2025 Day 243

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Dogens ha Trei

De Sül, üdnegves warn ügens mis Est
Sunday, 31st August 

An diwettha dedh a vis Est ha'n diwettha dedh a hav meteorologieth ew. Solabres theram ow merkya dr'ew an jedh cottha. Ma'n nos ow tallath moy avarr. Nag era vy ow merkya terry an jedh! Ma del keffres ha avalow ow codha dhort agan gwedh avalow. Ow mergh wydn eth dhe'n cyrcus gen hy mab bian. An cyrcus a wra gorfedna ha mos mes en scon, drefen vedh gellys tre oll an havyjy. 

It's the last day of August and the last day of meteorological summer. Already I notice that the day is shorter. The night is starting earlier. I don't notice the daybreak! There are leaves as well as apples falling from our apple trees. My granddaughter went to the circus with her little boy. The circus will finish and go away soon, because all the summer visitors will have gone home.

2025 Day 242

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Dewgens ha Dew

De Sadorn, degves war ügens mis Est
Saturday, 30th August

Hedhyw my eth dhe Redrüdh rag cuntel gen nebes tüs. Agan cuntelva o Kresen Kernow. Na wrüga vy metya gen an düs ha'n benenes ma. Thens persons creftüs. My a vetyas gen persons gwir. An mater rag trial o an ûs a skians creftüs en descans Kernôwek. A ell skians creftüs gweres dhen cawas persons moy dhe gows Kernôwek keniver jorna? Ell ev towlel descansow gwell raga nei? E vedh eth cuntel moy, thera vy ow pedery.

Today I went to Redruth for a meeting with several people. Our meeting venue was Kresen Kernow. I did not meet with these men and women. They are artificial people. I met real people. The matter for discussion was the use of artificial intelligence in Cornish teaching. Can artificial intelligence help us getting more people to speak Cornish every day? Can it plan better lessons for us? There will be eight more meetings, I think.

2025 Day 241

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Dogens ha Wonan

De Gwener, nawes warn ugens mis Est
Friday, 29th August

Otta radn moy agan daralla rag flehes.

Here's another part of our children's story.

Ma'n flehes en scol de Lün wòja an fer.

The children are in school on the Monday after the fair.

Pur lôwen ew Jory. "Hüdor o vy," emedh ev.

George is very happy. "I'm a magician," he says.

"Ma cònin gwydn dhebm. My wrüg y dedna mes a'm hatt hir nowydh. Lebmyn ma va en kisten et ow chomber."

I have a white rabbit. I pulled it out of my new top hat Now it's in a box in my bedroom.

"Gocky os ta!" emedh Kettern. "Nag ew hedna possybyl."

You are silly! says Katie. That is not possible.

"Termyn gwary, my a wra disqwedhes."

At playtime, I will demonstrate.

"Pe le ma dha hatt hir? Üjy va en dha sagh? Nag eus spas lowr."

Where is your top hat? Is it in your bag? There isn't enough room.

Ma othom dhe'n mowesy a wòrtos.

The girls need to wait.

2025 Day 240

2025 Dedh Dew Cans ha Dewgens

De Yow, ethves warn ügens mis Est
Thursday, 28th August

Ma whans dhe'n mowesy a spena aga mòna.

The girls want to spend their money.

Ma kisten a liwyow bejeth dhe Mestres Penrose.

Mrs. Penrose has a box of face paints.

Lebmyn thew Rosa treylyes dhe digres rudhvelyn müscok.

Now Rosa is turned into a crazy orange tigress.

Bestes gwyls ew da gen Rosa.

Rosa likes wild animals.

Pandr'ew Kettern? Tycky-Duw mantel rüdh ew hei - gen liwyow purpur ha rüdh.

What is Katie? She's a red admiral butterfly - with purple and red colours.

Ma Rosa ow tebry tesen, bes ma Kettern ow perna nebes plansow fav.

Rosa is eating cake, but Katie is buying some bean plants.

Pe le ma aga theylû? Where is their family?

Ma Mabm Wydn ow tos gen aga broder bian.

Granny comes with their little brother.

Ma canstel genjy rag pernajow.

She has a basket with her for purchases. 

2025 Day 239

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Nawnjek warn Ügens

De Merher, seythves warn ügens mis Est
Wednesday, 27th August

Daralla Radn Pajar Story Part Four

Ma lies stall en hel an scol. 

There are many stalls in the school hall.

Ma whans dhe Rosa a berna an olifanjes gwydn, 

Rosa wants to buy the white elephants, 

(There is want to Rosa of buying ...)

bes perny ens solabres gen dama Jory. 

but they are bought already by George's mother.

Ma mir trûan dhe Rosa.

Rosa looks sad. (There is a sad look to Rosa)

Nag ew hei lôwen. She is not happy.

Ma hei ow mos dhe berna tesen. She is going to buy a cake.

Ma Mestres Curnow ow perna an vantel dhû, ewedh.

Mrs Curnow is buying the black cloak, too.

Ma oll sortow taclow e'n sagh Mestres Curnow.

There are all sorts of things in Mrs. Curnow's bag.

Ew hei nebes crav?

Is she a bit greedy?

Ma whans dhe Jory a berna an hatt hir dû.

George wants to buy the black top hat. (There is want to George of buying ...)

Bes res ew dhodho ombla gen y vabm ragto.

But he must wrestle with his mother for it. (He is needing ...)

Mons ow tedna an hatt arag ha war dhelher. 

They are pulling the hat forwards and backwards.

Jory ew an gwaynyer.

George is the winner.

Rag fra ma whans dhe Jory a hatt hir?

Why does George want a top hat? (Why is there want to George of ...?)

2025 Day 238

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Etek warn Ügens

De Meurth, wheffes warn ügens mis Est
Tuesday, 26th August

Our Daily Bread

A line from the Lord’s Prayer says,

“Ro dhe nei an jorna-ma agan bara pub dedh.”

Give to us this day our bread every day.

In the past Cornwall had to be self-sufficient for all food, not just for fish. Can place names tell us what were the important locations? Corn in general is “is” and grains is “greun”. Today’s grains are barley “barlys”/ “heydh”, wheat “gwaneth” and oats “kergh”, though wheat was not widely grown in the past. An ancient variety of naked oats or “pilas” was grown, which is now extinct.

“cove by a small barley plot” PORTHCOTHAN 

(Porthgohedon c1250)       > Porth Gohedhen

“the downs of naked oats”    NOON BILLAS 

                                           > an Woon Bilas

“grain farm”                           TREWORNAN 

(Tregronan 1303)               > Trewreunen                

“corn-rich cove”                     PORT ISAAC 

(Porthissek c1540)             > Porth Isek

 

To produce "bleus"  flour/meal it needed a mill "melin" (with water either over-shot, under-shot or tidal).         

Several place names indicate a mill located near the sea, e.g.

MILLENDREATH  “beach mill” Melin Dreth

TREESMILL (Melyntrait 1150) “sand mill” Melin Dreth

Some mean “mill cove” with various spellings, e.g.

PORTMELLON (Porthmelyn 1539) Porth Melin

MULLION COVE: (Porthmellyn C18) Porth Melin   

 

Some mills were in a “mill valley” with a stream or leat, e.g.

LAMELLION (Nansmelin 1298) Nans Melin             

LAMELLYN (Nansmelyn 1296) Nans Melin    

NANCEMELLIN (Nansmelyn 1317) Nans Melin

Did a “new mill” replace an old mill in feudal times, 

was it additional or did it set up in competition with it?

NEW MILLS (Ladock) (Melynewyth 1364) Melin Nowydh

NEWMILL (Kenwyn) (Melynneweth 1366) Melin Nowydh         

VELLANOWETH (Ludgvan) (Melynnoweth 1520) Melin Nowydh       

 

The “mill house” was an important feature in a village, as the miller was a vital person in the community. We find the name, with variations, repeated in several locations across Cornwall, e.g.         

MOLINGEY (Mlyngy 1302) Melinjy

MELINSEY Melinjy

MELLINGEY (Cubert)  Melinjy

BOLINGEY (St Mawgan) (Melyndy 1216) Melinjy

CHYVELLAN Chivelin

 

A household without its own oven might need the bake-house, e.g.

