A law on minority languages adopted for the first time under the Fifth Republic including Breton

On 8 April 2021, the French National Assembly has witnessed a small revolution with the adoption, against the government’s opinion, of a law aimed to protect and promote regional languages. This law was drafted and supported by Paul Molac, Member of the Parliament from the Regions and Peoples with Solidarity party from the constituency of Ploërmel, Brittany. This adoption undermines the French State’s Jacobinism.

Since the Deixonne Law [first French law authorising the teaching of French regional languages] in 1951, no law was ever adopted on the issue of so-called “regional” languages. The latter have been enshrined in the French Constitution, but in article 75-1 rather than 2, meaning they are not official languages of the Republic.

Let’s make things clear right away: this law will not “save the Breton language”, nor any other minority language. Saving a language is speaking it, first and foremost! We are also still far from equality between languages and cultures. However, in managing to get this law adopted after a first unsuccessful attempt in 2015, Paul Molac has rid activists and politicians from various worries.

The question of diacritical signs, for instance (the ñ in Fañch especially) should be solved once and for all. In addition, if a town does not offer bilingual teaching, an obligation for them to pay a forfait scolaire [fee paid by the town to support other schools that do offer this option] was just voted. This is an important financial security for Diwan (Breton), Ikastola (Basque) or Calendreta (Occitan) school networks. Even better, public education will now be able to go beyond hourly parity [between French and a regional language] and toward immersion. This is the part of the text that has triggered the most debates, since some Members of the Parliament believe immersion to be a threat to the “mastering of French”!

Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer has really shown bad faith during this debate, stressing he was “not against regional languages” but refusing to acknowledge and support the best pedagogical method to learn them. Can one say they are favorable to a language if one doesn’t wish for it to be alive? Let’s remember that Breton is not transmitted by families (or very little) and that without school (and long-term training for adults), it dies.

“Few understand the [French] government’s obsession for maintaining a hierarchy between languages”

This small victory is perhaps the expression of a more profound ideological shift in French society. Today, few understand the government’s obsession for maintaining a hierarchy between languages. The most evident discriminations toward minority languages are deemed unfair and the more the State mistreats these languages, the more support they gain within the population.

This debate has shown how fragile the French Republic is, in Jacobins’ minds. Should close to 70 million French speakers in France feel threatened by a network of schools like Diwan, counting around… 4,000 pupils?

Diwan, in Breton, means “seed”. Yet one knows how much language is a pilar of French identity. Sharing space with the French language, making other languages spoken in France co-official (we are far from it), would mean accepting the idea that the French are not the only ones living in France. Recognising there is a difference between citizenship and nationality. In other words, a certain idea of cultural diversity! It’s on its way…

 Gael Briand, UDB

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Crowdfunder: 'Brenda Yn Kernewek' Songbook & CDs with the songs of songs of Richard Gendall

Help to fund a songbook of Brenda's recordings performed in the Cornish language, + 33 songs on 2 CDs, multi-lingual lyrics & musical scores. At long last - a songbook of all the available recordings of 'Cornwall's First Lady of Song', Brenda Wootton, singing the Cornish language songs of Richard Gendall - 33 songs on 2 CDs, each with musical scores and 3 sets of lyrics, as well as an insightful study of the serendipitous partnership of Brenda and song-writer Richard. 

Nearly 50 years ago, Cornish singer Brenda Wootton was introduced to the Cornish language by Cornish Bard, Richard Gendall. This was exciting news to her, and she encouraged Richard to write more of his wonderful songs for her to sing – not that he needed much encouragement. She and Richard were both as eager to spread the word – Richard, knowing that he was not a natural performer, was delighted at last to have found someone who could do justice to his compositions, and spread them far and wide; Brenda was thrilled to have discovered a wellspring of material she could promote as being truly Cornish, to her fast-growing audience around the world. They needed each other, and for some 18 years, continued to enjoy the unique opportunities their musical partnership afforded them.

Despite her interest and enthusiasm, Brenda never did manage to become fluent in Kernewek, but pledged to sing at least one song in Cornish at every performance – which she did. They made one Cornish language album together, 'Crowdy Crawn' in 1973, but the natural outcome of their informal partnership should have been songbooks and CDs, and it never happened. From Richard and Brenda's correspondence, it seems that was one of Richard's dearest wishes - but the amount of work involved to achieve that proved too much.

