In the latest Culture Vannin column, director of Culture Vannin Breesha Maddrell explains some Manx words and phrases ‘hidden in plain sight’.

Even though I didn’t have the opportunity to learn any Manx at school, I grew up with more Manx than I realised.

Held in the natural speech patterns of my grandparents and their friends, things were ‘at you’ or ‘doing on you’ - whether that was a murran (a cold) or a bad mood (friggan). People would stop by for a cooish, a chat, you’d go fishing for callag, and on one of those long hot days up in the glen, you’d be wanting to scutch the croaghans (horseflies) away.

All these words and phrases held on tight and quietly surfed their way into how we speak English in the Isle of Man.

And even if you didn’t grow up here, you’ll have more Manx than you think, because it’s in the placenames around us. We all know a Balla-something-or-other, a somewhere Mooar or a someplace Beg. And nowadays, schools teach Manx and unlock this sense of place in a way that helps everyone understand the island, but also other languages and cultures around the world.

Now we need your ideas for an exciting year planned for 2026 – a Year of the Manx Language, Blein ny Gaelgey.

We want to celebrate a positive image of Manx, get more people to use it, and inspire creativity and innovation in and for the language, so that we have a lasting legacy for future generations.

We can only do that with your help. Get in touch with ideas and suggestions to [email protected]

The most important message is to think about what you could do in your community, in your workplace, or with friends. There’ll be funding available to help develop projects and put on events, and opportunities for every level of Manx – from using a few words or phrases to events for fluent speakers.

We have five themes: Young People and Families; Identity and Sense of Place; Community and Creativity; Research and Resources; and Lifelong Learning. There are ways in for everyone.

You may already use Manx in your business, or with friends, or you may have ideas for something new that no one has thought of before. If you’ve been thinking of learning or connecting with Manx for a while, this is the time!

2026 is a special year in lots of ways – we will be celebrating 25 years of the Manx medium school, Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, 30 years of Mooinjer Veggey educational charity, 35 years of Manx being taught in schools, and 40 years of Coonceil ny Gaelgey, the Manx Language Advisory Council.

The Year of the Manx Language is the idea of the Manx Language Network, Jeebin, and sits at the heart of the Manx Language Strategy 2022-2032, a strategy which aims to grow the number of speakers to 5,000.

Keep your eyes peeled for some £500 Treisht projects from Culture Vannin, and a small grants scheme to help support the Year. For more info, see https://yearofmanx.im/ and https://www.learnmanx.com/ or contact [email protected]