2024 Day 305

2024 Dedh Trei Hans ha Pemp

De Yow, udnegves warn ugens mis Hedra

Thursday, 31st October

Piw o "Capt." Noel Carter dhort Breanek? Ma dhen gwers scrifys ganjo en 1698. Dysmyk ow tòchya puskes ewa - ha'n gorryp ew collel lesa po collel. Avel mester, ev a welas an bestes ma e'n oon las. Hengok Julia McKenzie o mester gorhel hag ev a's gwelas ewedh. Whei ell aga gweles et hy lymnansow war chartys ha mappys coth. Mester Jack a welas lies pesk bian keffres  ha morviles bras. Ottòbma an pùsal (agan spellyans a vedh deffrans).

Who was "Capt." Noel Carter from St Agnes? We have a verse written by him in 1698. It's a riddle about fishes - and the answer is an octopus or cuttlefish. As a sea captain, he saw these animals in the "green down". Julia McKenzie's great-grandfather was a ship's captain and he saw them too. You can see them in her illustrations on old charts and maps. Captain Jack Lowry saw many little fish as well as big whales. Here is the puzzle (our spelling will be different).

Geryow rag hedhyw Words for today

Breanek (PN) St Agnes (Agnes's Hill)

chartys marine charts/maps <chart (m)

collel (f) cuttlefish

collel lesa (f) octopus (dialect guzalezza)

dysmyk (m) riddle, puzzle

gwers (m) verse, poem

goon las (f) green down, sea (poetic)

gorryp ~ gorthyp (m) answer

lymnansow illustrations < lymnans (m)

mappys maps < mappa (m)

morviles whales < morvil (m) (sea-animal)

pùsal (m) puzzle, conundrum

Capt. Noel Carter of St.Agnes 1698 

Ha mi a moaz 

A Mi a moaz, a mi a moaz in Goon Glaze, (As I was going on the sea)
Mi a clouaz, a clouaz, a clouaz, a troz, a troz, a troz, an pysgaz miniz.  ( I heard the sound of the tiny fish)
Bez mi a trouviaz un pysg brawze, Naw Losia,  (But I found one big fish, nine tails)
Olla Boble en Porthia ha Marazjowan  (All the people in St Ives and Marazion)
Ne mi ôr Dho Gan Zingy.  (Nor me knows not how to catch it.)
(Bor.MS: Nevra ni ôr dho ganzingy.) 

(in Borlase & Tonkin) 1698 OC Vol I (Tonkin MS) 

2024 Day 304

2024 Dedh Trei Hans ha Pajar 

De Merher, degves warn ügens mis Hedra 

Wednesday, 30th October  

 

Hedhyw my a viras orth disqwedhyans art marthys gen Julia McKenzie. Hy hengok a veu genys en Lanvausa, ogas dhe Falmeth. Mester gorhel-gòlyow brâs - gorhel teyr gwern - o y gawl. Y drümajys a'n kemeras tredh Bretayn Veur ha America Soth, ow carya cargow a glow po kig. Terweythyow thera yey e'n mor. Pub dedh ev a wrüg scrifa dedhlever. Julia re lymnas y viajys - en paynt, paper ha prei.

Today I looked at a wonderful art exhibition by Julia McKenzie. Her great-grandfather was born in St Mawes, near Falmouth. His profession was captain of a big sailing ship - a three-master. His sea voyages took him between Britain and South America, carrying shiploads of coal or meat. Sometimes there was ice in the sea. Every day he wrote a diary. Julia has illustrated his journeys - in paint, paper and clay.

Geryow rag hedhyw Words for today 

cargow shiploads, cargoes < carg (m)

carya to transport

dedhlever (m) diary, daybook

disqwedhyans (m) exhibition 

gawl (m) profession, calling, vocation

genys born

glow (coll.) coal

gorhel-gòlyow (m) sailing ship

gwern (f) mast

hengok (m) great-grandfather

kig (m) meat

Lanvausa (PN) St Mawes (St Maudet's church site)

lymna to illustrate

mester (m) sea captain

trümajys ~ trümajow sea voyages < trümach (m) (t>d)

viajys journeys < viaj (m)

yey (m) ice

2024 Day 303

2024 Dedh Trei Hans ha Trei 

De Meurth, nawes warn ügens mis Hedra 

Tuesday, 29th October 

Ew da genowgh dewosow lasek? Vednowgh cawas badna? Kernow ew a bris rag bryhy, keffres ha pastys. Pandr'ew gwell genowgh - cor, cider, gwin po, martesen, gwiras wressek? Cor ha cider ell bos bregys en lestry brâs - ha diwedhys en balyers po botellow. Ma radn ow kil dowr tòbm (hanter cans pens a'n botel). William Allen a ros cussül dhe'n düs Gernow nanj ew moy es trei hans bledhen.

Do you like alcoholic drinks? Will you take a drop? Cornwall is renowned for brewing, as well as pasties. What do you prefer - beer, cider, wine or, perhaps, strong spirits? Beer and cider can be brewed in big tanks - and finished in barrels or bottles. Some makes alcoholic spirit (£50 a bottle). William Allen gave advice to the people of Cornwall more than 300 years ago.

 

Deg ger rag hedhyw Ten words for today 

a bris renowned, outstanding, famous

bregys brewed < brag (m) malt

bryhy brewing, to brew

cor (m) beer (SWFM korev)

dewosow drinks < dewes (m)

dowr tòbm (m) alcoholic spirit (SWFM dowr tomm)

gwin (m) wine

gwiras wressek (f) strong (ardent!) spirits

keffres ha as well as

lasek alcoholic < las (m) alcohol

lestry tanks, vessels < lester (m)

William Allen c.1704: Rhyme 1 

Na reugh eva re 
Mez eva ra guz zehaz: 
Ha hedna, muy po le, 
Vedn gwitha, corf en ehaz 

(Gw MSS) P99 Ellis 

Obviously, spelling has changed over the years. 

This is how we spell it now (SWFLt) in 2024. 

Nouns in red. 

Verbs in green (including verbal particles). 

Na wrewgh eva re (Don't drink too much)
Bes eva (evowgh)* rag ‘gas sehes: (But drink for your thirst:)
Ha hedna, moy po le, (And that, more or less,)
Vedn gwitha corf en yehes (Will keep a body in health.)

*Note: evowgh is the usual imperative (formal/plural) but since this is the second verb in the sentence it is OK to use the verbal noun/infinitive eva. 

What can you understand of his second rhyme?

William Allen c.1704: Rhyme 2 

Kensa blethan, byrla a’baye; 
Nessa blethan, lull a’laye; 
Tridgya blethan, hanna drubba,  

Peswarra blethan, mola Dew  

war ef reeg dry hy uppa 

(OC Vol IV No 9, Summer 1949)