Sunday 22 February 2015

Learn Late Cornish Bit by Bit 46 (Bigger and Better Bits)

Bigger and Better Bits

A number of adjectives have corresponding comparatives and superlatives. In many cases the comparative is formed by doubling the final consonant (some are also hardened) and adding a. The superlative is formed by putting an the before the comparative. In pronunciation, a long vowel in the adjective is shortened in the comparative and superlative, e.g.:

broas                                              big
brassa                                            bigger
an brassa                                       the biggest

O chei ew broas.                            My house is big.
Dha chei ew brassa.                      Your house is bigger.
Chei an Vyternes ew an brassa.  The Queen’s house is the biggest.

bian                                                 small
behatna                                           smaller
an behatna                                      the smallest

Edhen ew bian.                               A bird is small.
Prev del ew behatna.                      A caterpillar is smaller.
Lowan ew an behatna.                   A louse is the smallest.

coth                                                  old
cottha                                               older
an cottha                                          the oldest

yonk                                                  young
yonca                                                younger
an yonca                                           the youngest


teg                                                      beautiful, lovely
tekka                                                  more beautiful, lovelier
an tekka                                             the most beautiful, the loveliest

hir                                                       long, tall
hirra                                                    longer, taller
an hirra                                               the longest, the tallest

da                                                        good
gwell                                                   better
an gwella                                            the best

Da ew genam gwin gwydn.               I like white wine.(White wine is good with me.)
Gwell ew genam gwin rüdh,             I prefer red wine, (Red wine is better with me)
bes bolla te ew an gwella genam.    but I like a cup of tea best.
                                                            (but a cup of tea is best with me.)

drog                                                     bad
gweth                                                   worse
an gwettha                                           the worst

e’n gwella pres                                    fortunately
e’n gwettha pres                                 unfortunately

lak                                                         useless, poor
lakka                                                     worse
an lakka                                                the worst

Ma lies gwreg lakka ’vel seg.             There are many wives more useless than draff.

   There are also other forms of comparison:
moy ... es                                              more ... than
mar[1] ...avel                                         as ... as
maga ... avel                                          as ... as          
gweth avel hedna                                 worse than that




[1] mar or maga causes mixed mutation of following consonants

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