Writing a Diary 26 (current activities)

Current activities

We have looked at ways of talking about what we have done, what we are going to do and what we ought to do. Now it is time to talk about what we are actually doing: the present tense. (You might find this more useful for a video-diary or phone conversation than a written diary.) 

We have used a number of auxiliary verbs, mainly the verb <gwil> do or make; now we are going to use the verb <boas> be or being. Once again, the secondary verb is in the form of the verbal noun, and it needs a verbal particle <o> (<ow> in SWFM and occasionally <owth>) which is the equivalent of adding “-ing” to the end of a verb in English. 

You have probably just got used to the “soft mutation” caused by the verbal particle <a> used with the preterite. Now you have to learn the “hard mutation” caused by <o>.

The verb <boas> be or being has two forms. The one used with verbs is the “locative”.

In SWFLt  “I am” can be <thera vy> [1]  or  <therama>  or <theram>

Here are some examples. The initial <m> in <moas> does not mutate:

thera vy o moas	I am going
thera vy o moas mes	I am going out
thera vy o moas tre	I am going home
thera vy o moas kerr [2]	I am going away
thera vy o moas ales	I am going abroad
thera vy o moas dres mor	I am going overseas

In Late Cornish the verbal particle may be left out, especially in rapid speech:

thera vy moas	I am going
therama moas	I am going
thera vy moas mes	I am going out
thera vy moas tre	I am going home

The hard mutation is seen if you use <doas> come instead of <moas> go, even if the verbal particle is left out:

thera vy o toas	I am coming
thera vy o toas tre	I am coming home
thera vy toas mes	I am coming out
therama toas kerr	I am coming away
theram o toas e’n dre	I am coming into town

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[1] or <thero’vy> or <thero vy> with non-trad graphs. SWFM <yth esov vy>.

Nicholas Williams uses <yth esoma>.

[2] SWFM <yn kerth>