[lg policy] Cornwall (cont'd): Bilingual signs to be decided today

[Harold Schiffman]

Bilingual signs to be decided today

Wednesday, November 11, 2009,

STREET signs in Cornwall could be bilingual in future as a result of
plans put forward by Cornwall Council this week. A draft Cornish
language policy was set to be considered by the council's cabinet
today and puts forward ways to promote the Cornish language, including
making all street signs bilingual. While not going as far as in Wales,
where all road signs are bilingual, the policy would see residential
street signs and signs in council buildings in both Cornish and
English. Bilingual The document suggests the introduction of bilingual
signage in all council buildings and using Cornish in all council
publications and literature, including on the council's website  By
adopting a Cornish language policy, the council hopes it will cement
its role as lead partner in the Cornish Language Partnership.

The report puts forward three options to the council: having no use of
Cornish, going fully bilingual or having an inclusion of Cornish
"considered" for all council publications and signs. The
recommendation being put before cabinet is the third option. Bilingual
street signs are already used in the former district council areas of
Kerrier and Carrick for all new and replacement signs, with developers
encouraged to adopt Cornish language names when naming new
developments. The report states: "Cornwall has a strong and distinct
culture, the environment, particularly industrial, is recognised
through the World Heritage Site designation, similarly the maritime
and artistic inheritance is very strong.
"The language is an important marker of that distinctiveness and
interest in it has grown considerably recently." It states that while
language policies had been adopted by the former district and county
councils, they all differed.

Today

"This report seeks to establish a coherent and consistent approach for
Cornwall Council, which will fulfil the council's obligations under
the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and as lead
body for the Cornish Language Partnership to the benefit of Cornwall."
Cornwall Council's cabinet was due to make a decision on the policy
today.



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