Emmet (Cornish)

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Emmet (alt. spellings emmit or emit) is a word for the Cornish dialect of English that is used to refer to tourists or holiday makers coming to Cornwall. [1] There is debate over whether the term is pejorative or not.[2] It originally referred to tourists who visit Cornwall but has also been used by native Cornish folk to refer to "incomers" or residents who have moved to the county but were not born there.

Etymology[]

It is commonly thought to be derived from the Cornish-language word for ant, being an analogy to the way in which both tourists and ants are often red in colour and appear to mill around. However the use of 'emmet' to mean ants is actually from the Cornish dialect of English and is derived from the Old English word æmete from which the modern English word ant, is also derived (compare Modern German Ameise [ant]). The Cornish word for ant is actually moryon (pl. moryonen) [3][4][5]

Porthemmet Beach hoax[]

In August 2007, Truro-born Jonty Haywood began promoting the fictional Porthemmet (Port of Emmet) beach in North Cornwall with fake road signs and a hoax website, confusing tourists and amusing locals.[6][7][8] In July 2008, Haywood placed a further set of signs.[9]

2021 Graffiti[]

In August 2021 a number of incidents were reported in which the word 'emmet' was used pejoratively in graffiti across Cornwall.[10] At Pedn Vounder beach the phrase 'Emmets go home' was spray painted on to rocks whilst 'Die emmets' appeared on the welcome sign to the town of Hayle.[11]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Collins dictionary definition of "emmet"". Collins Online. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. ^ "True meaning of the word 'emmet' and why Cornish people use it to describe tourists". CornwallLive. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. ^ An English-Cornish And Cornish-English Dictionary - R. Morton Nance (1955)
  4. ^ Gerlyvrik/Mini-Dictionary - Kesva An Taves Kernewek (2005)
  5. ^ K. C. Phillipps (1993). A Glossary of the Cornish Dialect. pp. 29, 42. ISBN 0-907018-91-2.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Britain's "only topless beach" doesn't exist". The Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2011.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ Milmo, Cahal (2007-09-27). "Wish you were here? Website lures tourists to imaginary beach". London: The Independent. Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  8. ^ de Bruxelles, Simon (2007-09-27). "Beach hoax sends tourists on a road to nowhere". The Times. London. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  9. ^ "Tourist trap: A sign of the times..." Cornish Guardian. Archived from the original on 2009-01-12. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
  10. ^ Beamish, Sam (2021-08-12). "Racist hate graffiti at Cornish beauty spot investigated by police". CornwallLive. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  11. ^ Church, Edward (2021-08-18). "Visitor feels unwelcome after seeing nasty 'anti-emmet' graffiti". CornwallLive. Retrieved 2021-08-19.


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