Kernow: Major Cornish Language Event Held

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The second annual Cornish language research conference was held on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th September 2015 at the Tremough university campus in Penryn, Kernow (Cornwall).

The event was hosted this year by the Institute of Cornish Studies, Exeter University, who are one of three partners of ‘Skians', which is a new Cornish language research unit. Other Skians partners include Cornwall College, Maga and Movyans Skolyow Meythrin. In 2014 the first ‘Skians’ research conference was held at Cornwall College and was developed in response to an acknowledged gap in the continued development of the language: an arena where current and ongoing academic research into the language could be presented to like-minded people and where debate into future research could be stimulated.

Presenters at the event included Professor Nicholas Willams, Dr Ken George, Dr Jon Mills and Dr Mattew Spriggins. Professor Kenneth Mackinnon also submitted a research paper, which was read by Jenefer Lowe, Director of Maga, because he was not able to attend in person. On Thursday a debate was held about the Cornish language research agenda and the viability of setting up a ‘Kernowegva’ (Cornish language community). In addition to the annual conference other plans for the Skians group include producing an online repository of academic research, an online journal where work can be showcased and the development of a summer school.

The General Secretary of the Celtic League and one of the founding partners of Skians said:

“Cornwall has long suffered from the lack of a dedicated university department that specialises in the Cornish language. The Institute of Cornish Studies has done an excellent job over the years to move forward our knowledge and understanding of Cornish archaeology, history, culture and sociology, but it has rarely ventured into the Cornish language arena. With the new Skians partnership,an opportunity has been created to give people an opportunity to share their research in a formal way and for it to be scrutinised by other researchers and academics, in an environment that has the Cornish language as a primary focus for a change.”

The next Skians conference will be hosted by Maga in 2016.

(Article submitted by Rhisiart Talebot – Kernow)

BERNARD MOFFATT

Issued by: The Celtic News

28/09/15

THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.

The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues

http://celticleague.net