Marhasna 7 (buying by length)

So far we have concentrated on foods that can be bought by weight or in containers. Now let’s look at purchases that come by length – for those DIY enthusiasts and crafters among you who like making things from scratch.

What do we use for measuring length?

lath	yard stick (hence yard length)
scantlyn	ruler, yardstick
scantlyn üdn meter	metre rule
linen methera or  müsürel	tape measure

Here are the metric and imperial measurements:

misva (f)	inch
trooshes (trooshes pedrak)	foot (square foot)
lath (f)	yard (This can also just mean “measure”)
hanter lath	half a yard
kevelin	yard
millimeter	millimetre
centimeter	centimetre
meter	metre

Here are some of the things that can be bought by length:

predn	wood, timber
tymber	timber
styckedn	post
styllen (f) or astel (f)	board
planken (f)	board, plank
stull	thick plank
gwias	fabric (anything woven)
stoff	cloth, material, stuff
ledn	cloth
las	lace
snod	ribbon, tape
snod elastek	elastic
corden (f)	cord
loven (f)	rope

And where you might do your shopping:

gwerther prednyer or marchant predn	timber merchant
garth prednyer	wood yard
shoppa D.I.Y	D.I.Y. shop
shoppa peth naja/najeth	haberdashery

And here are some examples of use:

Re gòtt ew wor misva.	It's too short by an inch.
Ro 'mann higa an lath.	Stop cheating on the measure.
Ma dhebm patron rag cota. Me a wra perna pemp meter a gwias gwloan.	I have a pattern for a coat. I’ll buy 5m of woollen fabric.
Ma odhom dhebm a naw styckedn üdn meter rag pal.	I need nine 1m posts for a fence.
Me a venja trei lath a afinans las.	I’d like 3yd of lace trimming.

Here is an old rhyme about a cheating weaver:

Whei lader gwiader (weaver),

Lavarew’ ’gas pader (prayer),

Ha ro ’mann dhe higa (cheat) an lath.

Grew’ owna (mend) ’gas for’ow,

Hedhyw po avorow,

Ha whei ’ell boas den da whath!