Language news: what is happening to the languages people actually speak, from policy and schools to revival and technology. Filed each morning at 7am London time.https://richard-brooks.com/en-gbhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-10/#guyana-moves-to-put-lokono-into-the-primary-curriculumrecVDUxwZn4uxFJGeAmerindian Affairs is working with Education on Lokono, named as the country’s most at-risk Indigenous language. Early stage, not a finished plan. (DPI Guyana: https://dpi.gov.gy/amerindian-affairs-ministry-targets-classroom-curriculum-to-help-preserve-lokono-language/)Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTEducationhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-10/#gwynedd-approves-20-homes-in-chwilog-despite-welsh-language-reckWXvR8jvqLTujOGwynedd planning committee voted 10-5 for the scheme in an 80% Welsh-speaking village after a 160-name petition warned of linguistic harm. (Nation.Cymru: https://nation.cymru/news/housing-estate-approved-despite-concern-over-linguistic-harm-to-welsh-language/)Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTPolicyhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-09/#dutch-primary-schools-must-make-space-for-pupils-home-languarecMJK7XmlASHXcFUNew national kerndoelen for Dutch require room for Turkish, Arabic, Polish and regional varieties such as Frisian and Twents. Schools have until 2031. (NOS: https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2629686-sinds-dit-schooljaar-is-uitsluitend-nederlands-praten-op-scholen-voorbij)Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTEducationhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-09/#grand-bard-awards-first-sung-eucharist-entirely-in-cornishrecw5UiP4F5IB3EC2Gorsedh Kernow gave the Grand Bard’s Award to Oferen an Dasserghyans, premiered at Truro Cathedral in June. A first liturgical setting in the revived language. (Christian Today: https://www.christiantoday.com/news/first-cornish-musical-setting-of-the-eucharist-receives-cultural-award)Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTCulturehttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-08/#mexico-s-supreme-court-makes-indigenous-interpreters-non-waireceJp0Dnvf8O1EyJSCJN Pleno ruled unanimously that indigenous people have a right to an interpreter from first contact with criminal-justice authorities, including as witnesses. Maya amparo. Ruling to be translated into Maya. (La Jornada Maya: https://www.lajornadamaya.mx/nacional/267833/obligatorio-que-indigenas-tengan-interpretes-desde-el-primer-contacto-con-la-autoridad-scjn-suprema-corte-de-justicia-de-la-nacion)Tue, 08 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTPolicyhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-08/#spain-seeks-catalan-basque-and-galician-as-official-eu-langurecpZrVBYCvrZZGpMSpain asked the Irish EU presidency to put the three languages back on the 22 September General Affairs Council agenda, tying timing to enlargement. About 20 million speakers. Unanimity still required. (EU Today: https://eutoday.net/spain-catalan-language-demand-eu-enlargement-timetable/)Tue, 08 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTPolicyhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-05/#commons-defeats-ban-on-foreign-language-election-leafletsrec6XgvwUTHyQpXhMMPs voted 410-105 against a Conservative amendment to ban election materials in foreign languages. Reform’s stricter rewrite was not called. The elections bill cleared the Commons. (Byline Times: https://bylinetimes.com/2026/09/03/conservative-and-reform-bid-to-ban-foreign-language-election-leaflets-defeated/)Sat, 05 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTPolicyhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-05/#tamil-nadu-urges-tamil-as-principal-language-of-madras-high-rec8u7Hv6Q1KXEPUbAssembly resolution cites real-time AI Tamil-to-English speech translation. A 2006 bid failed after the Supreme Court Full Court said no in 2012. Still needs Centre action under Art. 348(2). (The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-assembly-unanimously-adopts-resolution-urging-centre-to-make-tamil-principal-language-of-madras-high-court/article71422953.ece)Sat, 05 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTPolicyhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-04/#german-voice-actors-take-netflix-ai-training-clause-to-carterecVZT92yrvuB4eh0Verband Deutscher Sprecher:innen filed a Bundeskartellamt complaint, with a parallel Berlin GDPR complaint, over a rights deal that makes AI voice-training consent a condition of work. (VDS: https://www.sprecherverband.de/aktuelles/netflix-ki-training-vds-forciert-pruefung-durch-bundeskartellamt-und-datenschutzaufsicht/)Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-04/#us-sanctions-pull-toefl-gre-and-duolingo-english-tests-in-irrecwc1aaMGlgtbBmAAfter OFAC suspended education licences, ETS paused TOEFL and GRE sittings in Iran and Duolingo blocked its English Test for Iranian IDs from 1 September. (Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/1/duolingo-d-day-iranians-question-latest-us-sanctions-targeting-education)Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTPolicyhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-02/#siraya-returns-to-taiwanese-classrooms-after-a-century-writtrecPXpVwO24eRkI7lTaught in 26 schools, with children teaching parents. Activists prefer dormant to extinct. The revival helped recognition as Taiwan’s 17th Indigenous people. (Mongabay: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/siraya-language-deemed-extinct-over-a-century-ago-finds-its-voice-again-in-taiwan/)Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTRevivalhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-02/#winnipeg-police-put-live-ai-translation-on-axon-bodycamsrecqyBd1VKh4FIPADAxon speech-to-speech covers 50-plus languages. Indigenous languages are not in the pack. Winnipeg asked. The vendor said they were the first. (CityNews Winnipeg: https://winnipeg.citynews.ca/2026/08/26/winnipeg-police-to-use-ai-translation-feature-on-their-body-worn-cameras/)Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTTechhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-01/#meghalaya-makes-khasi-and-garo-full-official-languagesrecHoeYXkdkFOuhXJThe Official Languages Bill elevates Khasi and Garo from associate status since 2005 to full official status alongside English. The April ordinance is now an Act. (The Shillong Times: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/08/29/house-adjourns-sine-die-after-passage-of-key-bills/)Tue, 01 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTPolicyhttps://richard-brooks.com/language-news/2026-09-01/#syria-puts-kurdish-on-the-national-curriculum-in-kurdish-arereclaIh5bi14wZaGpEducation Ministry Decision 493 makes Kurdish a graded subject, three lessons a week, in Kurdish-majority schools, and ends about 15 years of Kurdish-medium instruction in Rojava after a one-year transition. (Hawar News: https://hawarnews.com/en/syrian-education-ministry-approves-kurdish-in-schools)Tue, 01 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMTEducation