At last, the language of progress

By [scrossman]

A MAJOR leap forward for the unity and future of the Cornish language was taken by bards at the Gorsedd annual meeting under the leadership of Grand Bard Vanessa Beeman.

By an overwhelming majority and after two decades of debate they adopted the Standard Written Form (SWF) for their ceremonies and correspondence. From the earliest days under Grand Bards Henry Jenner and Morton Nance the 'Unified Form' has been used for the Gorsedd ceremony.

The latest milestone follows the adoption of the SWF "by the Cornish Language Partnership for formal education and public use, together with declarations of support from all the language organisations".

A year ago the bards made a declaration of intent to adopt this after Bards had been given an opportunity to study the agreement. At the County Hall, Truro, on Saturday they supported the Cornish language in its entirety – in all forms – but to use the SWF in all its ceremonies. This would end 20 years of controversy, declared former Grand Bard George Ansell of Gwinear. Its aim was to embed the language in the community. The partnership had agreed a three-year funding package with the government which had taken on responsibility for this from the European Objective fund, with the county council providing 10% of the total in cash and in kind. There had been good attendance for the 'teacher training days' of the Cornish Language Board and all the courses had now been produced on CDs, with audio cassettes also still available.

Many leading bards gave their firm views. Immediate past Grand Bard Rod Lyon of Nancegollan, said "I want to hear Cornish spoken by the Cornish people. We must have one form". Sterling work had been done and he hoped the new decision would be accepted by all. Alastair Quinnell of Bodmin said it must be agreed or they were on the road to destruction. Deputy Grand Bard Mick Paynter of St Ives commented that SWF was "a spelling system with the grammar of Morton Nance." Not one word o the ceremony would be altered in speech – only in spelling written form and they did not want to lose the prize of teaching the language to children.

"It will put the sign out that we are determined to make it a real life language for generations to come," he added.

Former Grand Bard Ann Trevenen Jenkin of Leedstown – who with her late husband Richard did valuable language work over a half-century emphasised, "we are not throwing out tradition. It is a development, perhaps not perfect, but SWF must be supported". Others stressed the critical importance of the decision in teaching in schools.

Bard Audrey Pool of Hayle, said "our founding fathers would be horrified if this was changed". There should be a postal vote on this by all bards at home and overseas.

This SWF was a written form for public bodies, but Bert Biscoe of Truro replied that the Cornish Gorsedd was perceived around the world as a 'public body' and they should strongly support the resolution. Dr Ken George, however, pointed out that the new form was lacking in linguistic authority and perhaps they should retain the uniform form which was well established and well understood.