Reviving the UK's Minority Languages

Memorial to the Last Cornish Speaker

Languages at Europe House
European Day of Languages is celebrated Europe-wide on 26 September every year. This week I trod a familiar path from Westminster Underground Station, past the Houses of Parliament, to Europe House. The walk was tinged with sadness. It could prove my last opportunity to attend an event celebrating languages, multilingualism and European culture at Europe House.

Europe House has hosted many happy language events over the years

Celtic Languages 
This year's flagship event centred on the Celtic Languages of the UK. The series of lectures and language taster classes were originally planned to coincide with the UK's Presidency of the European Union. Europe House's Language Officers Paul Kaye and Stephen Turkington carried it forward to the week of events scheduled to celebrate European Day of Languages this year.  These included the Sign Languages of Europe and the annual language-based treasure hunt.

The Two Gaelics

Conchúr Ó Giollagáin was an excellent choice to open the evening's Celtic language sessions. He is a Dublin-raised Irishman based in Scotland as the Director of the UHI Language Sciences Institute in Inverness. He is currently finishing a major study on vernacular Gaelic.

Explaining the spread of Irish and Scottish Gaelic

Education Policy
Irish has been subject to 4 generations of language policy, more support than any other minority language in the world. Yet, still it retains minority status. A fascinating analysis of the data followed with maps, graphs and history. The two Gaelic languages have followed different routes to the same path. Today, Scottish Gaelic has a 10,000 speaker base and Irish a 20,000 speaker base despite their active promotion in education. They lack the critical mass and new fluent speakers that sustain a minority language into the next generation and beyond.

A Chainsaw on Cultural Diversity
Linguistic action and decision-making are not carried out where the speaking population is based. History marginalises the speaker base of minority languages. There is a 'chainsaw effect' at work on cultural diversity with these two Gaelics clinging on in subordination to English. They can but envy the large Welsh speaker base by comparison.

Going, Going, Gone Forever?

Tim Saunders on Welsh and Cornish history

Manx has gone. A picture of the charismatic last Manx speaker appeared on screen. Now, we can only hear a recording online. Cornish was lost, but has undergone a small revival. Breton is in a sorry state in France. How do we support minority languages and their cultural legacy in the face of the irrepressible might and dominance of English? UNESCO's Atlas of Languages In Danger is sobering.

Language or Dialect?
The surprise of the night came with the introduction of Ulster-Scots by Ian Crozier. It's a language not a dialect - a Germanic 'twiglet' from English rather than a Celtic language.

Cultural History and Legacy
Bard and historian, Tim Saunders, took us on a 'cavalry charge' through Welsh and Cornish history. It set my family history on both sides of the River Severn with 3 Welsh grandparents into context. So much to bear grievances for, but ultimately a blur. And we are all friends now - with the possible exception of great sporting rivalries. There's a rich cultural and literary heritage to cherish and sustain.

Celtic Language Taster Classes
Languages are about communication. To survive they need to be in active use. We enjoyed four Celtic language classes during the evening against the familiar backdrop of European flags: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Cornish.

Sandaidh NicDhòmhnaill Jones shared the soft lyricism of Scottish Gaelic

Scottish Gaelic

You can find a few Scottish Gaelic music videos here to appreciate the beautifully soft, lyrical quality of the language for yourself. It was interesting to note how my recently discovered Scottish ancestor from Stranraer might have sounded.

Welsh
Gethin Jones aptly chose to introduce his language from the Land of Song through singing. The whole class rose to sing 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes' in Welsh with the actions.

Pen, ysgwyddau, coesau, traed, coesau, traed,
Pen, ysgwyddau, coesau, traed, coesau, traed,
A llygaid, clustiau, trwyn a cheg,
Pen, ysgwyddau, coesau, traed, coesau, traed.

For those puzzled by the apparent lack of vowels in Welsh: w and y are vowels. I noticed how much easier it was for me to pick up the Welsh than the Gaelic sounds because they were introduced in childhood.

Celtic Language Classes
It was interesting to note that Gethin did all his education from ages 5-18 in Welsh. The other tutors had learnt their respective Celtic languages to fluency levels as adults. If you are interested, you can go to the London Welsh Centre to learn Welsh, or you can find a full range of Celtic languages at the City Lit.

Cornish

Paul Church and the Kings Arms during my 2017 visit

Our final language of the evening was Cornish. Today, Cornish is undergoing a revival.

Our tutor has been teaching Cornish at the City Lit for 41 years. She learnt Cornish as an adult. She demonstrated that a living language is first and foremost about social interaction and communication. She was on the move throughout the class to demonstrate (hence no photos).

The last original Cornish speaker, Dorothy Pentreath, was probably not the best advertisement for the language. She was a fisherwoman who apparently swore at everyone in Cornish. Next time I visit the friendly community of Paul where her memorial stands in the churchyard (see top of this blog), I will be able to ask for an apple or bag of crisps at the Kings Arms in Cornish.

