Learn Late Cornish Bit by Bit
Saturday, 13 June 2026
2026 Day 164
Friday, 12 June 2026
2026 Day 163
2026 Dedh Cans Trei Ügens ha Trei
De Gwener, dewdhegves mis Efen
Friday, 12th June
COLM TAVAS F
An flehes für a fias dhe’n fo
en forest
faw famos
gen fav Frenk ha frûtys
en frayl. Na fors!
Ficher feryek a forsakyas y flogh
ha fistena e'n ferla
gen fardel a füg-flourys
ha funen fin.
Tongue Twister F
The wise children ran away
in a famous beech forest
with French beans and fruits
in a shopping bag. No matter!
An inquisitive ferret left his child
and hurried into the fairground
with a parcel of artificial flowers
and a fine ribbon.
Thursday, 11 June 2026
2026 Day 162
Thursday, 11th June
COLM TAVAS E
Euthvil efarnek
era e’n eglos Sent Eler.
Eskerens eglosyow ew euthviles.
Thera elergh, edhen engrys,
ena ewedh.
Eskerens euthviles ew elerhy.
El Ebbet,
eseles eledh an ebòrn nev,
ha Effrem, Epscop Caresk,
eth en Sent Eler ewedh,
dhe dowla an euthvil efarnek mes a'n eglos
ha dh'y exilya en Efarn arta.
Nena an el eth tre dhe'n ebòrn,
an epscop eth kerdh dhe beneglos Caresk
A hellish monster
was in the church in St Hilary.
Monsters
are enemies of churches.
There
was a swan, an angry bird, there too.
Swans
are enemies of monsters.
Angel Elizabeth,
a member of the angels of the firmament,
and
Ephraim, Bishop of Exeter,
went
to St Hilary as well,
to
cast the hellish monster out of the church
and
to exile it in Hell again.
Then
the angel went back to the sky,
the
bishop went away to Exeter Cathedral
and
the swan went to Veryan.
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
2026 Day 161
Wednesday, 10th June
Tongue Twister D
Fifty naughty black sheep from Devon came through a dark green door in Blackwater and ate oak leaves and dandelions in the darkness. The black sheep were eaten yesterday.
Tuesday, 9 June 2026
2026 Day 160
Tuesday, 9th June
Theram ow mires orth nebes colmow tavas arta.
I'm looking at some tongue twisters again.
Ma chicok. Pe le
ma chicok?
Ma chicok dadn an to chei coth en coos coth.
Pandr’eus a-jei dhe’n chei coth
e’n coos coth?
Ma kei coth a-jei
dhe’n chei coth e’n coos coth.
Ma’n kei coth ow
chassya cathik e’n chei coth
e’n coos coth.
Ma chayr reb copart kegin en kegin dadn an to e’n chei coth e’n coos coth,
An cathik ell crambla qwyck war an chayr kegin -
ha nena war an copart kegin e’n gegin e’n chei coth e’n coos coth.
Ma chons da
dhe'n cathik.
Monday, 8 June 2026
2026 Day 159
Time, I thought, to look at a tongue twister again - or perhaps more than one. Is it possible to write a tongue twister for each letter? Here are A and B. And there's a verse, too, with better rhymes.
A Tongue twister COLM TAVAS A
An asen a dhebras y aval
ha'n appa a abmas dh' y dhama,
saw dama an asen a dhebras aval an appa
ha dama an appa a abmas dhe 'n asen.
Gerva
an appa = the ape
an asen = the donkey
aval an appa = the
ape's apple
dama an appa = the
ape's mother
dama an asen = the
donkey's mother
y aval = his apple
y dhama = his mother
a abmas dhe =
kissed
a dhebras = ate
The donkey ate his
apple
and the ape kissed his mother,
but the donkey's
mother ate the ape's apple
and the ape's
mother kissed the donkey.
B Tongue twister COLM
TAVAS B
Bran a lickyas bulügen
ha briel a loncas browyon.
Saw nag eus browyon dhe'n briny,
na bulük dhe'n brilly.
Gerva
bran = a crow
briel = (one)
mackerel
an brilly = the
mackerel (pl.)
an briny = the crows
(pl.)
browyon = crumbs
bulük = earthworms
(pl.)
bulügen = (one)
earthworm
a lickyas =
licked
a loncas =
swallowed
nag eus ... dhe
... = doesn't have
A crow licked an earthworm
and
a mackerel swallowed crumbs.
But the crows don't have
crumbs
nor the mackerels earthworms.
Brilly ow clappya
Brilly ow clappya, geryow für, brabm an gath,
Mackerel chatting, wise words, bullshit (cat's fart)
Syllyes ow neyja, losyow hir, brabm an nath,
Eels swimming, long tails, puffin's fart (more nonsense),
Kencres ow mos dhe gova dadn
Crabs going to hide under
Gòbmon ha hûjes bily kern.
Seaweed and huge round pebbles.
Pandra ew hedna? Crogen las, lagas roos.
What is that? A blue shell, red eye,
Ema va tedna scogyn mes, tabm boos.
It is pulling a boiled mackerel head out, a bit of food.
Dew bâw deragto ow terry, trehy,
Two claws in front of it breaking, cutting,
Ganow egery, ow tebry kig.
Mouth opening, eating meat.
Legast eth ewa! Mava tos, ebel stout,
It's a lobster! It's coming, a sturdy fellow,
Onan a'n brâssa, üthyk brâs, nag eus dout.
One of the biggest, terribly big, there's no doubt.
Ema an bibyn boubyn groovin’
The shrimps are groovin'
Cuntel an browyon dhor y li.
Gathering
crumbs from his breakfast.