Given the number of songs that Richard created for Brenda - over 460, about a third of which were in Cornish - it is not surprising that she was only ever actually able to learn and perform about a third of them. We are delighted to be able to offer two of the ‘unsung’ numbers on these CDs, performed by guest artists, Cornwall virtuoso Hilary Coleman with Neil Davey, and the multi-lingual Celtic performer, Gwenno.

The Need to Read!                                                              

The aim of the project is to make these songs more widely available to the Cornish, and indeed anyone else who is interested - music lovers, Celts of all nations, cultural and linguistic historians... There was a danger that those songs not already recorded on Brenda's albums might have sunk without trace, so it became my mission to save whatever recordings I could find of Brenda singing Richard's Cornish songs - and to present them with a songbook. The musical scores are printed with Richard's original Cornish words, alongside the newly-translated Standard Written Form of Cornish, and also in English, so enabling both accomplished Cornish speakers and learners to make use of the tunes.

There are 31 recordings of songs in Cornish performed by Brenda - some are taken from her LPs, but there are several that are unpublished: concert recordings, practice tapes etc. In addition, we have the 2 unused songs of Richard's recorded by our Guest Artists, Hilary Coleman and Neil Davey, and Gwenno, bringing the total to 33. There is an extensive introduction with biographical information about Brenda and Richard, with the focus on the reclusive Richard Gendall, about whom much less is known, and insights into his motivations. I have added a table in the Appendix with the complete list of Richard's Cornish songs of which I have some evidence - lyrics, music and/or recordings, if there should be further interest.

We estimate that the BYK project will cost in the region of £3000. It has already attracted grant offers from Mark Trevethan, Cornwall Language Lead at Cornwall Council, and from the Cornwall Heritage Trust, so a third of this cost has now been covered - and this Crowdfunding campaign hopes to raise the remaining £2000 - and more if possible! 

The Launch 

We plan to launch the songbook and CDs at a celebration at the Count House, Botallack, near St Just, hopefully sometime in July - date to be confirmed. The event will mark the unveiling of the Blue Plaque awarded to Brenda four years ago by BBC Radio Cornwall listeners, in honour of National Music Day - every local radio station was asked to submit their listeners' most popular choice, and Brenda was Cornwall's favourite. As it was not possible to mount the plaque on the walls of Radio Cornwall, it had not found a permanent home until now - and the location of Brenda's Piper's Folk Club at the Count House, from where her musical career was launched, is the perfect spot. The National Trust, owners of Botallack now, have given permission to also hold a concert of old friends and performers from the Club, probably outside. (Subscribers and Crowdfunder supporters will receive their copies and rewards as soon as possible after the launch - we'll keep you informed!)

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Irish language activist Albert Fry dies aged 80

 

Irish language activist and former Antrim GAA player Albert Fry has died aged 80.

The north Belfast man was well known for his love of the language and music of Ireland.

Friends say he passed away from natural causes in the Mater Hospital yesterday.

The son of a Birmingham born former British soldier, he was brought up in the North Queen Street area.

A former member of the Pearses GAA club in north Belfast, he was part of the Saffron County squad in the late 50s and early 60s.

He also turned out for Rann na Feirste in Donegal.

Chairman of Cumann Chluain Ard, Belfast, Dr Séamus Ó Donnghaile paid tribute to his late friend last night.

"In his professional life he was very successful structural engineer with offices in Belfast, Derry and his company worked around these islands and Asia," he said.

Dr Ó Donnghaile said Mr Fry was a "key figure in the Irish language family in the dark days" and was the first man from Ulster serve as president of Conradh na Gaeilge between 1979-81.

"He introduced generations of young people to an authentic form of the Irish language," he said.

"He was an influencer.

"He took young people under his wing and instilled in us the importance of education and the freedom that brings." Dr Ó Donnghaile said Mr Fry believed the Irish language was for everyone.

"He said the Irish language predates Christianity and the reformation and has no place in the immature political arguments we see today," he said.

Irish News Irish language editor, Robert McMillen said Mr Fry was an inspiration not only to himself but to generations of Irish speakers and learners in Belfast and beyond.

