The revival of interest in the Manx language has been an undoubted success, and during recent years a growing international awareness has led to an increasing number of individuals and delegations visiting the Isle of Man to discover the key to its success.
Our latest visitor was Deputy Darren Duquemin, a member of the States of Guernsey, Chairman of the Guernsey Language Commission and a member of the Island’s Culture and Leisure Department.
Deputy Duquemin commented, “The Guernsey Language Commission is in its infancy and my visit was an effort to learn from what is widely accepted in the minority language community as the Manx success story. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery and I can tell you that the Guernsey Language Commission is heading in the right direction from the outset.”
His visit to the Isle of Man included meeting with students, teachers and businessmen located at the forefront of the Manx Gaelic revival, where he was clearly impressed with the work undertaken over the past few years.
Deputy Duquemin continued, “I am very grateful to Adrian Cain from Culture Vannin for organising a timetable for my visit and to all of those people who I met, from politicians to teachers to adult learners and school children, who are all so clearly passionate about their Island’s own language. I saw for myself that Manx is a huge part of your Island’s culture and now, it is up to me and my team to use what I have learned on my trip to ensure that Guernesiais is a huge part of our Island’s culture too.”
Albeit a flying visit, Deputy Duquemin was able to experience a wide range of Manx language events, including conversational classes at Noa Bakehouse in Douglas, and a lunchtime class at Lloyds TSB; together with visits to the Mooinjer Veggey nursery in Ballasalla and Bunscoill Ghaelgagh in St John’s.
Manx Language Development Officer for Culture Vannin, Adrian Cain, remarked, “The visit demonstrated just how strong the revival has been here whilst it continues to reflect well on the Isle of Man that we are seen as a pioneer by many other small jurisdictions that have similar issues regarding minority languages.”
