Imagine walking into your local supermarket and being greeted by signs in a language that seems out of place. This was the baffling experience for shoppers at a Tesco store in Helston, Cornwall, which recently displayed bilingual signs featuring Welsh instead of Cornish, despite being nearly 200 miles away from Wales.
For instance, the sign directing customers to fish read "pysgod," which is Welsh, while sweet potato was labeled as "tatws melys"—again, not in the local Cornish language. Such choices might leave many locals scratching their heads.
Loveday Jenkin, a prominent figure in the Mebyon Kernow political party advocating for more self-governance in Cornwall, expressed her delight at Tesco's initiative to introduce bilingual signage. However, she pointed out that it would have been much more fitting had those signs been written in Cornish instead of Welsh. On a visit to the store, she took a moment to thank the customer service team for their efforts, simultaneously urging them to utilize the correct Celtic language in future signage.
As a fluent speaker of Kernewek (the Cornish language), Loveday noted that while there are some similarities between Cornish and Welsh, confusion could easily arise for those unfamiliar with either language. In Cornish, for example, fish is referred to as "pysk," and sweet potato translates to "aval dor melys." "There are indeed resemblances," she explained. "If you weren’t familiar with Cornish, it’s easy to mix the two up."
She remains hopeful that this oversight won’t discourage Tesco from continuing their trend of bilingual signs. Other retailers have successfully incorporated Cornish language signage in their stores, and it's becoming increasingly common to see Cornish present on road signs and public buildings throughout the region.
This incident comes at a crucial moment for the Cornish language. In January, it received official recognition under part III of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which enhances its protection and status. Cornwall's council estimates that approximately 500 individuals speak Cornish fluently, with around 2,000 having basic knowledge of the language. Gwenno Saunders, a Mercury Prize-nominated singer from Cornwall, has also voiced her support for teaching Cornish to children, emphasizing its importance for cultural preservation.
Perran Moon, a Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth, highlighted the significance of Cornish’s elevated status, stating, "We are excited to see retailers embracing bilingual signage. However, this incident underscores the need for accessible Cornish language resources for those who wish to engage with it."
Garry Tregidga, co-director of the Institute for Cornish Studies at the University of Exeter, acknowledged that while this mix-up is certainly embarrassing for Tesco, it reflects a growing awareness and recognition of Cornish among the community. "It’s encouraging that someone recognized the error. If Tesco needs assistance in creating new signs, many are willing to help."
He further remarked on the UK government's newfound acknowledgment of the Cornish language, placing it on par with Welsh and Gaelic. This recognition presents an opportunity to unify the cultural, economic, and political aspects of Cornish identity, steering communities toward a more prosperous future rather than allowing them to remain marginalized within the UK.
In contrast, Welsh (Cymraeg) is spoken by a significantly larger population in Wales. The Welsh government aims to have 1 million individuals speaking the language by the year 2050, illustrating a robust commitment to language preservation.
Ffred Ffransis, a dedicated campaigner for the Welsh language, has shown support for initiatives to promote Cornish. He emphasized the need for major companies like Tesco to not limit their use of Welsh to select signs, but rather to incorporate bilingual language across all customer-facing communications to reflect Welsh as a living, functional language.
In response to the backlash, Tesco quickly removed the Welsh signs from its Helston location. A spokesperson for the supermarket stated, "We apologize for this oversight and have taken these signs down." It has been revealed that new signs will be created in Cornish and reinstated as soon as possible, ensuring that the local culture is respected and celebrated.
