MA, Postgraduate Student
Room B602, Unioninkatu 40
P.O. Box 24, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
E-mail: zsuzsanna.renko-michelsen(at)helsinki.fi
My PhD research studies the Cornish language revival from different perspectives and focuses on the intergenerational transmission of Revived Cornish. Cornish belongs to the Brythonic group of Celtic languages and is spoken mainly in Cornwall, UK. It died out completely in every domain of its usage during the 18th century. The 20th century witnessed the revival of the Cornish language. One of the main aims of my PhD research is to find out about the prevalent family language policy that guides the usage of Cornish in Cornish-English bilingual families. Data for the research have been gathered through 62 structured and semi-structured interviews with parents, grandparents, their children, language activists, teachers and linguists involved in the revival movement.
More generally, my research interests include endangered languages, standardisation of minority languages, language revival and revitalisation, heritage language teaching and family language policy.