Learn Guernesiais and keep it alive
GUERNSEY’S own language needs your help and support. There are probably only a few hundred fluent speakers left, the vast majority of whom are aged over 65. We are very lucky to have our very own language which is now, along with English and standard French, one of three official languages in the island. I arrived in Guernsey in 2005 and as a French speaker wanted to find out all I could about this Norman language. Luckily for me, I discovered a weekly course with Hazel Tomlinson on BBC Radio Guernsey. I then went on to attend evening classes with Hazel’s husband, Professor Harry Tomlinson, joined the Assembllaie d’Guernesiais, where I had the pleasure of meeting many more fluent speakers and then did some more courses with Jan Marquis before entering the Eisteddfod and eventually winning a few times...
I’ve noticed interest amongst islanders increasing with many people adopting Guernesiais house names, businesses including some signage in the language and passages even used in some weddings and funerals. The number of native speakers is sadly declining. Each year the AGM of the Assembllaie d’Guernesiais (Assembly of Guernsey People) begins with a silence in tribute to the members who have passed away in the past 12 months. This time I was particularly sad to hear of the loss of our former president, Fred Gallienne. A former grower, who in addition to writing some wonderful books, was a legendary tour guide at Castle Cornet. He always included some words and phrases in Guernsey French which was especially of interest to French visitors.
It’s not too late to save Guernesiais and at least learn a few words or phrases. A greater challenge is to train new fluent speakers. There is a buzz around the language. Learning materials are available such as Warro, Mes Prumieres Paroles, a translations of the Gruffalo in the language and other books. Aaron Yeandle’s excellent Voice-Vouaie exhibition which was at the museum last year with 105 photographs of Guernsey French speakers and interviews by Jan Marquis is now I understand set to go on tour, including to France.
Island Language LBG has been formed by Advocate Chris Dye as a non-profit group to promote the learning of the language and plan to create a learning app amongst other projects. Guernsey French is not on the official curriculum but there are some after-school or lunchtime classes taught by dedicated but unpaid volunteers.
There’s a weekly Guernsey French bulletin on BBC Radio Guernsey at 8.50am on Saturday with Cynthia Le Normand, Donkey Dialogue with Jan each Thursday in this newspaper along with a column in Le Rocher (also distributed in Jersey and parts of Normandy) and phrases in The Townie. You can also compete in the Eisteddfod in Guernsey French (Covid permitting) or take part in one of the events organised by the Assembllaie d’Guernesiais.
Last summer the States approved a policy letter by Education, Sport & Culture to provide £300,000 over three years to a reformed Guernsey Language Commission to ‘sustain and develop Guernesiais as a unique aspect of the island’s culture, heritage and identity.’ Everything seems to have gone quiet since then...
The commission was formed in 2013 originally launching on Liberation Day and originally had commissionaires but since then has been a shadow of a commission – a labour of love for Guernsey Museums’ Access and Learning manager Jo Dowding. She does a great job but proper funding could greatly expand the possibilities.
The governments of both our fellow Crown Dependencies, Jersey and the Isle of Man, generously support their languages. In December 2019 the States of Jersey approved more than £1.5m to teach Jerriais over the following four years.
Jerriais classes are held in schools from nursery to secondary level with students able to study for a TGJ (the equivalent of a GCSE) and in the case of Manx Gaelic, a language whose last native speaker died in 1974, the language has now been revived to the point that they offer pre-school classes, boast a primary school that teaches a full curriculum solely in Manx, and at secondary school level qualifications in Manx both in GCSE and at A-level standard.
If you’d like to learn a little of our island language or even make use of the free translations service, I recommend you log on to language.gg or e-mail janmarquis@suremail.gg. A la perchoine!
RICHARD HARDING
St Peter Port