Learn Late Cornish Bit by Bit 58 (A Bit About Doing)

A Bit About Doing

There are two versions of the verb to do, doing. One is gül[1], which undergoes hard mutation after o and is used with the locative of boas to be for the present tense, e.g.:

thero’vy o cül[2]                            I am doing

Thero’vy o cül neppeth.               I’m doing something.

Fatel ero’whei o cül?[3]                How are you doing? (How do you do?)

Pandr’ero’whei o cül?                  What are you doing?

As we have seen it also undergoes soft mutation after dhe to:

dhe wül                                           to do

Oro’whei pandra dhe wül?           Do you know what to do?

Gül and gwil also mean to make, making:

Ma hei o gwil tesen ragos.           She is making a cake for thee.

The past participle is gwres:

Tho an chymbla gwres a ven.     The chimney was made of stone.

We have already met this verb, used in the past tense and in the future tense as an auxiliary with other verbs, e.g.:

Ev a wrüg debry tesen.                 He did eat (a) cake. He ate (a) cake.

Na wra che golhy lestry.              Thou shalt not wash dishes.

For the future (affirmative) you can use a wra or ’wra will do with another verb, e.g.:

Me a wra debry coffen.                  I will eat (I will do eating) a pasty.

Che a wra golhy lestry.                 You (informal) will wash dishes.

Ev a wra eva cor’.                           He will drink beer.

Hei a wra redya hy lever.              She will read her book.

Nei a wra neyja e’n mor.                We’ll swim in the sea.

Whei a wra perna chei nowyth.   You will buy a new house.

Anjei a wra desky Kernôwek.      They will learn Cornish.

---

[1]   the other is gwil which is further from Middle Cornish. It does not undergo hard mutation.

[2]   pronounced [keel]

[3]   a useful greeting