Welsh Independance, post ww2

Cornish and Welsh are very similar languages, but as others have said, there are so few Cornish speakers that it would have virtually no practical effect. Also, the significant distance between Cornwall and Wales would surely rule out any kind of union.
 
Cornish and Welsh are very similar languages, but as others have said, there are so few Cornish speakers that it would have virtually no practical effect. Also, the significant distance between Cornwall and Wales would surely rule out any kind of union.

In any case, how similar are they? I'm not an expert, but I rather feel the almost complete lack of comparisons has distorted our perspective (Hungarians and Finns like to refer to their languages as "very close" when they're actually about as close as English and Persian). They're probably more differant than German and Dutch, for instance.
 

MrP

Banned
In any case, how similar are they? I'm not an expert, but I rather feel the almost complete lack of comparisons has distorted our perspective (Hungarians and Finns like to refer to their languages as "very close" when they're actually about as close as English and Persian). They're probably more differant than German and Dutch, for instance.

If y'want a definitive answer, I'd ask Leo Caesius. He's our language man. And a jolly nice fella, too. :)
 
If y'want a definitive answer, I'd ask Leo Caesius. He's our language man. And a jolly nice fella, too. :)

Terribly good sport he is indeed, wot? :)

Languages have always been an amateurish fascination for me. I like the sounds of them, the way they interelate, and etymology, but every attempt to actually educate myself about linguistics stops when I get to the first instance of "fricatives" or whatever it is. The mouth is crazy complex.
 
In any case, how similar are they? I'm not an expert, but I rather feel the almost complete lack of comparisons has distorted our perspective (Hungarians and Finns like to refer to their languages as "very close" when they're actually about as close as English and Persian). They're probably more differant than German and Dutch, for instance.
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/cornish.htm said:
History

Cornish started to diverge from Welsh towards the end of the 7th century AD and the earliest known examples of written Cornish date from the end of the 9th century AD. These were in the form of glosses scribbled in the margins of a Latin text - Smaragdus' Commentary on Donatus. They were originally thought to be in Old Breton, but Prof. J. Loth showed in 1907 that they were in fact Old Cornish. Old Breton and Old Cornish were very similar and are easily confused.
Old Cornish was used from about 800-1250 AD and traces of it also survive in some place names in eastern Cornwall. The Cornish used between 1250 and 1550 is known as Middle or Medieval Cornish and quite a lot of literature from this period still survives, including religious plays, poems and sermons. Literature in Late or Modern Cornish, the type of Cornish used between 1550 and the end of the 19th century, includes folk tales, poems, songs, and translations from the Bible. At the end of the 19th century Cornish disappeared from everyday use and the last native speaker was probably John Davey of Zennor who died in 1891.

Compare Romance languages which split a bit earlier - not usually mutually intelligible, but very obviously and visibly related. Knowing French, I can read Spanish or Italian (sort of; in a field I know - not e.g. books or newspapers).
 
Compare Romance languages which split a bit earlier - not usually mutually intelligible, but very obviously and visibly related. Knowing French, I can read Spanish or Italian (sort of; in a field I know - not e.g. books or newspapers).

Indeed, thanks for the source. And of course there is no Romance superstate and there has never been a movement to create one, sooo....
 

MrP

Banned
Terribly good sport he is indeed, wot? :)

Languages have always been an amateurish fascination for me. I like the sounds of them, the way they interelate, and etymology, but every attempt to actually educate myself about linguistics stops when I get to the first instance of "fricatives" or whatever it is. The mouth is crazy complex.

Flipping fricatives don't frighten fellows such as I, friend. ;) Cantonese is winding me up, though. I foolishly tried to learn it with just a book. This experience has underlined the importance of hearing a tongue when trying to learn it; I'll be ordering the accompanying CDs tomorrow. Razzle-frazzle-tonal-languages-Rick-Rastardly.
 
In any case, how similar are they? I'm not an expert, but I rather feel the almost complete lack of comparisons has distorted our perspective (Hungarians and Finns like to refer to their languages as "very close" when they're actually about as close as English and Persian). They're probably more differant than German and Dutch, for instance.

This question interested me so from the Armenian Genocide:
Cornish belongs to Brythonic languages, a branch of Celtic languages. Brythonic also includes Welsh, Breton, the extinct Cumbric and perhaps the hypothetical Ivernic. The languages Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Manx are part of the separate Goidelic group. Cornish shares about 80% basic vocabulary with Breton, 75% with Welsh, 35% with Irish, and 35% with Scottish Gaelic[citation needed]. By comparison, Welsh shares about 70% with Breton[citation needed].
So sounds pretty damn close
 

Thande

Donor
I once saw a documentary that claimed (modern) Welsh and Breton fisherman can talk their own languages over the radio to each other and be nearly mutually comprehensible.
 
Flipping fricatives don't frighten fellows such as I, friend. ;) Cantonese is winding me up, though. I foolishly tried to learn it with just a book. This experience has underlined the importance of hearing a tongue when trying to learn it; I'll be ordering the accompanying CDs tomorrow. Razzle-frazzle-tonal-languages-Rick-Rastardly.

Yeah, a teacher is best, and a voice is indispensible. We had a very good Mandarin teacher at my school but he's returned to the Middle Kingdom and we're getting a new one after summer.

I think I've just about got my head around the tones. What really give me the shivers is the writing. It's taken me about a year to learn how to write my name, which is the sum total of my knowledge...

I once saw a documentary that claimed (modern) Welsh and Breton fisherman can talk their own languages over the radio to each other and be nearly mutually comprehensible.

Hmm. Closer than I thought, then.
 

MrP

Banned
Yeah, a teacher is best, and a voice is indispensible. We had a very good Mandarin teacher at my school but he's returned to the Middle Kingdom and we're getting a new one after summer.

I think I've just about got my head around the tones. What really give me the shivers is the writing. It's taken me about a year to learn how to write my name, which is the sum total of my knowledge...

I am not even going to try learning how to reproduce the language in written form. The numerals seem simple enough, but all I want (and need) to do is to understand enough of the blessed speech to exchange pleasantries and give a very short speech!
 
I think that if Wales became an autonomous region, it would take Cornwall with it. The language is very similar.
Ohh that would be marvellous.

An independent Scotland, Wales and Cornwall. It would save me a fortune in tax not having to pay to support the buggers. ;)
 
Ireland, Scotland, and Wales could almost form a sizeable country together..."the Gaelic Union"? "the Celtic Federation"?

Since everyone else seems to be doing it I may as well join in. Now to come up with a suitable picture...

fail_20at_20failing.jpg
 
I once saw a documentary that claimed (modern) Welsh and Breton fisherman can talk their own languages over the radio to each other and be nearly mutually comprehensible.

You sure you haven't missed an in out there somewhere Alice?
 
Indeed, thanks for the source. And of course there is no Romance superstate and there has never been a movement to create one, sooo....

Well their was the idea kicked around about creating a United States of Latin Africa, that would sort-a-kind-a qualify since the idea was to unite countries based on the fact they all spoke Romance languages.
 
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