English Skills for Immigrants
As I wandered back past the Houses of Parliament, a man was pushing his son in a pushchair. It reminded me that tomorrow's future minority languages are not all about our indigenous Celtic tongues. The little boy was fighting sleep against the movement of the pushchair in the night air, as my own sons once did.

The various talks demonstrated that it is far easier to save and build a dying language than to resurrect a dead one.

The evening's overriding takeaway is that the future of the UK's minority languages is not all bad news.

Inspirational Legacies of Words

As the inauguration of the next US President fast approaches, commentators are assessing President Obama's legacy. Some say that only time will tell, especially given that his successor seems so set on undoing his work. 

Last week, I attended a talk on another presidential legacy, that of the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. A panel of speakers at the British Museum offered first-hand accounts of the man they knew. The evening was planned as part of the South Africa: the art of a nation exhibition.

Pumela Salela's account seemed to capture the best of Mandela's legacy. She spoke of his ongoing inspiration in her life. She was the beneficiary of a Nelson Mandela Scholarship. She quoted his famous words:

Education is the most powerful weapon 

which you can use to change the world.

Pumela is the living, breathing example of his words. These are words that all nations should continue to heed today. She came from a disadvantaged background and was the first member of her family to even go to school. She remembered how he reminded her that she was his ambassador as her scholarship bears his name. At difficult moments in her life, she recalled his inspiration. She couldn't give up. Today, she represents Brand South Africa and is chair of the Nelson Mandela Scholarship Alummi Association. She passes on Mandela's lasting inspiration and legacy to others.

The other famous quote is very familiar to linguists. Its message should endure and bring past enemies together:

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

That he could speak Afrikaans to his former oppressors and jailers was extraordinary. The panel described Mandela's forgiveness as cunning and political. He wanted peace and justice for his nation. He used every ounce of his charm and charisma to achieve them. 

At the end her of talk, Pumela recalled that Mandela's original name meant 'troublemaker'. We are all meant to challenge the status quo. 

She finished by reading Marianne Williamson's A Return to Love as reflecting Mandela's lasting legacy:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. 

And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Words are powerful. They live on as a legacy. They inspire others after us.

Yes we can, President Obama. Yes we can.

Karen Andrews is a freelance French to English translator, transcreator, content writer and editor. She has a strong background in global marketing.

Email Karen for further information via karenanglicityen@gmail.com in French, German or English.

Bristol's Green Launch on the High-wire

Bristol officially launched its year as the 2015 European Green Capital on Saturday 24th January. It was a cold but clear, starlit night. Two large, green buildings caught my eye from afar. The high-wire act was spectacular. It seemed an apt choice for the supreme balancing act required by climate change. The launch event was entitled "Bridging the Gap". 

It's complicated

I made my way on foot to the Cumberland Basin Bridge, overlooking the event. The song "It's complicated" played loudly on the tannoy system. Multi-coloured luminous umbrellas moved in the crowd below. Ecological messages played between songs. The logo "In it for good" was projected onto the green-lit building.

Decisions and actions

An EU Commission representative officially handed the title to Bristol's two youth mayors. They spoke of their hopes for the year and future. Bristol is to set an example to the rest of Britain in a momentous year. It will be a critical year for the world too.  Difficult decisions and vital actions lie ahead on climate change and urban renewal.

High-wire act

Suddenly, a luminous figure could be seen on high. Next, the main figure appeared, balancing on his bike with a pole. A "UFO" hovered above with green and red lights. (A camera drone?) Halfway across progress slowed. The pole wobbled deeply from side to side. The bike even went backwards for a time. The tightrope act continued forward in an uphill struggle to the other building. Success. The crowd applauded. The umbrellas turned to green below. All too soon the launch event was over.

Green childhood memories

I continued back towards Bristol's famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. They had doubted that the great engineer and innovator Brunel could bridge the gap over the Avon Gorge. The iconic bridge brings back childhood memories for me.  It is close to The Downs, one of Bristol's great green spaces. There I ran and laughed. I played hide and seek and ball games. I climbed trees. I practised my cartwheels and did wheelbarrows with my family.

Incremental changes

When I visit Bristol today, I notice the changes. The locals complain about the traffic, poor air quality and transport problems. In London, I complain about those same inconveniences. As a local resident, you notice the daily problems more than the incremental changes. I remember the seemingly never-ending tube engineering works in preparation for the 2012 Olympics in London. They did London proud in the end.

Brunel's bridge has stood the test of time. 

May Bristol's green legacy stand the test of time. 

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a

marketing consultant 

and content writer. She

also offers French to

English translation and

transcreation services.

Contact karen@anglicity.com 
for further information 
on Anglicity's services.