Academic claims Cornish language boost in pandemic

Twenty one Cornwall primary schools have signed up to a Cornish language learning project Go Cornish, which was commissioned by Cornwall Council.

Interest in learning the Cornish language increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, a report claims.

A University of Exeter researcher says online courses and materials produced during lockdown "boosted efforts to keep Cornish alive".

Researcher Kensa Broadhurst said as classes moved online there was a demand from students from outside Cornwall.

Survey figures show there were 217 Cornish language learners in 2021 compared to 74 in 2014.

Ms Broadhurst said the key to the future of the language was making learning more widespread in schools.

"Efforts are currently underway to modernise and professionalise the teaching of Cornish in adult education, to increase the availability of the language at the pre-school level, and to provide some availability at primary level," said Ms Broadhurst.

"The language movement now needs to consider what benefits it can offer to secondary, further, and higher education."

Twenty one Cornwall primary schools have signed up to a Cornish language learning project Go Cornish, which was commissioned by Cornwall Council.

Ms Broadhurst suggested a new Cornish language GCSE might be possible, which in turn could lead to an A-level.

"However, the availability of teachers capable of teaching at these levels and the quality of educational resources remains one of the biggest problems," she said.

"Through seeking to provide as diverse a range of education, and educational materials, it should be possible to preserve the language as a living being, fit for purpose in everyday situations and to better reflect the purposes for which it was originally used.

"None of these issues will be resolved overnight."