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Archive news from across the online press (including BBC News) on language, accents and dialects.

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January 2005

Cornish language promise broken
Furious campaigners accuse ministers of reneging on a promise to promote Cornish language lessons in schools in an act of "blatant hypocrisy".
(Western Morning News, 18th January 2005)
 
Up for assault and pattery; court workers get accent guide
Highland court transcribers have been issued with a Glasgow patter dictionary to help them understand witnesses and suspects.
(Daily Record, 15th January 2005)
 
Connery's accent is UK favourite
Sean Connery's Scottish lilt is the nation's favourite accent, a survey of people for a BBC project suggests.
(BBC News, 17th January 2005 )
 
I say I say I say
Yes, yes, yes - there are many ways to repeat yourself. Some are more meaningful than others, says a clever linguist in the Netherlands.
(Guardian Unlimited, January 11th 2005)
 
The next Welsh speaker to arrive at the rail call centre is a Geordie
Welsh-speakers are needed to help out at a Welsh language call centre because inquiries are directed...to Newcastle.
(IC Wales, 11th January 2005)
 
Forked tongues
The limits of my language are the limits of my world, according to Wittgenstein. Now Chile is taking the philosopher at his word, with a nationwide attempt to turn its 15 million citizens into English speakers.
(Guardian Unlimited, 10th January 2005)
 
Club's 'bona' way to communicate
A secret gay slang coined in the 1950s when homosexuality was still illegal in the UK is enjoying a renaissance at a London nightclub.
(BBC News, 8th January 2005)
 
Fool the Grockles with that Somerset dialect!
A new initiative has been launched to collect and preserve old Somerset dialect words before it's too late.
(Western Daily Press, 6th January 2005)
 
Welsh to appear in all passports
The Welsh language will appear in all UK passports, the minister for the language Alun Pugh has announced.
(BBC News, 26th January 2005)
 
In defence of 'lost' languages
Of the 6,000-odd languages in the world, one is said to disappear every fortnight. Should the English-speaking world care?
(BBC News, 19th January 2005)
 
What's in a word? Often, a whole culture
What does it mean to speak another language?
(International Herald Tribune, 6th January 2005)
 
news archive

August 2005
Icelanders speak up for languages
East End Cockney accent 'fading'
Muslims 'want surmons in English'
More...

September 2005
Manx Gaelic revival 'impressive'
UK 'loves languages after all'
Tingo, nakkele and other wonders
More...

January 2006
Web to preserve Romani heritage
Mind your PMQs? It's eff this and eff that
The C word
More...

August 2006
Armageddon isn't upon us
Tongue-tied
Why are fewer students choosing to study foreign languages at GCSE?
More...

January 2005
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June 2005
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September 2005
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