Guernesiais at the crossroads again
How do you truly define something as priceless? Surely, considering Guernsey’s heritage, then the island’s language will fall into that category.
The States has set aside three years’ worth of funding at £100,000 a year to support the new Guernsey Language Commission, now to be headed by former Bailiff Sir Richard Collas, which will have the job of revitalising the island’s historic language. Such a small sum for such a big job.
The extent of the task facing Sir Richard and his fellow commissioners is certainly challenging.
In the 2001 census 1,327 said they could speak Guernesiais fluently and 1,871 said they could properly understand it. 70% of the speakers were old age pensioners. In 2020 the figures were revised down on an estimate to between 50 and 200, most aged over 80.
The former Bailiff's uncle played a significant part in preserving Guernesiais as a written language. Sir Richard said recently: ‘Guernsey has a rich and diverse cultural heritage of which islanders are proud, but there are very few islanders who appreciate the true depth and significance of what it is that we value and cherish.’
Complacent about Guernesiais? Taking our history for granted?
As the then Education Committee put it in the summer of 2020 when the States gave the language the kiss of life – ‘We have come to a crossroads on the language: we need to provide this limited additional funding to maintain and develop its use, or it will become extinct on our watch.
‘Realistically this is the last opportunity for the States to demonstrate its commitment to the survival of its island’s language. The outcome will be either to get behind the language and give the community a fighting chance of retaining it, or accept that it is going to become extinct very soon.’
The commission launches with four main objectives – to raise awareness, engagement and give Guernesiais a modern relevance, facilitate its teaching, record speakers, and raise money to support its work. The States says there are ‘rewards to be gained in preserving our unique identity’.
It may be just £100,000 a year, but pound-for-pound this will surely prove one of the toughest challenges facing the island today.