govskrifas Kernewek yn-dann Rann II Chartour Konsel Europa rag Yethow Rannvroek ha Nebes Kewsys. Yn-dann ambosow an Chartour, an governans yw omres dhe ‘selya y bolisis, laghow ha gwriansow’ war rol a naw amkanow ha dyskasow hag a styr, rag ensampel, aswonnans Kernewek avel derivas rychedh gonisogethek ha skoedhyans rag gweythres kolonnek dhe avonsya an taves. Bosva Kernewek avel arwoedh diblansneth rannvroek o elvenn boesek bos grontys dhe Gernow savla Amkan 1, ytho yma lies kettestenn yn lownow artow ha tornyaseth may hyllir gul devnydh anedha dhe ri talvosogeth keworrys erbysiethek ha gonisogethek. An re ma a allsa synsi arwoedhyow po kevrennow nes yntra tornyaseth ha’n yeth rag krevhe klywans bos Kernow ‘dyffrans’.
That makes 240 000 GBP directly from the Labour government and if match funding means equal funding the best part of half a million GBP over three years is available to start.
What exactly are who going to do with the money?[/quote]
As I understand it, the funding will be administered by Cornwall County Council, following an agreed development program that is indicated in the published Cornish Language Strategy.
This will enable the UK to begin to fulfill its legal commitments under European Charter for minority languages.
No its not a lot of money compared to other languages but lets be realistic the Cornish language is just a tiny acorn at the momment, there are more people that speak Urdu or Mandarin in the Duchy than Kernewek.
It's a huge improvement on the past, it is more money that will be spent in Kernow.
As to your criticism of my letter and question, i don't see your point really. Would you rather that i didn't bother writting to organisations in order to ask questions that i think deserve an answer, surely its the least i should do for things i care about?
I'm as frustrated as you are about the lack of funding for languages, and the fact that Kernewek is being funded is, in my eyes, a good thing. Urdu and Mandarin are often taught at home through parents and friends (in my experience) and I think that this is the way that the teaching of Kernewek should go.
I have no experience in the field of project managing the spread of languages, so please accept my apologies as regards your letter.
Me neither but i am curious as to why the Cornish language is excluded from the work of the Britsih Irish council and asking them by e-mail seems like a good place to start.
Spelling row could see Cornish go west - Fight between rival camps threatens cash to fund revival
The government money is on the table and the political will in Whitehall and Europe is apparently growing to help Cornish speakers turn their native tongue into a viable, living language. But there is one stumbling block: Cornish speakers cannot agree on how their language should be spelt. Three main groups who have driven forward the revival of Cornish are at loggerheads over how the language should be written. The issue has become so divisive that yesterday two of the groups called for an independent panel of linguists to be appointed to referee the row.
A conference is being organised in September at which the warring factions will again try to agree on how Cornish - or, depending on your fancy, Kernewek, Kernowek, Kernuak or Curnoack - should be spelt. Until a single system is agreed, it will be difficult to launch a credible language programme across Cornwall. Disputes over issues such as road signs and place names will also continue to slow the spread of the language.
Last month the government announced that it would fund the language by up to £80,000 a year for three years - but the worry is that the cash flow will dry up if agreement over spelling cannot be found. Paul Dunbar, a director of a Cornish bookshop in Liskeard which stocks dictionaries, Bibles and children's books in one version of Cornish, said the development of the language was important at a time when many local people argue that they should have more independence from England. "The language has tremendous importance for Cornwall," Mr Dunbar said. "It's an icon of identity. It's the one thing that is uniquely, undeniably Cornish." He expressed frustration that the spelling problem was holding the language back: "There's certainly more heat than light in the debate." His feelings about the champions of rival systems? "It varies from murderous to totally pissed off."
The revival of Cornish began to gather pace in the 1920s when a version which came to be known as Unified Cornish was reconstructed using language found in medieval miracle plays and borrowing from related Celtic tongues such as Welsh and Breton. Forty years ago, as interest grew, the Cornish Language Board was formed. Some members felt Unified Cornish was inaccurate and came up with a new system, with different spellings, Common Cornish. In the mid 1980s, another splinter group set up the Cornish Language Council and championed a third system, Modern Cornish, based not on medieval manuscripts but the way the language was last spoken in the 1700s.
The row over whose system was best began in earnest. It has not yet come to blows, but the quality of debate has not always been scholarly.
