A women’s group from Cornwall has written to the Kernow Branch in support of their campaign to persuade the National Trust (NT) to adopt bilingual signs on the properties they manage for Cornwall.
The `Mum’s of Looe’ group, who are based in the Cornish town of Looe in east Cornwall, wrote to the branch secretary following an appeal for support from the branch to introduce a resolution at the NT’s annual general assembly this year. The group, which boasts over a hundred members, was set up last year to actively promote children’s facilities in and around the town of Loe, Polperro and its outskirts.
Secretary and founder of Mums of Looe, Katrina Ring, said in her email to the branch that the idea of bilingual signs on NT properties was `fantastic’, because the `Cornish language is part of the history of Cornwall’. Katrina Ring also highlighted in her letter the benefits of learning an additional language while still at school and said that the Cornish language had now been introduced in the local primary school.
The full text of the letter from the Mums of Looe is set out below:
“What a fantastic idea, it is only right to encourage the Cornish Language, and after all when visitors come to Cornwall, it is Cornwall they are visiting!
“The Cornish language is part of the History of Cornwall and should be preserved just like any other part of History.
It’s not just Scotland and Wales that have two languages displayed on their signs, Ireland has being doing it’s for years, as well as Catalonia in Spain (Spanish and Catalan) and the South of France (French and Catalan), in Belgium (Flemish), even in California America they have signs in English and Spanish!, I could go on.
Our Primary School has now introduced the Cornish Language, at the moment is in a small scale, but the kids love it, and have now realised another important part of History in Cornwall. I had the privilege of been taught my tongue in school as well as English and this is probably why in later years I found it quite easy, to learn other languages from other Countries.
The benefits of preserving the Cornish Language are:
Preserving the History of the language
Tourism
Education
Identity
Good luck and you have the support of the Mums of Looe.
Kind regards,
Katrina Ring
Secretary
Mums of Looe”
The Kernow branch is seeking members of the NT to come forward to put their names to a petition, calling on the organisation to introduce bilingual signage. Emails of support should be sent to Kernow celticleague.net
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06/04/10