Dolly Pentreath
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Dolly Pentreath (died December 1777) is considered by many to be the last native speaker of the Cornish language (that is, the last person who spoke only or predominantly Cornish). Her death essentially marked the death of Cornish as a community language.
Pentreath lived in the parish of Paul, next to Mousehole, where she was also buried; a monument in her honour was established in the churchyard wall in 1860 by Louis Lucien Bonaparte, a descendant of Napoleon.
As with many other "last native speakers", there is a matter of controversy over her status. The Cornish language continued to have some usage, by one or two learners, and persisted in the local dialect. Currently some young children speak neo-Cornish(es) as native speakers.
External links
- A short account of Dolly Pentreath (http://www.mlaity.freeserve.co.uk/page2.html)
- Information on the memorial by her grave, with pictures (http://www.geocities.com/teammanley/Cornwall/DollyGrave.htm)