The factions understand each other when they speak Cornish, but do not seem to comprehend why their rival groups insist that their spelling system is correct.
Ray Chubb, secretary of Agan Tavas (Our Language) which supports Unified Cornish and an updated version of it called Unified Cornish Revised, accused the supporters of Modern Cornish of "mucking around with historical sources" and claimed that Common Cornish speakers had the arrogant attitude that their system was perfect. George Ansell, a supporter of Common Cornish, said that version was easiest to teach. "If people can't agree, it will become a Darwinian situation - the survival of the fittest." Mr Ansell, who chairs a language strategy group set up by Cornwall county council, said the debate often became overly personal. "People have invested a lot of time and effort in the various forms and do not like to see their work challenged."
It is nigh on impossible to judge which group is best placed to survive, as nobody agrees on how many people use each version. In all, it is thought that several hundred people speak Cornish reasonably fluently and a few thousand have some knowledge of it. Two secondary schools and a handful of primary schools have begun to teach Cornish. Neil Kennedy, who is in the Modern Cornish camp, said: "It may sound absurd that a language which not many people speak has several different spellings, but that is what we face. We have to find a way of working together to sort it out."
The groups supporting Modern and Unified Cornish issued a statement yesterday saying that there was a "historic" opportunity for the movement to build a "thriving Cornish language", and called for an independent advisory panel. Professor Philip Payton, director of the Institute of Cornish Studies, said the dispute threatened long-term support from Westminster. "Some sort of agreement is necessary. Otherwise it gets confusing at best and at worst faintly ridiculous."
Origins in history of Celtic Britain
In 1935, listeners to the BBC were puzzled but interested by a music programme from Plymouth. When the BBC explained that the St Austell choir was singing in Cornish, it was bombarded by requests to know more. Even the Cornish seemed to have forgotten about their historic tongue.
Cornish is a direct descendent of the language spoken by Celts who settled in Britain before the Roman conquest.
As Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Norman invaders confined the Celts to Cornwall (as well as Wales, Scotland and Ireland), the language developed regional dialects.
By the 9th century, certainly, there is concrete evidence of a distinctive language in Cornwall, and it is believed that by 1200 it was spoken by most of its people.
But simultaneously, use of English was spreading into the east of Cornwall; the Reformation sped up the decline when Edward VI decreed that the Book of Common Prayer be used in Cornish churches; rebellions by the Cornish were put down.
By the start of the 17th century there were few monoglot speakers left, mostly in the far west. The reputed last one, Dolly Pentreath, died in 1777.
Bilingual speakers could be found until the late 19th century, but the region's sinking economic fortunes were mirrored by its language's continued decline.
Asked why the Cornish should learn Kernewek, the father of the revival movement, Henry Jenner (1848-1934), had a simple answer: "Because they are Cornish."
This argument has been going on too long now, its speaking a language that counts. all the bickering must put off potential learners (and parents of potential learners).
The spelling dosent really matter - when Kernewek was more widely spoken i imagine most could not read or write at all!
Perhaps the Welsh should be asked to adjudicate?
Good points; it's quite a serious problem, especially with things like place names. I think the Irish would be better adjudicators as they have a better sense of humour (humor).
You might know that Kernewek is actually closer to Breton than Welsh.
The big debate will be certainly interesting and hopefully not self-defeating.
Perhaps stroppy should read this ! - £1m for Welsh language courses at universities
"The Welsh Assembly Government has announced a package of measures aimed at supporting the development of Welsh medium provision in Higher Education. This includes almost £1m over three years to expand the provision."
Dolphin volunteer's mermaid walk
A volunteer who helped rescue dolphins caught up in a mass stranding is raising funds to deal with future incidents.
Coastguards defy call to strike
Some coastguards are defying their union and remaining on duty during national strike action over pay.
Woman questioned about bed fire
A 40-year-old woman is arrested in Cornwall after her partner was burned when their bed was set in fire.
Rain means delay on bypass work
Completion of a bypass at one of the South West's worst traffic bottlenecks is put back a week.
This week's chsw events
Why not go along to one of these events to support the Children's Hospice South West £5 million Precious Lives Appeal to build a hospice for life-limited children in Cornwall.
On Sunday from 10am a Marazion equestrian event takes place at at ...
Boiler warning
Energy experts are urging residents to service their central heating boilers before winter.
Benefits advice
A new benefits service has started to help visually-impaired people to make claims.
