Background
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A brief overview of the history and background of Ezhenesal
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 15 May 2017, 14:57.
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1. Background
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Ezhenesal is a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic conlang bearing strong resemblance to Cornish, Breton and, more distantly, Welsh.As with Cornish, Breton and Welsh, Ezhenesal is descended directly from the Common Brittonic language. Like Cornish, it was pushed westwards with the spread of English and fell into decline, particularly after the Act of Uniformity 1549. It shared close ties with both Cornish and Breton and, despite its geographic isolation, continued to be influenced by Cornish until the 17th century, when Cornish had declined largely westward.
Most of the community spoke only Ezhenesal until the spread of English in the 15th century, when they adopted English as a second language but continued using Ezhenesal in the home and the church. Numerous Ezhenesal revisions of the Bible were made until the Act of Uniformity 1549, when English became the language of church services and the Bible. The King James Bible was used from the early 17th century, but people continued to speak Ezhenesal at home. Schools began teaching only in English around this time. By the early 19th century, Ezhenesal had fallen into decline due to disuse, with only 10% of people speaking it fluently and 50% with moderate comprehension.
During the 19th century, old copies of the Ezhenesal Bible that had been preserved were revised and published by the church, as well as selected texts. This sparked a renewed interest in Ezhenesal and new texts began to be published. By the start of the 20th century, children were taught Ezhenesal in school, with some lessons being taught entirely in Ezhenesal. Selected church services were held in Ezhenesal beginning in 1946. By the end of the 20th century, children were raised bilingually within the home, which some parents showing a preference for Ezhenesal due to little need to speak English in such an insular community.
Ezhenesal speakers desire linguistic purism in their language. They reject loanwords from English, though will borrow from Cornish if necessary, and prefer to develop their own words for modern inventions or concepts, sometimes translating the English word literally. ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
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