Jul 6, 9:16 am ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Lisa Simpson, the pointy-haired schoolgirl of the U.S television hit series "The Simpsons," is to embrace the cause of Cornish independence.

In a Christmas Day special edition of the animated comedy, Lisa will run around the Simpsons' home in Springfield shouting "Rydhsys rag Kernow lemmyn," which translates as "Free Cornwall Now."

Matthew Clarke, of the Cornish Language Fellowship, told the Independent newspaper on Tuesday he was contacted in an e-mail by "The Simpsons" executive producer Tim Long asking for translation help.

"In an upcoming episode Lisa Simpson briefly takes up the cause of Cornish independence," the e-mail said. "Our hope is to have the character run around the house yelling 'Free Cornwall Now' in Cornish."

Long wanted to include Cornwall in the cartoon after seeing a Cornish comedian perform in the United States.

Nestled in southwestern England and bordered by water on three sides Cornwall has remained stubbornly distinct from the rest of the United Kingdom. Nationalists in the county think the area should be accorded the status Wales and Scotland enjoy, having devolved powers if not outright independence.

Links:
Lisa Simpson to Issue Cry for Cornish Freedom
The Simpsons support Cornish Independence