Cornish language
English ( anglicised ) place-name Cornish place-name Translation
Truro Truru Three Roads
Falmouth Aberfala Mouth [ of ] Fal
Newquay Tewynblustri Dunes [ of ] Pleustri
Penzance Pennsans Head Holy i.e . Holy Headland
Redruth Resrudh Ford Red
Camborne Kammbronn Camm ( crooked ) Hill
St Austell Sen Ostel Saint Ostel
Bodmin Bosvena Abode [ of ] Monks
Liskeard Lyskerrys Court [ of the ] Crossroads
Launceston Lannstevan Land [ of ] St Stephen
Cornish (Standard Written Form: Kernewek or Kernowek) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family. It is a revived language that became extinct as a first language in Cornwall in the late 18th century. A revival began in the early 20th century. Some have expressed the opinion that the language is an important part of Cornish identity, culture and heritage. Cornish is currently recognised under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. It has a growing number of second language speakers. A few parents are inspired to create new first language speakers, by teaching their children the language from birth. Along with Welsh and Breton, Cornish is descended directly from the Common Brittonic language spoken throughout much of Great Britain before the English language came to dominate. It was the main language of Cornwall for centuries until it was pushed westwards by English, maintaining close links with its sister language Breton, with which it was mutually intelligible until well into the Middle Ages. Cornish continued to function as a common community language in parts of Cornwall until the mid 18th century. There is some evidence of knowledge of the language persisting into the 19th century, possibly almost overlapping the beginning of revival efforts. A process to revive the language was begun in the early 20th century, with a number of orthographical systems still in use, although an attempt was made to impose a Standard Written Form in 2008.