Cornwall shoppers were left scratching their heads when a local Tesco put up Welsh-language signs—200 miles from the nearest Welsh border! This unexpected mix-up happened at Tesco’s Helston branch, where customers were directed to “psygod” for fish and “tatws melys” for sweet potatoes. Locals found it confusing as the Cornish terms are “psysk” and “aval dor melys.”
But, all’s well that ends well. Tesco has apologised and promised to replace the signs. Local councillors found the blunder amusing and pointed out the increasing presence of Cornish, or Kernewek, on public signs elsewhere. Loveday Jenkin, a county councillor, noted, “If you weren’t a Cornish speaker, you might get mixed up with Cornish and Welsh.”
Dr Garry Tregidga from the University of Exeter’s Institute for Cornish Studies thinks it’s fantastic people noticed the mistake, showing more are aware of the Cornish language. He even offered Tesco some help in getting the new signs right!
This little hiccup comes at a time when Cornish is enjoying a boost in status and protection, now recognised under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Cornwall Council is celebrating, with bilingual signs and the use of Kernewek becoming more commonplace.
The takeaway? If you’re heading to Cornwall, brush up on your Kernewek—it might come in handy on your next grocery run! Tesco’s mishap might just be a fun reminder of the rich tapestry of languages in the UK.