Re: BBC show "hotel inspectors"

Whiskers <catwheezel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Whiskers <catwheezel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[...]

There are, as you point out, two different lines running in Cornish at
the moment and both of them certainly *are* trying to prescribe how the
language works.

They're presenting alternative views about how to write and teach it.
Naturally, sometimes they get excited. People argue the same things about
English, too, but there's no 'Academy English' nor ever likely to be.

There's no big fight between two competing views on the basis of the
orthography, and that's what's going on in Cornish at the moment.

It's possible in Cornish, because there isn't a huge investment in a
back-catalogue of literature in a well-stablished orthography.

Umm. That's not what stops orthography changing. Dutch and German have
both, in recent times, modified their orthography and what stops the
changes is resistance from the population, not the fact that there's a
lot of existing stuff done the old way. German has had to go back on
the recently introduced changes because people just didn't go for them.

But there
/are/ arguments about reformig English spelling,

And have been for centuries. Nothing's been done. And I don't think
your proposal (above) to replace the common `ing' ending with `ig' is
going to get very far, for all that you might be able to argue the
ecological benefits of saving all that ink. ;-)

despite the inherent cost
of actually carrying out any reform.

I don't see that the cost is any sort of issue. Any change would have
to be slow, gradual - a minor cost when the new dictionaries are
produced, and then you'd want new textbooks and things, but I don't see
that anyone need to do anything special aside from that.

Just replace `old style' writing with `new style' when the old forms run
out or when you update your Website or whatever.

Of course, few users of English take
any part or even know about them,

Of course, since such discussions are silly when applied to English.
It's not going to get reformed. It'll just continue to evolve.

whereas users of Cornish are almost all
of them to some extent scholars of the language

Inevitable, but... A human language shouldn't be a scholarly
re-construction, it should be something that's evolves naturally in use.

- and far fewer in number.
So the discussion is relatively prominent.

Aye, and it's going on because Cornish is a reconstructed language
without much written history to it. Or so I think.

[...]

Cornwall is like Wales, expect that Wales has mountains and cornwall has
pies :)

Pies? Pies? Oh yes, there are pies alright :))

Wales has more rain and more sheep and more industry and richer land and
slate and more rain. Oh yes, and more rain.

Only because it's bigger, and a bit wetter.

Nah, the land's richer in Wales, just look at the farms. And Snowdonia
- the bit over the way from me - isn't just a *BIT* wetter.

Cornwall has excellent slate,
too.

Really? Coo. I don't recall ever seeing it. Yes, okay, so I'm
iggerent.

One thing Wales has more and better of than Cornwall, is trees. And
mountains.

I have to say that in North Wales at least, the farmland looks richer
than in Cornwall. And I recall seeing plenty of curlews when on holiday
in Wales in the 1970s (and earwigs). Odd looking creatures to have
around the place as a common bird, I used to think.

They have pies, of course. Fish too. Shame about the beer - never
really enjoyed any Welsh beer that I've tried; the temperance movement's
destruction of the Welsh brewing industry seems still to be affecting
things somehow.

Rowland.

I've never found Cornish beer to be worth going there for.

I've not often been to Cornwall with a drinking head on. The one time I
can clearly recall boozing in Cornwall, I was about 17 and got
horrendously drunk on everything that poured - /and got back to the tent
unaided, I'll have you know/. Well, when I say `clearly recall', I can
remember the `before' phase and the `morning after' phase but not the
actual `being pissed' phase.

(there was a long bus ride the morning after. Our little group hit the
top deck and they all had a great time as this huge omnibus rumbled and
growled and rocked and swayed down the narrow twisty Cornish country
roads. I stayed there until I went green - that's the colour they said
I'd gone. I trundled down the steps and had meant to ask the driver to
open the bus door, but he took one look at my green face and opened it
without being asked. I spent the rest of the trip sat on the steps into
the bus, clinging on to the pole, keeping my face in the breeze. I
remember that, oh god do I remember that.)

Apart from
Newquay Steam Beer (which could be extinct now for all I know).

I think it is, from doing the Web searching I've just done:

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/ukyorkie/163185529/>

<http://www.bottledbeer.co.uk/beer.asp?beerid=2>

'No longer brewed, alas. Redruth Brewery deleted the brand in 1996. The
best beer ever, it introduced me, ultimately, to the joys of Real Ale.
R.I.P!!!'

(there's a Web page out there that might say more, but it seems to be
unavailable at the moment, even the Google cached version)

Rowland.

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Relevant Pages

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  • Re: BBC show "hotel inspectors"
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