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The Cornish language is due to be given the same status as Welsh, Irish and Scottish Gaelic after the government submitted it for greater protections under a European charter.
Kernewek, spoken as a first language by 563 people according to the last census, has been recommended by the government for part III status under the European charter for regional or minority languages, the highest level of protection available.
Languages protected under the charter must be actively promoted by government in education, courts, administration, media, culture, economic and social life, overseen by the Council of Europe. It means that citizens have the right to use their protected language in legal hearings and in education.
Leigh Frost, the leader of Cornwall council, said: “This is brilliant news for Cornwall. To see Cornish recognised alongside Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Gaelic is something we can all be extremely proud of. Our language is a vital part of who we are. This announcement sends a strong message that Cornish matters, and that it deserves the highest level of support and protection. It’s an important step in strengthening our culture for future generations.”
The Cornish language has undergone a revival in recent years, with more young people taking up lessons and a greater prominence in popular culture.
Cornwall council said that in 2024-25, more than a million searches were made using the online Cornish dictionary and its Cornish language team received more than 650 requests, translating more than 32,000 words into Kernewek – up 22% from the previous year.
More than 200 people sign up for Kernewek classes each year, and almost 6,000 schoolchildren are enrolled on the Go Cornish for Primary Schools programme.
Dick Cole, the chair of the Fifth Nation Working Group, which advocates for Cornish culture, said: “This means that Cornish will have the same status as the other Celtic languages of the United Kingdom.
“The priority must now be for the government to work with the people of Cornwall to better support and promote our national language. And we must build on this status to ensure that Cornish nationhood is better reflected in all aspects of the governance of the UK, which needs to include a meaningful devolution settlement.”
Once spoken throughout Cornwall, Kernewek is now classified by the Unesco world atlas of languages as “critically endangered”, after the organisation previously declared it “extinct”.
Although only 563 people said Cornish was their main language in the most recent census, covering England and Wales, experts said the total number of Cornish speakers was likely higher as most used English in everyday life.
Cornwall council estimates that between 2,000 and 5,000 people can speak basic Cornish, and that number is on the rise.
The Mercury prize-nominated Cornish-Welsh singer Gwenno Saunders, who has written and performed albums entirely in Kernewek, has called for the language to be taught more widely to children in the far south-west.
