Official UK Cornish language recognition marks 20 years

Cornish has had a "successful ground-up revival"

The Cornish language has been officially recognised by the UK Government for 20 years.

Kernewek or Cornish was listed under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2002.

Since then it has become much more visible, featuring on many organisations' livery and more street signs being bilingual.

Cornwall Council said more than 4,000 pupils at 23 schools had been recently learning through a free programme.

Many organisations now have bilingual signs and literature

Cornish started to die out about 500 years ago as the Anglo-Saxons slowly spread west, before being declared as dying out in the 18th Century.

However, it always managed to have several hundred speakers around the county - which currently has a population of about 570,000 - before getting its official recognition and the recent interest in its revival.

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Cornwall Council said the resurgence in Cornish had been "recognised internationally for its successful ground-up revival" as thousands of languages around the world were "at risk of disappearing".

It added that it was not just children who are embracing Kernewek, but "more and more adults" were learning it.

It also said "many businesses are using Cornish words in their marketing and branding... and more than 3,000 bilingual street signs are now in place".

Council leader Linda Taylor said: "We are committed to encouraging the use of the Cornish language as a unique cultural asset which underpins the distinctiveness of Cornwall and has an important part to play in our cultural, economic and social life."

Pol Hodge, Grand Bard of the Gorsedh Kernow, recently read the proclamation of the accession of King Charles III in Cornish.

He said: "It's every child's right in Cornwall to actually have the chance to learn that language and fit in with their own environment."