SHOPPERS at a Tesco store in Cornwall were left bemused after spotting bilingual signage written in Welsh rather than Cornish.
In the Helston branch, customers noticed signs directing them to bwyd môr – Welsh for seafood – instead of the Cornish boos mor, and tatws melys for sweet potatoes, rather than aval dor melys.
Local councillor Loveday Jenkin said she welcomed the principle of bilingual signage in supermarkets, but stressed it should reflect Cornwall’s own language. “It should be Cornish, not Welsh,” she said.
Ms Jenkin added that the mistake could prompt renewed calls for major retailers to introduce Cornish-language signs. Tesco has since apologised for the error, describing it as a “mistake”, and confirmed the signage has been removed.
She said bilingual signs could play an important role in normalising Kernewek, the Cornish language, in everyday life, noting that Cornwall has a long tradition of bilingual signage which is generally well received.
“Cornish speakers can understand some Welsh because there are similarities between the languages,” she said. “But seeing Cornish used in public spaces helps raise awareness of the language, even among non-speakers.
“It’s really good to normalise the language around the place. I don’t believe Tesco produces bilingual Cornish signs yet.”
Ms Jenkin said that while the signage may have been intended to acknowledge bilingualism, it highlighted a missed opportunity for supermarkets to support the Cornish language directly.
Dr Garry Tregidga, co-director of the University of Exeter’s Institute for Cornish Studies, said the error was “embarrassing” for Tesco, but added it was encouraging that bilingual signs had been considered at all.
“It’s great if there was an intention to have signs in Cornish,” he said. “What’s also positive is that this mistake was spotted. That shows the growing number of people who use and recognise Cornish.
“If anyone at Tesco needs help producing new signs, there are plenty of people who would be glad to assist.”
Last month, the Cornish language was granted additional protection under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, giving it the same status as other recognised Celtic languages across the British Isles, including Welsh.
Like Welsh, Kernewek is a Brythonic Celtic language and is closely related to Breton. There are an estimated 400 to 500 fluent or advanced speakers, with between 2,500 and 5,000 people having a basic knowledge of the language.
The Cornish people are recognised as a national minority under the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, placing them on the same footing as the Welsh, Irish and Scots within the UK.
According to the 2021 census, more than 100,000 people described their main national identity, ethnicity or primary language as Cornish.
