For those not fluent in either language, the Cornish part (and I presume the Welsh says the same!) means:
āSpeak Cornish, have been learning or want to learn? OK, a small informal group [has] formed in West Wales recently to support the use of the language. We would like to hear from anyone who wants to meet every month for a cup or pint. Contact Kevinā¦ [details as above]ā
I donāt know Kevin Knox and havenāt heard about this before ā I will check with the Cornish language contacts I have to see if they know about it too (it doesnāt seem to have got into any of the Facebook feeds Iām aware of so far). Hopefully it will get about and thereāll be enough support to keep the group going. Many thanks again!
Just as an update, the ad that Dee posted is now up on the Facebook page of Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek (the largest Cornish language organisation) and a few others, so it will reach a much bigger audience of Cornish speakers! Iāve been in contact with the secretary of the Kowethas, who says he doesnāt know of any other Cornish speakers in Pembrokeshire apart from Kevin so far, but hopefully some beginners will take an interest.
If there are any Welsh speakers from these forums who are in that area and would like to learn some Kernewek/Cernyweg, do consider giving it a try!
Hmmm. Regarding the Cornish language announcement on Flybeās inaugural Heathrow-Newquay flights (see my post above from a few months ago), it turns out it WAS just a publicity stunt after all. Hereās an article from a Cornish writer who took their flight hoping to be greeted in Cornish and was sorely disappointed: Flybe talking in tongues
And as for Flybeās response as to whyā¦ I DEFINITELY wonāt be flying with them now.
Sorry, @Courtenay, just realised that I didnāt actually reply to your lovely message re St Ives Cornish lessons. Oops
Iām very encouraged and will definitely be trying them next time Iām down there. Iāll be able to add phrases in Kernick to my posts then! Thanks very much.
Too right (as we say in Australia, where I come from and happen to be back there at the moment). Still, at least they did it ā the Cornish language announcement on Flybe ā in the first place, even if it was just an empty gesture. Even in the 5 or so years that Iāve been visiting Cornwall fairly regularly, Iāve seen more and more usages of the language cropping up in business names, signage and even in official contexts ā Camborne Town Council now has the Cornish name Kammbronn front and centre in their new logo and the motto Kemeneth Kynsa ā Community First, for example. (Iām personally delighted to see that, as my Cornish ancestors were from Camborne and the surrounding district ā someone who did our family history traced them as far back as the mid-1500s, when Cornish was still quite widely spoken in that area.) So despite the disappointment with Flybe, Kernewek is still marching onā¦
Great to hear! I was in North Wales just recently for a brief stay and was very excited to see all the bilingual signage everywhere ā lots of fun seeing how many words from Welsh are recognisably similar in Cornish. Quite a lot of them are! The two languages on the whole arenāt mutually intelligible most of the time, but a fluent speaker of one will probably recognise between 50-75% of words in the other (depending on whatās being talked about!), and sometimes, at least in short phrases, they can be word-for-word virtually identical, with only a few slight differences in spelling and pronunciation. Hereās a phrase I learned in Wales that I understood instantly as a Cornish speaker without even consciously having to translate (and itās so true, too):
Cymraeg: Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon
Kernewek: Kenedhel heb yeth, kenedhel heb kolon
If anyoneās interested in attending the annual Pennseythen Gernewek (Cornish Language Weekend), there are a few changes to it this year ā details have only recently been released. Theyāve had to move it from its former regular location in Newquay and most of it is now taking place at Cornwall College in St Austell, with a few special events at the St Austell Brewery.
Itās aimed at all ages and all levels of language ability, from complete beginners to fluent speakers and everywhere in between, and you can book for all the events of the weekend or just parts of it. So if you have an interest in the Cornish language and would like to meet others who are involved with it, do consider coming! Iāve been three times before and will be going again this year ā Iāve always found it hugely worthwhile and lots of fun.
