Cornish gains equal language status with Welsh

Stephen Price

Kernewek, the Cornish language, will be recognised alongside Welsh, Irish Gaelic and Scots Gaelic after the UK Government recommended it for Part III status - the highest level of protection under European treaty.

The announcement follows years of campaigning from Cornwall Council, community groups and cultural organisations dedicated to protecting Cornwall's native language.

Councillor Sarah Preece, Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Localism and Planning said “Kernewek is a fundamental part of Cornwall’s unique identity. We welcome this announcement as a huge step forward, giving the language the recognition and protection it deserves for future generations.”

Councillor Dick Cole, chair of the Fifth Nation Working Group said “It is really positive news that the Government has confirmed that Cornish will be covered by Part III of the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. It means that Cornish will have the same status as the other Celtic languages of the United Kingdom – Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish – and I would like to pay tribute to everyone who has campaigned for these greater protections for the Cornish.

“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.”

Council Leader Leigh Frost said: “This is brilliant news for Cornwall. Achieving Part III status reflects years of hard work by Cornwall Council, our partners and the many community groups who have fought to keep the Cornish language alive. To see Cornish recognised alongside Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic is something we can all be extremely proud of.”

He added: “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.”

To "celebrate the latest step in the ongoing resurrection", Cornwall Live wrote their news story about the new status for Kernewek bilingually, gaining widespread praise across social media for the move.

Cornish became extinct as a living community language in Cornwall by the end of the 18th century.

A revival started in the early 20th century and in 2010 UNESCO reclassified the language as critically endangered, stating that its former classification of the language as extinct was no longer accurate.

In 2024-2025, over a million searches were made using the online Cornish dictionary and Cornwall Council's 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 having fun with the Cornish language through the Go Cornish for Primary Schools programme, commissioned by Cornwall Council.