“He and others put in the hard graft of teaching people Irish - on a voluntary basis - while making learners of all ages and from all backgrounds, feel at home in Cumann Chluain Árd in Hawthorn Street in the city." He added that Mr Fry was a "talented singer" and had several music series on RTÉ television in the 1970s.

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Scottish National Party announce plans to explore creation of a Gàidhealtachd, a recognised Gaelic-speaking area

THE SNP has announced plans to secure the future of Gaelic by investing in education and exploring the creation of a recognised Gaelic-speaking area. 

The party said it will work to ensure Gaelic flourishes throughout Scotland as well as in its traditional heartlands if it is re-elected in May.

It also said it would "review the functions and structures" of Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG), the quango responsible for promoting the language. 

BnG has been the focus of criticism over its performance. 

The SNP said it would look into creating a recognised "Gàidhealtachd" to raise levels of language competence and encourage the provision of more services in Gaelic.

The Gaidhealtachd is the area of Scotland where people speak Gaelic and usually refers to the Highlands and islands. 

In Ireland, Irish-speaking areas have official recognition as Gaeltacht regions.

Some campaigners have called for consideration of Gaelic-speaking housing developments in Scotland, pointing to similar schemes in Ireland.

SNP Finance Secretary Kate Forbes previously told The Herald she would be supportive of this. 

Elsewhere, the SNP said it will encourage the creation of new stand-alone Gaelic medium primary and secondary schools across Scotland, backed by investment to increase the number of teachers who can teach in Gaelic. 

It comes amid warnings Gaelic is in crisis.

Alasdair Allan, the SNP's candidate for the Western Isles, said the party "fully recognises the massively important contribution the Gaelic tradition has and continues to make to Scotland’s rich culture". 

He said: "This commitment will be welcomed by both Gaelic and non-Gaelic speaking Scots alike and will be key to encouraging the use of Gaelic in our communities.

"We will put our money where our mouth is to encourage the creation of new Gaelic primary and secondary schools across the country with major investment to increase the number of teachers who can teach through Gaelic.

"We want to increase the range of subjects that can be taught in GME for both a broad general education and in the senior phase of secondary school. 

"That’s why we will explore the bursaries that are available to encourage conversion to Gaelic.

"The pandemic has highlighted the importance and value of e-Sgoil and Stòrlann in making Gaelic education resources available. 

"We will ensure they continue to be supported in order to help in school education, adult learning, teacher support and community learning.

"We believe there is value is creating a recognised ‘Gàidhealtachd’ to raise levels of language competence and the provision of more services through Gaelic.

"Supporting the creation of a Gàidhealtachd helps reinforce what is the position in some parts of the country already. A recognition of Gaelic as a primary language of a place.

"Through reviewing the functions and structures of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, we will explore how it can support the formal recognition of a Gàidhealtachd. 

"The review will also consider how the Scottish Government and BnG can work with other bodies that have functions in arts, tourism and heritage to explore what more they can do to help deliver faster rates of progress for Gaelic.

"In order to achieve these ambitions, we will ensure that Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s place as a centre of excellence for provision of Gaelic training is both recognised and supported, with dedicated funding to offer FE/HE courses through and for Gaelic.

"And in the next parliament we will also bring forward a new Scottish Languages Bill which takes further steps to support Gaelic, act on the Scots language and recognises that Scotland is a multilingual society.”

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Public Office for the Breton language "satisfactory financial situation"

The regional chamber of accounts has just released its report on the Public Office for the Breton language. The document states a "satisfactory financial situation" but makes some recommendations.
"This is the first time, since the creation of the Public Office of the Breton Language (OPLB) in 2010, that we have undergone a control by the regional chamber of accounts, but we thought that this would happen one day", underlines Philippe Jacques, director of the structure based in Carhaix. The control was carried out between January and June 2020 and covers the period between 2016 and 2020. “Two room inspectors worked full time in our offices for six months,” he explains. A pre-report was submitted to the office during the summer. "The 60-page final report was given to us at the end of the year." Before the report was made public on Monday morning, however, it had to be presented to the directors, which was done on Friday. Remember that the OPLB, which is part of the implementation of the language policy in favor of Breton defined by the Region, is funded by eight public partners who all sit on the board of directors (the State, two regions and five departments), in addition to the town of Carhaix, where the office is located, rue Félix-Faure.

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