The
Cornish language (in Cornish
Kernewek/Kernowek in
Standard Written Form; also written
Kernewek in
UC and
KK,
Kernowek in
UCR and
Kernowek Standard,
Curnoack in
RLC) is one of the
Brythonic group of
Celtic languages. The language continued to function as a community language in parts of
Cornwall until the late 18th century, and there have been attempts to revive the language since the early 20th century.
In the 20th century a conscious effort was made to revive Cornish as a language for everyday use in speech and writing (see below for further details about the dialects of modern Cornish).
The study by Kenneth MacKinnon [1] in 2000 suggested that there were then about 300 people who spoke Cornish fluently, i.e., were able to talk at ordinary speed on everyday matters. The Cornish Language Strategy project is in 2007 commissioning research to provide quantitative and qualitative evidence for the number of Cornish speakers. Due to the success of the revival project it is estimated that 2000 people are fluent as of spring 2008. A few people under the age of 30 have been brought up to be bilingual in Cornish and English.
Cornish exists in place names, and a knowledge of the language helps the understanding of old place names. Many Cornish names are adopted for children, pets, houses and boats. There is now an increasing amount of Cornish literature, in which poetry is the most important genre, particularly in oral form or as song or as traditional Cornish chants historically performed in marketplaces during religious holidays, public festivals and gatherings, and executions.
