The Standard Written Form or SWF (Cornish: Furv Skrifys Savonek) of the Cornish language is an orthography standard that is designed to "provide public bodies and the educational system with a universally acceptable, inclusive, and neutral orthography". The acronym SWF is pronounced by some as /ˈswʌf/ and at the 2009 MAGA meeting in Lostwithiel, Jenefer Lowe mentioned a new verb swufhe 'to render into the SWF' had attained some currency.
The new form was agreed in May 2008 after two years of negotiations between proponents of different varieties of Cornish. The SWF was influenced by Unified Cornish, Kernewek Kemmyn, Unified Cornish Revised, Revived Late Cornish, Kernewek Dasunys, and Kernowek Standard. The agreement means that Cornish will become officially accepted and funded, with support from the UK government and the European Union. In a need for stability, the Standard Written Form will not be altered until 2013.
The negotiating teams comprised Andrew Climo, Rod Lyon, Bernard Deacon, Mina Dresser, Pol Hodge, Loveday Jenkin, George Ansell and Polin Prys. The negotiations were chaired by Trond Trosterud, and supported by Albert Bock, Ben Bruch and Jenefer Lowe.
In June 2009, the Gorseth Kernow voted overwhelmingly to adopt the Standard Written Form.
In 2013 the SWF will be reviewed so that people who have been using the new orthography can identify any problems or issues, and implement solutions accordingly. The review process is open for comments and proposals from Cornish users, and the findings of the Review Board will be published late in 2013.
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