Just as an update to my post above ā itās been announced today that the Cornish Language Weekend will be postponed until next year, due to the current situation with the coronavirus. Iām sorry we all have to miss out on it (and on a lot of other activities at the moment, sadly), but thatās whatās most wise at the moment. Iām hoping next yearās Pennseythen, having had twice as much planning time, will be better than ever!
Itās a shame, but sensible. I think I would not have enough Cornish under my belt to feel confident about going this year. But hopefully by next year Iāll be up to going.
Well, they always cater for all levels of ability including absolute beginners, so thereās no need to worry about how much or little you know! Hope you do make it next year (and I hope I will as well).
Today is the start of Speak Cornish Week!
Thereās lots of events as usual but with COVID-19 these are all online! Which is a blessing for those of us outside of Kernow!
Iāve just finished my first online lesson and it was splann!
Iāll be joining other events.
So good to see all of the enthusiasm around Kernewek. I hope it takes off again as Welsh has.
Stay well.
Does anyone on here do conversation/speaking practice? Iāve chatted to people on the Welsh Speaking Practice forum and itās great, if terrifying! I can only say about 4 sentences in Kernewek atm, but it would be fun to chat live if possible
I should have been in St Ives for the whole of this monthā¦dratted COVID-19.
Stay well.
I know some of the Yeth an Werin (casual Cornish conversation groups ā it means ālanguage of the peopleā) are holding their meetings online and Iām sure theyād be glad to welcome you. All the ones Iāve been to are very friendly and happy to welcome beginners!
Iām not in touch with any of them at the moment, so Iām not sure who would be best to ask, but this is the official contact list for all the current Yeth an Werin groups: https://gocornish.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Go-Cornish_conversation-group.pdf Two of the organisers Iāve met before are Ruth Webb from the St Austell group and Delia Brotherton from the St Ives group ā their email addresses are on that list. If you email either of them and ask if their own or other conversation groups are meeting online, I think theyāll be able to help you, or to point you to someone else who can. Itād be worth a try.
Kemmer with hag oll an gwella (take care and all the best)!
As @Courtenay has said there are Yeth an Werin in Cornwall and a few sporadic locations outside of , but if you are on Facebook look up āYeth an Werin warlinenā they hold them via Zoom and actually there is one tonight! 7pm
The following is text from the Facebook post.
Donāt forget thereās a single link tonight for a single call for the usual two groups. Weāre all mixing together, learners and fluent chatters, for Speak Cornish Week! The theme is āmy a garā. Everyone welcome, pop in for as long or as little as you like. Youāre welcome just to listen too if you like. Looking forward to seeing you all!
Dear Cornish learnersā¦ Iām doing a number of pronunciation sessions as of next week. All levels, all varieties welcome. I want to help you achieve the pronunciation you are aiming for, no matter which Cornish variety. If your interested, contact me via e-mai (daniel(at)ryan-prohaska(dot)com) or through the contact form on my website Tava - Contact.
The pronunciation sessions will be in small groups (2-4) and are free of charge and will be online on Zoom or Facetime.
As for qualification, Iām a fluent Cornish speaker, teacher, as well as trained actor/singer, dialogue and song coach, trained linguist with a speciality in historical phonology.
Meur ras bras, Dee.
Still, at least they did it ā the Cornish language announcement on Flybe ā in the first place, even if it was just an empty gesture. Even in the 5 or so years that Iāve been visiting Cornwall fairly regularly, Iāve seen more and more usages of the language cropping up in business names, signage and even in official contexts ā 
I was in North Wales just recently for a brief stay and was very excited to see all the bilingual signage everywhere ā lots of fun seeing how many words from Welsh are recognisably similar in Cornish. Quite a lot of them are! The two languages on the whole arenāt mutually intelligible most of the time, but a fluent speaker of one will probably recognise between 50-75% of words in the other (depending on whatās being talked about!), and sometimes, at least in short phrases, they can be word-for-word virtually identical, with only a few slight differences in spelling and pronunciation. Hereās a phrase I learned in Wales that I understood instantly as a Cornish speaker without even consciously having to translate (and itās so true, too):
