Social history project to record Guernesiais speakers
AT LEAST 100 Guernesiais speakers are to be recorded and photographed as part of a social history project to highlight the continued existence and planned growth of Guernsey’s native language.
The project named Vouaie –Voice is a partnership between Guernsey Museums, in association with language consultant Jan Marquis, and photographer Aaron Yeandle.
The project is about recording people who grew up with Guernesiais, using portrait photography and audio.
The portraits, taken in people’s own homes, provide a fascinating snapshot and social history record of the language and the people who grew up with it.
Together with audio recordings, taken by Mr Marquis, it is hoped that alongside new Guernesiais language classes an exhibition will be held in the future.
‘The project has been running for about a year now,’ said Mr Marquis.
‘Some of the photos have already been uploaded to Adam’s website but we have been going around to various speakers’ homes, all of whom have grown up with the language – they may have a small grasp or be fairly fluent – we take their photo and record a small snippet of them speaking the language.
‘We wanted to do something pictorial that would identify the language still around on Guernsey.’
As of August, about 60 people have taken part in the project so far with another 40 expected.
‘What has been quite surprising is that I have been recording speakers for years but a lot more speakers than we thought have come out of the woodwork.
‘I suspect some wanted their photo taken too but it has been really nice to see.
‘We have no idea how many speakers there are left on island but I would estimate around a few hundred but that number we hope to grow as more people begin to learn it.
‘We also have, hot off the press, the Guernesiaise-translated version of the Gruffalo now available to encourage children to read the language.’
The project originally had the working title of ‘Last Native Speakers’ but Jo Dowding, from Guernsey Museums, explains the name change: ‘There is a rumour that no one learns or speaks the language any more but this is simply not true; there are people who use it every day. Importantly, the project has the bilingual title of Voice – Vouaïe.
‘People can choose to say the English word, the Guernesiais word, or both.’
