Marriage ceremonies in the Cornish Language

Link to BBC News report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-56188851

Since the sad case of two people local people, Steph Norman and Aaron Willoughby, who wished to be married in the Cornish language and were told they could not, made local then national news, 'Kernow Matters To Us' (KMTU) has been in ongoing communication with the Law Commission.

What made the matter worse in their case was the many instances of nasty insults and abuse the couple endured following the news appearing in the London based media. Diversity is rejected by many people who read these newspapers and there is a propensity to turn to racism and insults. We have recorded examples of these.

To help matters along, we arranged for a large bouquet of flowers to be delivered to Steph to let her know that we cared.

We also wrote a comprehensive letter to the Law Commission regarding the matter and reminding them that the Cornish language was officially recognised back in 2002 and the Cornish people recognised as a National Minority in 2014 by the Westminster Government and incorporated in to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities joining the Scots, Welsh and Irish.

We regarded the denial to allow people to be married in Cornish as being discriminatory and contrary to the conventions.

Following an exchange of further communications, we have now received one from Sam Hussaini, a researcher in the Property, Family and Trust Law Team of the Law Commission.

This confirmed that there had been a recent consultation on the issue of marriages which had recently closed.

Furthermore, Sam Hussaini informed us as follows:

"Under our provisional proposals, the parties would be required to express their consent to be married to each other, but there would be no prescribed form of words. 

We consider the issue of translation at paragraphs 6.71 to 6.72 of the Consultation Paper. 

We explain that under our proposals, the parties must understand the words they are speaking or the action they are doing to indicate their consent. 

Accordingly, under our proposals, if the couple getting married, the two witnesses and the officiant all understood the Cornish language, that language could be used during the wedding ceremony, including when the couple expressed their consent to be married."

(Sam Hussaini to Kernow Matters 7th April, 2021)

We wish Steph and Aaron well in their future and trust their plans go well. The couple speak Cornish and engage with a number of 'on line' Cornish language groups which have expanded enormously since the onset of Covid.

We are aware that a number of couples have already been wed in the Cornish language down the years, whether this complied with the law or not.

We condemn discriminatory and racist conduct, institutional and personal, against all national, ethnic and gender minorities including the Cornish.

Sam Hussaini may be contacted at the Law Commission, 1st Floor, Tower, Post Point 1.52, 52 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AG

Email: samuel.hussaini@lawcommission.gov.uk

Links to Law Commission Paper and Summaries:

https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lawcom-prod-storage-11jsxou24uy7q/uploads/2020/09/Getting-Married-A-Consultation-Paper-on-Wedding-Law-web.pdf

https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lawcom-prod-storage-11jsxou24uy7q/uploads/2020/09/Weddings-CP-Summary-final-web.pdf

https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lawcom-prod-storage-11jsxou24uy7q/uploads/2020/09/Weddings_at_a_glance-v4.pdf

References:

The Cornish language is officially recognised by the UK Government under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for National Minorities: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/parks-leisure-and-culture/the-cornish-language/cornish-language/cornish-language-office/

Cornish granted minority status within the UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cornish-granted-minority-status-within-the-uk

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/people-and-communities/equality-and-diversity/cornish-national-minority/

John, Teresa, Craig, Tony, Matt, Mike, Clive, Ronan, Rob, Alex, Maria,  Lucas & Sophie

Elected Co-ordinators of Kernow Matters