TREVORNICK (Trefornek c1350) Trefornek “bake-house farm”

In a village or town you will still find at least one bakery 

“chei pobas” or “chei vorn” to buy your bread 

“bara” or your pastries/pasties “hogednow” and cake "tesen".      

2025 Day 237

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Seytek warn Ügens

De Lün, pempes war ügens mis Est
Monday, 25th August

Story part 3

Daralla radn trei  

Locative is colour coded red (including participle and secondary verbs). Descriptive is colour coded green.

Where English has an active verb, Cornish often uses a passive construction with dhe to or gen with/by.

Ma fer e’n hel an scol hedhyw. There is a fair in the school hall today.

Ma Rosa ow rei dew olifans gwydn dh’y descador rag an stall olifanjes gwydn. Rosa gives (is giving) two white elephants to her teacher for the white elephant stall.

Ma’n descador ow wherhin ha nag üjy Kettern ow convedhes rag fra. The teacher laughs (is laughing) and Katie does not understand (is not understanding) why.

Ma Kettern ow rei hy dilhas coth dhe dhescadores hei. Katie gives (is giving) her old clothes to her teacher.

An dilhas ew hatt ha mantel dhort hy dama wydn ha scòdhlen dhort hy dama. The clothes are a hat and a cloak from her grandmother and a shawl from her mother.

Ma’n mosy (mowesy) ow metya gen aga hòthmans en pras an scol ken dallath an fer. The girls meet (are meeting) with their friends in the school field before the start of the fair.

Tòbmas ha Tamsin Penrose ew gevellyon, saw nag en jei gevellesow kehaval pecar'a Kettern ha Rosa. Thomas and Thomasina Penrose are twins, but they are not identical twins (like Katie and Rosa). 

Ma Jory Curnow ena rag goheles y vabm. George Curnow is there to avoid (for avoiding) his mother.

Nag eus croust gen an mosy (mowesy), etho mons ow perna hogednow e’n chei pobas. The girls do not have a packed lunch with them, so they buy (are buying) pasties in the bakery.

2025 Day 236

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Whetek warn Ügens

De Sül, pajwora warn ügens mis Est
Sunday, 24th August

Story part 2

Daralla radn dew

Locative is colour coded red (including participle and secondary verbs). Descriptive is colour coded green.

Where English has an active verb, Cornish often uses a passive construction with dhe to or gen with/by.

Mabm Wydn ew benyn pur goth. Granny is a very old woman.

Ma soler en chei Mabm Wydn. There is an attic in Granny’s house.

E’n soler ma cofer leun a daclow coth. In the attic there is a chest full of old things.

Ma Mabm Wydn ow rei dew olifans gwydn dhe Rosa. Granny is giving two white elephants to Rosa.

An olifanjes ew rag fer an scol. The elephants are for the school fair.

Eus othom dhe Kettern a neppeth rag an fer? Does Katie need something for the fair? (Is there need to Katie of …?)

Ma othom dhedhy a nebes dilhas coth. She needs some old clothes. (There is need to her of …)

Ma Mabm Wydn ow trouvya mantel dhû ha hatt hir dû rag Kettern. Granny finds (is finding) a black cloak and a black top hat for Kettern.

Lôwen ew an dhiw vowes. The two girls are happy.

Ma cath dû ow lebmel mes a’n cofer. A black cat jumps (is jumping) out of the chest.

Ma va ow pònya mes a wel. It runs (is running) out of sight.

Ma Mabm Wydn ow wherthin. Granny laughs (is laughing).

Thewa gorgath coth. It is an old tomcat.

Mehal Marthys henwys ew ev. He’s called Marvellous Mickey.

2025 Day 235

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Pemdhek warn Ügens

De Sadorn, tryja warn ügens mis Est
Saturday, 23rd August

Ma whans dhebm a leverel whedhel dhewgh. E vedh othom a lies dedh dhe scrifa an daralla. Ma towl dhebm dhe ûsya "bos" en pub lavar. My venja gwil hedna - saw a vedh hedna possybyl? Otta an kensa radn bian.

I want to tell you a story. It will need many days to write the tale. I have a plan to use "to be" in every sentence. I would like to do that - but will that be possible? Here is the first little part.

  

The "droll tellers" went around the country earning their living by telling stories. Here is my "daralla".

