Dgieu Sauve La Reine: England’s Other Languages

England is that rarest of modern states, a virtually unilingual society. Yet the fabric of that society is woven with strong threads of historical multilingualism, and the few non-English traditions that still exist are only more fascinating for their scarcity.

My ny vynnaf cows Sawsnek! Cornish

Before the Normans, the Saxons and the Romans, England was an immense forest peopled by tribal Celts. Successive invaders chopped down the great weald, slaughtering, assimilating, or driving off its inhabitants. Some, a very few, hacked a measure of survival from unattractive acreage, mostly outside modern England; Wales is the largest example. But the Celts also managed to hang on to Cornwall, England's rugged western extreme.

There, the Cornish language enjoyed a vigorous life, spawning its own bardic tradition, the customary Celtic literary medium. Missionaries alphabetised Cornish, and an impressive manuscript collection developed. But the Industrial Revolution eventually killed Cornish, as it did so many other tongues. The last native speakers vanished in the 19th century. Fortunately, the post-WWI ethnic-identity trend inspired a Cornish revival, though Cornish has yet to retake its traditional community. One reason is the emergence of competing factions, each pushing a different standardisation model. Still, the Cornish revival cannot be dismissed as a failure. The clock is still ticking, and stranger things have happened. More importantly, the Cornish experience is invaluable to future revival movements. Finally, whatever its limitations, modern Cornish is a truly international language, studied the world over by the descendants of globe-trotting Cornish miners. In fact, most Cornish Web pages are of Australian origin.

The Cornish revival is currently enjoying renewed interest, both at home and abroad. As a Scot, I wish my fellow Celts the best of luck.

Wæs fiu, Hro›gar, hal! Old English

When Rome withdrew from Britain, circa 400CE, Germanic bands from the Low Countries charged into the vacuum. Among them were Angles (from whom England draws its name), Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians. With the passage of time, an umbrella "Anglo-Saxon" culture emerged. Its language, Old English, is one of the two parents of Modern English.

Given its brief lifespan, Old English fostered an impressive body of literature. Anglo-Saxons read the Bible in their own tongue and penned Beowulf, an epic poem. After 800 years of silence, England is again hearing the earthy cadences of Old English. Enthusiasts gather in Old English circles to discuss the concerns of our day in King Alfred's tongue. Spoken Old Englishis an intriguing, unsettling experience. Speakers often become momentarily comprehensible, then lapse back into a alien tongue resembling Dutch. "OE" also encapsulates fascinating cultural artifacts. My favourite: "gheest," visitor, is the ancestor of both "ghost" and "guest." What delightful insight into a culture long since disappeared.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic