Culture Vannin has made a £3,000 grant to the Manx Language Research Group to aid with an ongoing project.

The group is part of the Manx Language Society, and is currently undergoing a project to transcribe and translate a significant volume of Manx language audio recordings.

This initiative looks to make valuable Manx language resources more accessible to aspiring speakers, learners and researchers.

The grant will fund the work of a Manx language specialist, who has been tasked with transcribing and translating recordings, primarily those of native Manx speakers, for inclusion on the Manx Corpus website.

These timestamped, fully searchable transcriptions will allow users to search for a word or phrase in either Manx or English and instantly hear a native speaker using it in context.

Dr Christopher Lewin, secretary of the Manx Language Research Group, said: ‘This generous grant from Culture Vannin allows our voluntary organisation to contract an experienced translator, to work on recently available recordings from the iMuseum’s British Library “Unlocking Our Sound Heritage” project, as well as other Manx language recordings, prioritising native speaker content.’

The Manx Corpus website is an online resource, which hosts a comprehensive collection of transcriptions, translations, and audio recordings.

A spokesperson from Culture Vannin said: ‘By making this material freely accessible, the Corpus supports speakers, learners, and researchers while also serving as an invaluable tool for educators and anyone interested in the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Isle of Man.

‘The ongoing development of the Manx Corpus website ensures that this rich repository continues to grow and evolve, reflecting the dynamic nature of the Manx language.’

While previous contributions to the Manx Corpus website have relied on voluntary efforts, this grant from Culture Vannin will accelerate the completion of the new initiative and its resulting resources.

Chris Williamson, vice-chair of Culture Vannin, commented: ‘This grant will primarily benefit speakers, students, teachers, and researchers of Manx.

‘The searchable English translations will also make this important archival material open to the wider public in and beyond the island who may be interested in the language from the point of view of social history, folklore, and family history.

‘Our grant giving work aims to support members of the cultural community in unlocking the full potential of their projects.

‘Even a small grant can make a significant difference when combined with the expertise and commitment of groups like the Manx Language Research Group.’

The first recording from the project to be made available through the Manx Corpus website was launched at the 2024 Cooish Manx language festival.

Attendees at the special event heard both the voices of the last native speaker Ned Maddrell reminiscing about life in Cregneash, as well as a 17-year-old Brian Stowell, a key figure in the language revival for many decades until his death in 2019.

The original recording was made in the early 1950s by Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh.

More information on the Manx Corpus website can be found by visiting https://corpus.gaelg.im/