The BBC has launched a new podcast to help people learn Cornish, just months after the language was granted enhanced protected status. Presented by Radio 1 host Danni Diston, the weekly episodes aim to introduce basic phrases and will feature guests including Bafta-winning director Mark Jenkin.
Diston, who is from north Cornwall, said she initially knew only a few words of Cornish but hopes to learn alongside listeners. She will be joined by fluent speaker Sarah Buck, and credited her time as a student in Cardiff with revealing the ‘Celtic connection’ between Cornish and Welsh, pointing to terms like ‘hireth’ (similar to the Welsh ‘hiraeth’) that evoke a hard-to-translate emotion.
The podcast comes after Kernewek was awarded part III status under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, meaning the government must actively promote it in education and media. Currently, BBC Radio Cornwall produces weekly news bulletins in Cornish, and the new podcast is produced from its Truro studios.
Steph Marshall, head of the BBC’s West and South West region, said the broadcaster felt a need to make the language more prominent, adding that it is important to promote a sense of place and pride in Cornwall. She acknowledged there is a long way to go before there are enough Cornish speakers to justify a dedicated service like BBC Radio Cymru, but hopes the podcast is a start.
The series will also see Diston visit surfers and a primary school that is advancing the use of Cornish among pupils. Diston said speaking even a little Cornish – such as ‘dydh da’ (hello) or ‘meur ras’ (thank you) – brings people closer to the community.
