Well A couple of people have asked some questions about Cornish over the last few days, paticularly about the different dialects that are used today and so I hope that I can answer a few of those questions. Today there are three dialects but ten years ago there was only one (I think). The original dialect and the one that we see refrences to on this mailing list including its texts is Unified Cornish which is based on middle cornish of the 16th century. Now many people felt unified cornish was inacurate, Tim Saunders (who studied Celtic studies here at Aber) criticised it in 1972 mainly because of the inconsistencies between written cornish and its prenounciation often finding it differed from original texts. In 1986 Dr Ken George the education officer of Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek (the spelling of this body has now changed slightly to the spelling above) has led the movement towards the dialect of "Kernewek Kemmyn": the revised form of unified. Kemmyn (or phonemic) is more accurate and the pronounciation is now phonetic (i.e. each letter has a paticular sound and is pronounced the way it looks). Now to add to the confussion up pops Mr. Richard Gendall who stated that Cornish should be spoken from where it was left and so he has been pressing for 18th century cornish (Traditioal). Well personaly I dont know much about this dialect (perhaps that says it all). Actually if you want to be accurate there are four dialects (now no sighing with dispair), and this is the Rod Lyon dialect (well ok I am being a little unfair). I have his book here infront of me and it is called: Everyday Cornish and is printed by Dyllansow Truran. It includes some of the ideas put forward by Ken George but genrally is still prety unified (from what I have read of it), it was lucky I spotted it in one of the bookshops in Pennsans (Penzance) as it is a little on the small side. Well ok time to be honest, I am a follower of the Kemmyn (phonemic/new) or what ever you want to call it camp and so I am a little biased but I do have to say the other dialects dont stand a chance. The Cornish Language board backs it, Cornish by post backs it (everyone backs it... well ok not everyone but close enough). Kemmyn's biggest problem has been reaching the shelves as all language books in the bookshops are of unified, but the Grammer for Kemmyn has just come out ( its #17 I think) and the dictionary was supposed to of come out last week. At the Cornish Language weekend over easter Ken gave a lecture on his new dictionary which I am sure was riveting, but the problem was that he gave it all in Cornish and I had been drinking till the early morning hours so I had a little bit of trouble following him.... ok I will be honest, I fell a sleep in the middle of his lecture.... well dont laugh it was pretty embarresing. Well we made the local TV (westcountry) which did a short news piece on us and we spouted a few cornish phrases over the old TV waves and even got a little nationalism in to boot, overall it was a good 5 days. I advise that if you decide to come, perhaps next year, that you be prepared for Paul Dunbar's curry as last weekend he couldnt find any dried chillies so he used fresh ones... ... thats right it was literaly on fire but luckuly we were all so drunk that we hardly noticed. OK here is a little bit more news... at Aberystwyth University of Wales we have just established An Gowethas Gernewek (The Cornish Society) and have over 50 meembers in only one month. But here is the bad news, no more Cornish in the Celtic department. The Cornish lecturer has left and hasent been replaced and this is really bad for the language movement .... well I am going to try to put pressure on them to find a cornish lecturer but I dont think there is much chanc e. Wow this is a long letter well there goes my essay ( dont worry it is already late). OK here are some names and addresses of Cornish speakers (Ihave lots more but I will have to dig them out). Graham Sandercock (a fairly big guy in the movement, and I dont meen in height) Trewynn, Lodge Hill, Lyskerrys(Liskeard), Kernow(Cornwall). Jane Ninnis (Skrifennyades an Gowethas) An Folji, 2 Railway Terrace, Grampound road, Truru (Truro), Kernow (Cornwall). Paul "ghast" Dunbar (curry maker, winegrower, madman, terrorist aspiring to, and editor of KERNOW) Gwinlann Lyskerrys, Lodge Hill, Lyskerrys (Liskeard), Kernow (dont even mention the word Cornwall around Paul he'd shoot you). An Gannas (monthly newspaper in cornish produced by the fellowship) Gwerthow/Eseleth (membership guy) Colin Ellis (if your going to fence me boy at least have the common decency to do it in Cornish) Ashley House, Grampound Road, Truro. Why does everybody live at Grampound road or Lodge Hill (another unsolved mystry To jion Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek it is #6 (#3 for students) and you will get An Gannas as part of that membership. Kernow (Cornish nationalist magazine and language magaazine done by Pauly) M.Miller (what.. I dont where any sissy underwear beneath my St. Pyrans cilt) Trewartha Court, Pound street, Liskeard, Kernow. Well that will do for now as I am nackered .. Drok yw genef ... skwith ov vy.. Dew genes ha nos dha oll, Tim Kent. P.S. this will be my last letter for a week or so as I am returning home to Pennsans so I can revise for my exams Agas Gweles, Tim Kent (Dornkyjer Kernewek hep mar) A wrussta konvedhes henna? (I hope not!!)