Learn Late Cornish Bit by Bit 11 (Prepositions 2)

Prepositions 2

With and without are two very useful concepts that can expand your vocabulary:

v)  For with[1] use gen before a consonant or gans before a vowel or letter h, e.g.

gen kei                                                     with a dog

gen leth                                                    with milk

gen con[2]                                                with sugar

gans an kei                                              with the dog

gans hedna                                              with that

gans o dama                                            with my mother

We can combine these with some of the last lesson:

Ma hei o moas gen kei.                            She is going with a dog.

Ma te gen leth.                                          There is tea with milk.

Ma va (owth) eva te gen con.                   He is drinking tea with sugar.

Ma hei o toas gans an kei.                       She is coming with the dog.

Gans hedna, ma va o moas tre.              With that, he goes home.

vi)    For without use heb, e.g.:

te heb con                                                  tea without sugar

Te heb con, mar pleg!                              Tea without sugar, please!

Eus te heb leth?                                        Is there tea without milk?

heb tra veth oll                                          without anything at all  

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[1] gen and gans can also mean by, as in  gwary gen Shakespeare  a play by Shakespeare 

[2] From the fact that sugar used to come in the shape of a cone. Pronounced [cone].