"This is brilliant news for Cornwall. To see Cornish recognised alongside Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Gaelic is something we can all be extremely proud of. Our language is a vital part of who we are. This announcement sends a strong message that Cornish matters, and that it deserves the highest level of support and protection. It's an important step in strengthening our culture for future generations."
"Languages protected under the charter must be actively promoted by government in education, courts, administration, media, culture, economic and social life, overseen by the Council of Europe. It means that citizens have the right to use their protected language in legal hearings and in education."
"The Cornish language has undergone a revival in recent years, with more young people taking up lessons and a greater prominence in popular culture. Cornwall council said that in 2024-25, more than a million searches were made using the online Cornish dictionary and its Cornish language team received more than 650 requests, translating more than 32,000 words into Kernewek up 22% from the previous year. More than 200 people sign up for Kernewek classes each year, and almost 6,000 schoolchildren are enrolled on the Go Cornish for Primary Schools programme."
The government submitted Kernewek for part III status under the European Charter for regional or minority languages, the highest level of protection. Part III requires active governmental promotion in education, courts, administration, media, culture, economic and social life under Council of Europe oversight. Citizens gain the right to use Cornish in legal hearings and in education. Census figures record 563 first-language speakers, while a revival shows growing youth uptake, over a million online dictionary searches in 2024-25, 650+ language requests and 32,000+ words translated (up 22%). More than 200 people join classes annually and almost 6,000 children follow the Go Cornish programme.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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