Some surnames formed from within the Cornish-speaking community and ending in -ow had a tendency for this suffix to shift from a written -ow to -a. For example, Higow was found also as Hicka, Mathow as Matta and Clemo sometimes became Clyma. How far the pronunciation of this unstressed syllable changed is another matter. The … Continue reading Cornish cultural conservatism and surname formation
Tag: Cornish
Stuart loyalism, early language revivalists and islandness
Another three micro-summaries of reviews ... James Harris digs into expressions of loyalty in Restoration Cornwall and finds they were the result of a well-organised Tory propaganda campaign. In a second article James Harris compares seventeenth century attempts to revive the Cornish language with the situation in south-west Wales and identifies the lack of support … Continue reading Stuart loyalism, early language revivalists and islandness
Christmas day in the workhouse and a corn mill in Cardinham
Four month old George Cornish was one of the inmates of Bodmin workhouse in 1851. He was probably the illegitimate child of Mary Ann Cornish, also in the workhouse and described as a farm servant. George’s birthplace was given as St Columb, suggesting he had been born outside the workhouse but that Mary had had … Continue reading Christmas day in the workhouse and a corn mill in Cardinham
Boyton sunrise to Waterloo sunset
From Botusfleming on the lower reaches of the Tamar we travel up to Boyton on its upper reaches. Boyton was a border parish with the Tamar demarcating its eastern side. It’s six miles from the nearest town - Launceston - and by the 1850s was well into a process of rural depopulation. Its population, 551 … Continue reading Boyton sunrise to Waterloo sunset
Cornish and English in 16th century Cornwall
The surname Cornish was well established by the 1500s. Its presence outside Cornwall would be unsurprising, However, what requires more explanation is the considerable number of people in Cornwall itself with this name. Their presence in the 1500s implies its original meaning was not ‘someone from Cornwall’ as in Cornwall this would not be a … Continue reading Cornish and English in 16th century Cornwall
Why don’t the English speak Cornish?
Or at least a version of Brittonic Celtic, the language that was spoken, along with Latin, when the Romans left Britain in the early 400s. Within a relatively short time the whole of what became England, or at least its southern part, was speaking English. We know this because the number of Celtic placenames in … Continue reading Why don’t the English speak Cornish?
Has the Standard Written Form of Cornish failed?
For a lot of us the debate over the proper base for the revived Cornish language is about as relevant as medieval theologians arguing over the number of angels that can stand on the head of a pin. Nonetheless, the Cornish language, revived or not, is of considerable symbolic importance for Cornwall and its identity … Continue reading Has the Standard Written Form of Cornish failed?
Love it or hate it? Attitudes towards the revived Cornish language
A research article by Siarl Ferdinand published online last year provides some intriguing results of a survey into attitudes towards the revived Cornish language. The good news for the revivalists is that there was a broadly positive view of Cornish, with a majority of respondents declaring it was either ‘interesting’ or not being bothered either … Continue reading Love it or hate it? Attitudes towards the revived Cornish language
Two surnames; two questions
Fanfare in order. This is the first of my on-demand surname blogs, where I respond to requests for information on surnames in Cornwall that do not appear in my The Surnames of Cornwall or in any previous blog. If you’re interested in any such surname let me know and I’ll see what I can find … Continue reading Two surnames; two questions
From rarer Cornish surnames to surnames on demand
The origin of Whitehair would seem to be obvious – a nickname for someone with white or grey hair. Not so. According to the guru of English surnames, P.H.Reaney, this is a version of the original Whityer, an occupational name for a white leather dresser. His theory would appear to be backed up by the … Continue reading From rarer Cornish surnames to surnames on demand
Cornish studies resources 