Linguistic Relativity and Linguistic Determinism: Idiom in 20th Century Cornish

It has been understood for decades that language and thought are closely

related. If one accepts that the thoughts that we construct are based upon

the language that we speak and the words that we use, then it follows that

the language that we speak influences the way that we think. It is necessary

that we possess the words to describe objects, processes and conditions, in

order that we are able to think about them. The world is percieved in different

ways by different cultures, and culture is, to some extent at least, shaped by

language.

During the course of the 20th century, the Cornish language has undergone a

revival. Though estimates understandably vary, the speakers of Cornish

today are usually thought to number several hundred. Cornish is currently

being used by its speakers in home life, socially outside the home, in the

work place, and for public ritual, ceremony and church services. In the world

of business, there are now shops that will sell to you in Cornish or sign, label

and brand their goods in Cornish. It is also being used in the arts and in the

media.

This emergence of a Cornish speech community has entailed the adaptation

of the Cornish language to the needs of the world in which its speakers live

today. Whilst revived Cornish is based on historical Cornish, it has, thus,

been necessary for the Cornish language to evolve. Many neologisms have

emerged. Although the English language has inevitably had some influence

in this process, 20th century Cornish retains its particular world view in the

way that its structures its vocabulary.