Imagine shopping in Cornwall and being greeted by signs written in Welsh instead of Cornish—confusing, right? That's precisely what happened at a Tesco store located in Helston, approximately 200 miles away from Wales. Shoppers were directed to buy 'pysgod,' the Welsh term for fish, and 'tatws melys,' which means sweet potato in Welsh, rather than their Cornish counterparts.
Cllr Loveday Jenkin, an influential figure in Mebyon Kernow—a party advocating for increased self-governance in Cornwall—expressed her delight over the bilingual signage. However, she noted with a hint of disappointment that it would have been more thrilling had the signs featured Cornish instead of Welsh. During her visit to the store, she thanked the customer service team for their initiative but kindly requested the use of the appropriate Celtic language.
As a fluent speaker of Kernewek (Cornish), Loveday pointed out that while some words are similar, they can easily be confused by non-speakers. For instance, the Cornish word for fish is 'pysk,' and sweet potato translates to 'aval dor melys.' She hopes this oversight will not deter Tesco from supporting the local language, as other supermarkets have successfully incorporated Cornish into their signage. In fact, one can observe a growing presence of Cornish on public road signs and buildings around the region.
This incident comes at a significant moment for the Cornish language, known as Kernewek, which recently gained official recognition under Part III of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. This status not only enhances its protection but also elevates its cultural significance.
According to Cornwall Council, there are approximately 500 proficient speakers of Cornish and about 2,000 individuals who possess a basic understanding of the language. Gwenno Saunders, a Cornish/Welsh artist nominated for the Mercury Prize, has advocated for broader teaching of Cornish to children in the region to help safeguard the language and its cultural heritage.
Perran Moon, the Labour MP representing Camborne and Redruth, welcomed the language's newfound status, emphasizing that the recent mistake underscores the critical need for access to Cornish for those wishing to use it.
Garry Tregidga, co-director of the Institute for Cornish Studies at the University of Exeter, acknowledged the embarrassment faced by Tesco but saw the silver lining in their intention to promote Cornish. He expressed hope that new signs would soon be installed in the correct language. "The fact that this error was noticed indicates a growing awareness and usage of Cornish among the populace. Should Tesco require assistance in creating the new signs, many would be willing to lend a hand," he remarked.
The UK government now recognizes Cornish at the same level as Welsh and Gaelic, offering a unique opportunity to merge cultural, economic, and political aspects of Cornish identity—a step towards improving the region's future rather than allowing it to remain isolated and impoverished.
While Welsh is widely spoken across Wales, with the government's goal of having one million speakers by 2050, the Cornish language struggles to achieve similar levels of recognition and use. Ffred Ffransis, a notable advocate for the Welsh language, voiced support for initiatives aimed at promoting Cornish. He cautioned against limiting bilingual signage to just major signs, urging corporations like Tesco to ensure that everyday communications also reflect the use of Welsh.
Following the backlash, the Welsh signs at the Helston Tesco have been removed, and a spokesperson for the supermarket apologized for the mistake, confirming that they plan to replace the signs with ones in Cornish as soon as possible. This situation opens up a vital conversation about the importance of preserving regional languages and the responsibilities of businesses operating in those areas. What are your thoughts on this? Do you believe that companies should prioritize local languages in their signage? Share your views in the comments!
