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[[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Cornwall]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] Languages | [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Cornwall]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] Languages | ||
[[Image:Cornwall sign.jpg|thumb|250px]] | [[Image:Cornwall sign.jpg|thumb|250px|Cornwall sign.jpg]] | ||
The main language of Cornwall is English, however the traditional language of Cornish (''Kernewek'') is much older. Records can also be found in Latin. | |||
Although for most purposes Cornwall, and the Cornish, are treated as part of England, many Cornish do not perceive themselves as being English, but rather as a separate Celtic people in the UK like the Scots, Welsh or Northern Irish. There is a long-running small-but-significant Cornish nationalist movement. | |||
==Cornish language== | |||
The Cornish language is one of the Brythonic Celtic languages and is closely related to Welsh and Breton. Cornish shares roughly 80% of its basic vocabulary with Breton, and 75% with Welsh. The language continued to function as a community language in parts of Cornwall until the late 18th century, and there has been a revival of the language since Henry Jenner's "''Handbook of the Cornish Language''" was published in 1904. | The Cornish language is one of the Brythonic Celtic languages and is closely related to Welsh and Breton. Cornish shares roughly 80% of its basic vocabulary with Breton, and 75% with Welsh. The language continued to function as a community language in parts of Cornwall until the late 18th century, and there has been a revival of the language since Henry Jenner's "''Handbook of the Cornish Language''" was published in 1904. | ||
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In 2002 Cornish was officially recognised as a minority language and in 2005 it received limited Government funding. A Standard Written Form was agreed in 2008 replacing the Unified Cornish, Unified Cornish Revised, Common Cornish and Modern Cornish variations. <br> | In 2002 Cornish was officially recognised as a minority language and in 2005 it received limited Government funding. A Standard Written Form was agreed in 2008 replacing the Unified Cornish, Unified Cornish Revised, Common Cornish and Modern Cornish variations. <br> | ||
==Cornish surnames== | == Cornish surnames == | ||
<blockquote>"By Tre, Pol and Pen shall ye know all Cornishmen". <br> -Traditional Cornish saying</blockquote> | <blockquote>"By Tre, Pol and Pen shall ye know all Cornishmen". <br> -Traditional Cornish saying</blockquote> | ||
Unlike other Celtic peoples, such as the Irish and Welsh, most Cornish surnames are derived from place names. In Cornwall, these include "Tre-" (meaning town or farmstead), "Pol-" (a pool) and "Pen-" (head, or headland). Examples<br> | Unlike other Celtic peoples, such as the Irish and Welsh, most Cornish surnames are derived from place names. In Cornwall, these include "Tre-" (meaning town or farmstead), "Pol-" (a pool) and "Pen-" (head, or headland). Examples<br> | ||
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Tre-<br> | Tre-<br> | ||
* | *Treherne<br> | ||
* | *Trelawney - Trelawney is also the name of the Cornish national anthem<br> | ||
* | *Tremayne<br> | ||
* Trevithick<br> | *Trevaskis<br> | ||
*Trevelyan - GM Trevelyan historian<br> | |||
*Trevithick<br> | |||
<br> Pol-<br> | <br> Pol-<br> | ||
* | *Polkinghorne<br> | ||
* Polperro<br> | * Polperro<br> | ||
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* Pentreath - Dolly Pentreath was one of the last speakers of traditional Cornish.<br> | * Pentreath - Dolly Pentreath was one of the last speakers of traditional Cornish.<br> | ||
However these are not the only Cornish language prefixes often found in surnames. Others include Ros- (moor), Lan- (clearing or church), Car-/Ker- (fort), and Nan-/Nans-/Nance (a valley). | However these are not the only Cornish language prefixes often found in surnames. Others include Ros- (moor), Lan- (clearing or church), Car-/Ker- (fort), and Nan-/Nans-/Nance (a valley). | ||
=== Other Cornish language surnames === | === Other Cornish language surnames === | ||
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*Gwyn (fair haired. Also a Welsh surname) | *Gwyn (fair haired. Also a Welsh surname) | ||
*Teague (also of a separate Irish origin) | *Teague (also of a separate Irish origin) | ||
*Prowse | |||
*Rescorla | |||
[[Category:Cornwall|Languages]] [[Category:Language_and_Languages]] | [[Category:Cornwall|Languages]] [[Category:Language_and_Languages]] | ||