Calls for greater protection of Cornish language

Cornish language translations are used by some businesses, including the Hall for Cornwall

Cornwall Council has written to the government calling for greater protection for the Cornish language.

The calls come on the 10th anniversary of Cornish being recognised as a national minority.

The council said it wanted the same protections as the Irish, Scottish and Welsh languages.

The Cornish language is the only Celtic language in the British Isles without protection of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

'Our cultural identity'

The five group leaders, representing all 87 members of Cornwall Council, have signed a letter calling on the government to extend Part III (Articles 8-14) of the charter to apply to Kernewek, the Cornish word for the Cornish language.

The council said it wanted the same protections as the Irish, Scottish and Welsh languages

Cllr Linda Taylor, leader at Cornwall Council, said the language was "part of our cultural identity, and we must preserve it for future generations".

She said: "A huge amount of work has been done to promote Kernewek and it's fantastic to see that more and more people, both children and adults, are embracing it.

"We are calling on the Government to apply the same designation to the Cornish language that is afforded to the other Celtic languages."

Cornish has been incorporated into schools for 8000 children, and hundreds of adults have been taking Kernewek classes, the council added.