Sunday, 8 May 2016

Tabm a Gernow 38 (gorse)

No, I haven't forgotten that gorse or furze is prickly, and that there has always been plenty of it in Cornwall, as evidenced by place names. It wasn't always considered a weed, a furze brake was often grown as a source of fuel. Dry gorse was ideal for firing up the old cloam ovens. I thought it merited a post on its own. Don't forget the old saying, "When gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of season"!

Trenithan (one in Probus, another in St Enoder,  were Treneythin in 1259) 
Trenython (was Treneithen in 1201) now should all be Tre'neythin, "farm at the furze".
Parc-an-Ithon "the furze field"
Rosenithon (was Rosneython in 1249) should now be Ros an Eythin, "roughland at the furze"

Slightly more altered by time there are:

Hendrifton (was Hendreneythyn in 1362) should now be Hendre'neythin, "home farm at the furze".
Carn Pednathan (was Cabaneithan in 1866) should now be either Capa'n Eythin, "the furze cape", or Pedn Eythin, "furze headland".

These give us:
eythin (collective noun) gorse, furze
eythinen (n.f.) an individual gorse or furze bush

Ma'n eythin o tevy war keow e'n eur-ma. Ma va o tevy en difeythyow e'wedh. Gyllys ens dhort an gwelyow bargen tir. Nag ens ûsyes rag cünis lebmyn. Ma fornow tredanek, gass po oyl dhe geniver onan.




Ma ethen know coco dhe'n flourys eythin, rag dynya gwenen. Nag eus bes badna mel münys, bes ma bleus flourys lowr. An flourys ell boas debrys. En termyn eus passyes flourys eythin o ûsyes rag medhakneth, dhe rei sawarn ha liw dhe gor, dowr tòbm, gwin ha te, ha dhe liwa lien ha gwloan. An rüsk o ûsyes rag liwa, e'wedh, ha'n has o ûsyes warbidn whadn (fleas).


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