• Learning Cornish
• Cornish notes for beginners
• Section 4

Cornish notes for beginners by Neil Kennedy

4.1 Pandr'era why a keel? What are you doing? What do you do?

In the above examples the first letter of the verb changes. This is called hard mutation and only affects a few letters:

• b → p
• d → t
• g → c or k

In practice this change of d to t is often ignored.

Other letters are not affected by hard mutation. Examples of no change:

(The sound of p in perna cannot get any harder than it is already, so no hard mutation can take place.)

(It is not possible to harden the m of meras.)

(It is not possible to harden the l of lavaral.)

What causes the hardening?

Between thera ve and the following 'verb noun' we often write a (e.g. thera ve a predery: I'm thinking). It is this a (known as a verbal particle) which causes the following letter to harden. The a is normally left out but even when it is unseen and unheard the hardening still takes place. This initial harding is like adding -ing in English (singing, talking). It tells us we are using the present-continuous tense.

[ If you've learnt Unified or Kemmyn, note that this a = particle ow and that there are exceptions to the general rule of hard mutation. ]

Usage: Remember that this tense in Late Cornish translates two English tenses:

Use thera ve (variations theram or therama) to describe what you are doing, where you are or what your permanent occupation is.

Do not use thera to describe how you are (unless you do so with the use of another verb, as in I'm feeling ill). Remember to use tho ve or o ve when describing yourself:

4.2 Actions and locations with the verb boaz

You know how to say I am when saying what you're doing. Now look at the other parts of the verb. These are used for talking about what is happening or where things are but not for describing things with adjectives.

Note that parts of the verb start with m. When talking about locations and actions, use ma instead of ew and use mowns instead of thens.

Questions about actions and locations

In thera the th is the same as we encountered in thew. It stops the statement from being a question. To ask a question just knock the th off. In the case of ma e & ma hy, replace with idgeva & idge hy respectively.

Idge is pronounced ijy.

In the case of thera, knock off the th to leave era.

(Here the particle a is represented by an apostrophe but that isn't normal practice. It's just to help you understand how the phrases are constructed.)

To form negatives use nag (as previously used with ew).

4.3 Verbs: Examples of the present participle

Here are some more verbs to use. Hard mutation is shown in brackets where appropriate.

The list above gives you enough verbs to make up sentences using thera and ma. Refer back to it when working on following sections.

4.4 Peleah? Where?

We can use peleah, also spelt peleha, with the forms of boaz shown in section 4.2.

(Forms which I translate with thou are for very informal use & prayers. It is best to concentrate on forms translated as you.)

4.5 Where things are: Prepositions

To answer the above questions we need these words (prepositions):

Ma an may become ma'n. The apostrophe is optional.

Remember that there is no word in Cornish for it. All things are either masculine or feminine and therefore he or she. Cornish for he is either e or ev but sometimes we put va on the end of a verb to mean he, e.g. we can say either peleah ma e? or peleah mava? Cornish for she is hy.

4.6 Cowz bear: A short conversation

Floh: Taz, Taz! Peleah era why?

Taz: Otta ve Thera ve en chomber.

Floh: Pandr'era why 'keel en chomber, Taz?

Taz: Thera ve 'whilas nepeth.

Floh: Pandr'era why 'whilas? ...Era why 'whilas goz alwhedhow?

Taz: Na, nag era ve 'whilas hedna, colan. Mowns et a fokkat. Thera ve 'whilas an papar-nawodhow. Oresta nepeth et e gever?

Floh: Ea, ea, Thera ve 'sedha warnodha Taz.

Gerriow

Note: There are several parts of the verb boaz: to be in the conversation:

4.7 Pandr'idgeva 'keel?: What is he doing? Pandr'idge hy keel?: What is she doing? Pandr'iggans 'keel?: What are they doing?

Remember: idge is pronounced ijy.

Note: Cornish has four words for is/are. We already know ew and ma. The examples above use idge. Like ma, idge is used in expressions to do with action and location. So, what is the difference?

Ma is used for affirmative expressions, e.g. the horse is eating; the man is laughing.

Idge is used for asking where specified people or things are and for asking what they are doing. It is also used with nag to say what they are not doing and where they are not.

Note: Instead of saying idgeva you can say idge e or idge ev. Iggans is a special form of idge meaning are they. Compare it with thens & mowns. All three refer to they and have the ending -ns.

You will notice that same ending in other places where the meaning, they, is required.

4.8 Ea ha Na. Yes and No

In the examples above you will have seen ea: yes & na: no.

Late Cornish makes great use of ea and na but there are other ways to answer. For example, to answer no in the examples above it is sufficient to say nag idge or nag iggans as appropriate.

4.9 Ez? (questions)

The fourth and final word for is/are is ez. It is used instead of idge when the thing being spoken of is not specified or definite. In other words:

If we talk about the something, or if we name somebody, then we use idge.

If we talk about a something or some of something we use ez.

Like idge, ez is used in questions and negatives with nag.

Here are some more examples:

Note from these examples that we do not normally have words for a, any or some. These meanings are simply understood.

Get your tavas (tongue) around this old tongue-twister:

Cowz bear:

Jack: Ez muna lowar dha why rag an cinema?

Jill: Nag ez moy vel pager penz dhem. Nag ez dha why goz gubber?

Jack: Na. Mava en trozor, soweth Ma bes deaw benz ha pemthack dinar dhem.

Jill: Ma hedna 'keel wheeh pens ha pemthack dinar dhan. ny alga moaz dhan tavarn!

1. «
2. 1-2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
6. 6
7. 7
8. 8-9
9. »