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Cornish words and phrases |
AN'NAWIN'T'WUZ- I know it was.
AVEEDUNUN - Have you taken the necessary steps to complete your course of action?
AVEEGOTUN - Have you found what you are seeking?
AVEESEENUN - Have you seen that for which you search?
BETTURGOGITTEN - I Had better depart and fetch the article for which I was sent.
BIN-UN-DUNUN - I have been and carried out my alotted task.
COSTY MUCH DIDA - Are you prepared to tell me how much it cost you?
CAIN TELLY - I cannot or will not give you the information you seek.
CRIS - Potato Crisps
CAW-CRUMPET- a beautiful girl walking by.
CUS- because
DIDDY NAWN - Did you know the person of whom we speak?
DIDDY ABM - Did you have it? Did he/she have it? Did anyone have it?
EDGE - A structure separating two fields, used instead of the word 'wall' or 'hedge'.
ESS P'Raps- yes maybe?.
ESS I WUS-yes i was.
WAIT ERE FER ER- wait here for her-
ELLYDOINOV - I don't agree with the way you are performing' your alotted task.
EVVEE IZZA - How much does the article you are hollding weigh?
EZYAU - I am in aggreement with you over this particular matter.
FAATHURGOTUN - My father is in possesion of that which you seek.
FARIZA - How far away is my destination?
FERCRISAEIK - For Goodness Sake.
GIBMEREMIT - Give the item to me for a second.
GIBMTHABOY - Delegate your task to the apprentice or younger member of staff.
GOTUNAVEE - see 'AVEEGOTUN'.
G'SONUPANGIDDEN - Please go up and get it for me.
GOYNARY - Are You proposing to go?
GUSON - I don't see your point of view.
HOFFIZER - (Police) Officer - there are no other 'aitches' in the Cornish phrases.
IDN - 1. Is not 2. Hidden (Idnidnizza - It isn't hidden, is it?).
ILLY - Extremely Steep or mountainous.
IZZA - Is it?
KILLUN DIDDY - Did you terminate his existence?.
LOOKERE- listen to me!
LIKUN DIDDY - Did you find the expenence pleasureable?.
LEEBM DIDDY - Did you leave the person?.
MADORDOA- does it matter?.
MENTUT DIDDY - Did you actually mean what you said?.
MYGAR - Good heavens above! Good gracious me!.
NAWN DIDDY - see 'Diddy Nawn'.
NAWTHEN WIDDEN - You must have it/eat it on its own as you 'Dawnt Av Nawthen Widden'.
OLLER TUEN DIDDY - Did you attempt to attract the attention of the other person?
PURTY WANNA - Wasn't that beautiful?
PURTY TADYS- When things are going well, or its looking good.
PARD - Close Friend.
PALLY WIDDEN WAZZA - Were you a close friend of the person in question?
PIDDLEDOWN DIDDA - Was it raining heavily at the time?
RONG WAZZA - Was he perhaps mistaken?
RUFUZRATS - Not very smooth sounding or feeling (often used in conjuction with car engines). or my plastering.
SEENUNAVEE - see 'Aveeseenun'.
SPAWSE- I suppose so.
STAYLUN - Depriving someone of their posessions.
TEEONSUH - I would love a cup of tea.
TELLUNDIDDY - Did you impart the knowledge to the person with whom you were in communication?
TRURA- Truro a city in Cornwall,
ULLONAMINIT - Hold on for just a moment.
VELLAN - Villain or rascal.
WOSHELIKE - Informal greeting, as in 'Hello' (for use regardless of gender).
WOSSMARRWIDDEE - Traditional Cornish sympathetic question.
WOTEEGOYN DO WIDDEN - What are you proposing to do with that which you have acquired?
WURZTOOEN - Where is the item of which you speak? |
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Modern Cornish is that form of the Cornish language which was last spoken traditionally in West Cornwall during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It lingered into the nineteenth century and at the time of the major Cornish exodus to far off lands some people from the far west had a considerable traditional knowledge of the language. Much of their professional mining vocabulary was in Cornish and some of these words have come to be internationally used. In 1911 one Cornish emigrant to Australia, Henry Thomas, wrote down a few phrases of Modern Cornish in his notebook showing that interest in the language is not a new phenomenon amongst Cornish Australians. Modern Cornish (sometimes called Late or Traditional Cornish) is the language in which most of West Cornwall's placenames occur and in 1700 it was the subject of a serious study by the great Welsh linguist Edward Lhuyd. It differs from the medieval language in having a much simpler grammar. There are differences of vocabulary and pronunciation too, the end result being a very practical, pleasing and earthy language, one well suited to the needs of mining, fishing and agricultural communities. The spelling is very graphic, giving learners much guidance to the pronunciation. The policy of Cussell an Tavas Kernuack/ The Cornish Language Council is to use the historical spelling of Modern Cornish as found, making choices between the various native spellings when necessary. In reviving the language we rely heavily on the in-depth researches of Richard Gendall. For more than ten years he has been engaged in research into all aspects of the historical language. Learners of Cornish should not be too alarmed by the existence of three forms of Cornish (In addition to Modern Cornish we have Unified & Common Cornish ). In Cornwall we are learning to live with our differences and find practical ways of working together. Finally, the language is the inheritance of all Cornish people whether in Cornwall or in some distant corner of the world. After all, Cornish people emigrated to many distant lands taking their mining skills with them. As we used to say, if you find a hole in the ground and watch it closely, eventually a Cornishman will climb up out of it!
NEBAS LAVAROW / Some phrases. Greetings: Durdatha whye! Good day to you! Deeth daa. Good day. Metten daa. Good Morning. Ha soce! Hello mate. Darzona! God bless (on meeting). Gothewhar daa. Good evening. You! Hello! Lowena tha whye! or Betho whye lowenack! Happiness to you! Enquiry: Fatla gena whye? How are you? Fatel era whye keele? How are you doing? Answers: Ma genam a ehaz. I am well. Clave o ve. I'm ill. Skeeth o ve. I'm tired. Looan o ve. I'm happy. Tubm o ve. I'm hot. Yein o ve. I'm cold.Trawethack o ve. I'm sad. Daa lowar o ve. I'm O.K. Ma pedn droag thebm. I've got a headache. Ma annez thebm. I've got a cold. Invitation: Vedo whye cawas badna? Do you want a drop to drink? Vedo whye cawas tabm? Do you want a bite to eat? Pandra vedo whye comeras/cawas? What would you like to have? Choices: Bolla tay/coffy. A cup of tea/coffee. Cor. Beer. Gwyne. Wine . Cyder. Cider. Dowr. Water. Hoggan. A pasty Tezan saffern . Saffron cake. Bara. Bread. Scubmaw. Chips. Pesk. Fish. Requests: Me venga cawas..... I'd like to have...... Me venga kenz...... I'd prefer...... Peidgy ry thebm..... Please give me.... Mouy. More. Badna mouy. A drop more. Tabm mouy. A bit more.` Mor pleag. Please Hints: Thove gwage! I'm hungry. Thove zehez! I'm thirsty. Ethick zehez o ve! I'm very thirsty! Eze cor? Is there any beer? Eze mouy booz? Is there any more food? Eze muna thewh? Have you got any money? Thanks: Durdalada whye! or Merastawhye! or Gra'massy. Thank you. Farewells: Dew boz geno. God be with you. Benatugana.God bless. Tereba nessa.Till next time. Anowre. Bye Comero weeth. Take care. Ternestatha or Noze daa tha whye. Good night to you. Writing letters: Sarah wheag. Dear Sir. Arlothas wheag. Dear Madam. Care ve. Dear Cousin (All Cornish people are cousins!) Coweth wheag. Dear friend/colleague. Tamsin/ Peder wheag. Dear Tamsin/Peter. Gen oll an collan ve. With all my heart (equivalent to yours sincerely). Ehaz ha sowena. Health and prosperity. Gwro kelmy a hollan thewh. Bind my heart to you (to an intimate friend only!).
The time. P'eare ew? What is the time? Try owr ew. It's three o'clock. Deaw eare ew. It's two o'clock. (owr & eare are alternative words for hour/ o'clock). Hanterdeeth ew. It's noon. Hanternoze ew. It's mid- night. Hanter ouga deeg. Half past ten. Deeg minizan ouga try. Ten past three. Ouga. After. Dro tha..... About..... .....poran. ....exactly. Puna termen venga whye doaz? When do you want to come? P'eare vetho whye ubma/ enna? When will you be here/ there? Mottos and Sayings. Lavarow Kernuack. "Onen hag Oll", One and All (Cornwall's motto), Kernow rag nevra or Kernow bys vickan Cornwall for ever. Pesk, Kober ha Stean, Fish, Copper and Tin ( a traditional toast), Me na vadna cowz a Sowznack! I will not speak English.! Comero weeth na ra whye gara an vorr goth rag an vorr noweth. Take care that you don't leave the old road for the new road. Ke tha gerras! Buzz off! |
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