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Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 44:1 (2020) ► pp.66–86

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The orthography of revived Cornish as an attempt at pluricentricity

 | Queen’s University Belfast
Published online: 1 July 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00056.dav
Abstract
After over twenty years of debate over Cornish orthographies, recognition by the UK government according to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2003 led to the creation of what was initially intended as a “single written form” for use in official contexts. However, the inevitable impossibility of finding a compromise that pleased opposing groups of speakers with differing ideologies meant that the eventual Standard Written Form (SWF) was pluricentric, comprising two “main forms”. While these were initially stated to be of equal status, this has been hard to maintain since the SWF’s implementation: with more speakers using Middle Cornish forms, the Late Cornish forms are less visible and commonly believed to be subsidiary. Drawing on such perceptions, along with learning materials and other resources, this paper examines the status of the SWF today and offers some reflections on this unsuccessful attempt at pluricentricity in a minoritised language.
Abstract (English)
Woja ugens bledhen leun a dhysputys ’dro dhe fatel scrifa Kernowek, an tavas a wrug doas ha boas ajonys gen governans an Ruvaneth Unys en 2003 herwedh Chartour Europek rag Ethow Ranndiryel po Bian, ha letherednans sodhogel nowedh a veu gwres, creies et an dalla “udn furv scrifys”. Bes onpossybyl o hei dhe gawas udn furv a ell boas usyes gen tus ujy o senjy prederyow dihevel ’dro dhe beth ew Kernowek own. En sewyans, an Furv Scrifys Savonek (FSS) ew letherednans “liescrejek” (pluricentric): ma dhodho dew furv, leverys et an dalla dhe voas kehaval en-kever status. Calish o bettegens dhe ventena an stat ma: ma moy a dus o usya Kernowek Cres, ’della nag ew Kernowek Diwedhes mar es dhe weles, ha ma meur a dus nag ujy anjei o crejy ev dhe gawas an keth bri ’vel an furv aral. Ma an scrif ma o clappya ’dro dhe hebma, ha ma va o mires ort asnodhow a ujy o avonsya hag o tesky Kernowek, rag examnya status an FSS et an dedhyow ma; ma ev o profya ewedh nebes tybyanjow ’dro dhe Gernowek ’vel ensampel a davas bian liescrejek na wrug doas ha boas amyttyes.
Resumo
Post pli ol dudek jaroj da debatoj pri la ortografioj de la kornvala, la brita registaro agnoskis la kreon de “ununura skriba formo”, almenaŭ laŭintence, cele al la uzo en oficialaj kuntekstoj, sekvante la Eŭropa Ĉarto por Regionaj kaj Minoritataj Lingvoj de 2003. Tamen, evidentiĝis, ke oni tute ne povis trovi kompromison akceptindan inter la du oponantaj grupoj de parolantoj pro malsamaj lingvoideologioj. Finfine, la Norma Skriba Formo (SWF) rezultis esti plurcentra, konsistanta el du “ĉefaj formoj”. Eĉ se dekomence ili devintus esti egalstatusaj, fakte tio estis malfacile eltenebla ekde la efektivigo de SWF: pli da parolantoj uzas la Mezkornvalajn formojn, kaj do la Lastkornvalaj formoj estas malpli videblaj kaj pro tio oni kutime konsideras ilin duarangaj. El tiaj konsideroj, kune kun lingvolernigaj materialoj kaj aliaj rimedoj, la artikolo elklarigas la statuson de SWF hodiaŭ kaj ofertas kelkajn konsiderojn pri la sensukcesa strebo al plurcentreco de minoritatigita lingvo.
Article outline
  • Introduction
    • Pluricentricity and polynomy
    • Cornish and the SWF
  • The creation of the SWF
    • Cornish orthographies in the twentieth century
    • Context for the development of the SWF
    • The outcome of the SWF process
  • The use of revived Late Cornish
  • The SWF today
    • Official uses of the SWF: Visibility in the public space
    • Resources for users and learners
    • cornishdictionary.org.uk
    • Perceptions among speakers
  • Conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
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