BOS locative is colour coded red (including participle and secondary verbs). 

BOS descriptive is colour coded green (including particle and personal pronouns).

Where English has an active verb, Cornish often uses a passive construction with dhe to or gen with/by.

 

First we introduce some of the characters.

Tristan ew maw. Tristan is a boy.

Ma hôr, Rosa, dhe Tristan. Tristan has a sister, Rosa. (There is a sister, Rosa, to ...) (names resist mutation)

Rosa ew mos (mowes), deg bloodh coth. Rosa is a girl, ten years old. (maw + fem. ending > mowes >mos)

Ma diw hôr dhe Tristan. Tristan has two sisters.

Kettern ew hôr Tristan ha Rosa. Kettern (Katie) is Tristan's and Rosa's sister.

Kettern ha Rosa ew gevellesow kehaval (pur haval). Katie and Rosa are identical twins.

Ma whans dhe Rosa a olifans gwydn. Rosa wants a white elephant. (There is want to Rosa of ...)

Ma fowt dhe Rosa a olifans gwydn. Rosa lacks a white elephant. (There is a lack to Rosa of ...)  

Nag eus olifans gwydn dhe Rosa. Rosa does not have a white elephant.

Ma broder bian, trei bloodh coth, dhe Rosa. Rosa has a little brother, three years old.

Hy broder bian ew henwys Arthor. Arthor henwys ew hy broder bian. Her little brother is named Arthur. (optional word order)

Ma Arthor ow towlel brodnyon ort an gath. Arthur is throwing porridge at the cat.

Ma Rosa ow cofen ort (wor) hy thas. Rosa asks (is asking) her dad. (gofen~goven = to ask: hard mutation g > c after ow)

Ma Rosa ow cofen ort hy mabm. Rosa asks her mum.

Besy ew hy mabm gen Arthor ha'n gath. Her mum is busy with Arthur and the cat.

Nag eus olifans gwydn dhe hy thas. Her dad does not have a white elephant. (tas = dad: breathed mutation t > th after hy = her)

Ma othom dhe Rosa a woven ort hy dama wydn. Rosa needs to ask her grandmother. (soft mutation g > w after a)

Ma Rosa ha Kettern ow mos dhe'n chei aga dama wydn. Rosa and Katie go (are going) to their grandmother's house.

Eus olifans gwydn dhis, a Henvam? Do you have a white elephant, Granny?

Ma dew olifans gwydn dhe Mabm Wydn. Granny has two white elephants.

Üdn olifans ew gwres a blastek. One elephant is made of plastic.

An olifans aral ew gwres a dhans olifans. The other elephant is made of ivory (elephant tooth).

Bes nag ew an olifans-ma gwydn poran. But this elephant is not exactly white.

Nebes melyn ew ev. It is rather yellow.

2025 Day 234

2025 Dedh Dew Cans Peswardhek warn Ügens

De Gwener, nessa warn ügens mis Est
Friday, 22nd August

Ma'n Howl ow tremena an eborn, car dre hevel, bes en gwiryonedh nag üjy an Howl ow qwaya adro dhe'n Norves. Ma'n Norves ow troyllya war y ahel. Ha ma'n Howl ow tremena an dewdhek chei an Zodiak, car dre hevel, bes en gwiryonedh nag üjy an Howl ow qwaya. Ma'n Norves ow resek adro dhe'n Howl, ha thera nei ow qweles radn an brâster deffrans pub mis. Na ellen nei gweles An Lew lebmyn, drefen bos an Howl tredh An Lew ha'n Norves. Ma hedna ow corfedna avorow. Ma'n Howl owth entra chei nowydh, car dre hevel. Avorow ew dallath An Werhes. An Howl a vedh tredh An Werhes ha'n Norves. 

The Sun crosses the sky, it seems, but in truth the Sun does not move around the Earth. The Earth spins on its axis. And the Sun traverses the twelve houses of the Zodiac, so it seems, but in truth the Sun does not move. The Earth orbits round the Sun and we see a different constellation every month. We can't see Leo now because Leo is between the Sun and the Earth. That finishes tomorrow. The Sun enters a new house, seemingly. Tomorrow is the beginning of Virgo. The Sun will be between Virgo and the Earth.