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In February 2001 l'Office du Jèrriais was visited by Phil Kelly, Manx Language Officer at the Department of Education in the Isle of Man. He explained that he acts as a co-ordinator, implementing provision of Manx language teaching in schools. They have classes in 35 schools, including 5 secondary schools, and operate from a number of bases across the Island. There is a base in Douglas, but also at St. John's in the middle of the Island. There is a separate Manx Language Development Officer to promote Manx in the community and in businesses. In response to the question as to why he came to Jersey, Mr. Kelly said that he was here to increase links between the languages, because although the languages are very different - Manx being related to Irish and Scots Gaelic - the situations within the two Islands are similar. It is therefore useful to share resources - and this is already happening with textbooks and computer materials. Mr. Kelly also expressed the desire to develop linguistic and cultural links between the two cultures. Although there are contacts on a government level and within the finance industries, there is not enough known about other common interests. The plan was therefore to arrange exchanges between the Manx teaching team and their opposite numbers in Jersey, and 2001 was a good year to start, being European Year of Languages. "Language is the clearest badge of identity," said Mr. Kelly, referring to the way that the prestige and influence of English in the Isle of Man and of both French and English in Jersey has had an impact on our communities, leading to loss of identity and self-respect. "It's loss of confidence in ourselves," said Mr. Kelly. "But things are starting to change." When asked what had most surprised or interested him about Jersey on his first visit to the Island, he said that from the linguistic point of view it was the existing community of native speakers of Jèrriais - something that Manx does not have. As regards his impressions of the Island, he had been surprised that Jersey was less built-up than he had expected, and that there was still so many areas of countryside. "I'm impressed with the set-up after two years," said Mr. Kelly, referring to the Jèrriais teaching programme, and went on to explain how quickly the Manx programme had developed: "We've surprised ourselves. We've been propelled forward faster than expected." The experience of the Manx language teaching programme is that there is a strong demand from parents and students and that the demand for qualifications - GCSE and A-level or equivalent - has developed much more quickly than anticipated. The same will probably happen in Jersey.
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Au mais d'Févri 2001 l'Office du Jèrriais r'chut eune vîsite dé Phil Kelly, Offici d'la langue Manx au Département d'Êducâtion en l'Île dé Man. Il explyitchit san rôle dé co-ordinnateu du programme d'ensîngnement du Manx dans l's êcoles. Il' ont des clâsses dans 35 êcoles, dé tchi 5 sont s'gondaithes, auve tchiques offices dans d'difféthentes pliaiches dans l'Île coumme Douglas et St. John's. Y'a étout un Offici pouor lé Dêv'loppement d'la langue Manx tchi travâle dans la commeunauté et auve les boutiques et les compangnies. Mess Kelly dît qu'i' 'tait v'nu pouor amender les lians entré les langues. Les deux langues sont bein difféthentes - lé Manx est coumme l'Irlandais et l'Êcossais - mais lus situâtions dans les deux Îles lus èrsembl'yent, et i' s'sait bein utile d'chârer nos ressources. Jé l'faîsons dêjà auve les livres et les matéthiaux d'compiuteu. Y'a un d'si étout d'êtablyi des lians lînguistiques et tchultuthels entré les deux tchultuthes. Véthe, j'avons des contacts gouvèrnementaux et dans l's îndustries financiéthes, mais jé n'travaillons pon assez à part chenna.
 Né v'chîn l'Sieur Kelly auve Tony Scott Warren, Co-ordinnateu d'l'ensîngnage du Jèrriais
Viyant qu'2001 est l'Année Ûropéenne des Langues, i' s'sait bein d'quémenchi ch't' année et j'pliannons d'êchangi l's êtchipes d'ensîngnement des deux langues. Les langues tchi mèrquent d'la manniéthe la pus cliaithe l'identité des gens d's Îles ont souffèrt fache à la forche d'l'Angliais en l'île dé Man et du Français et d'l'Angliais en Jèrri - mais nou c'menche à r'connaître lus înmportance. Mess Kelly dît qu'chein tchi l'avait întérêssi l'pus en Jèrri - ch'fut sa preunmié vîsite - ch'tait l'existence dg'ieune commeunauté active dé Jèrriais tchi ont pâlé la langue d'éfanche. I' n'y'en a pon pouor l'Manx. Et i' fût surprîns d'vaie tant d'clios en Jèrri - il avait ouï qu'l'Île avait 'té divèrsément bâtie sus. I 'tait d'avis qu'i' faut faithe des prépathâtis pouor d's examens en Jèrriais - y'étha bétôt eune d'mande pouor un êtchivalent du GCSE. I' l'ont dêjà fait en Manx et i' lus en vont offri un "nivé-A" (A-level) étout et chenna bein avant qu'autchun l'avait préveu.
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Viyiz étout: