Sunday, 23rd February
We need bos locative to talk about what our subjects are doing (concentrating on LC).
Ma’n kei ow palas. The dog is digging.
Ma va ow palas. He is digging.
Ma’n hogh ow còsca. The pig is sleeping.
Ma va ow còsca. He is sleeping.
For asking questions, we need üjy again with the ow...ing particle.
Üjy Jory ow palas? Is George digging?
Nag üjy! No!
Ma kei Jory ow palas. George’s dog is digging.
Üjy Tamsin ow còsca? Is Thomasina sleeping?
Üjy! Yes!
You need to ask an open-ended question if you want more than a yes/no answer.
For that you need Pandra? What?
Derived from “Pe an dra?” (Which the thing?) and often shortened to Pandr’
Pandr’üjy Wella ow kil?
What is William doing?
Pandr’üjy Wella ha Maria ow cül?
What are William and Mary doing?
Nag üjy Wella ha Maria ow kil tra veth.}
Nag üjy Wella ha Maria ow cül tra veth.}
William and Mary are not doing anything.
(Literally says W and M are not doing nothing! Double negatives are required in Cornish.)
Ma Wella ha Maria ow cül whel.}
Ma Wella ha Maria ow kil whel.}
William and Mary are working.}
William and Mary are doing work.}
This brings us to a feature of the ow ...ing particle; it causes something called a hard mutation (provection).
The verb “to do” (also “to make”) is gwil or gül
(same vowel sound – pre-SWF spelling gweel).
It doesn’t matter which you choose to use.
In LC trad, usual provection changes
g > k before i, e, y
g> c before u, o, a and consonants
g > q before w (but not in gwil, which drops its w)
MC main form verb is gul (different pronunciation) but just one hard mutation g > k whatever follows.
Here are MCm versions:
Pandr’usi Wella ha Maria ow kul?
What are William and Mary doing?
Nyns usi Wella ha Maria ow kul tra vyth.
William and Mary are not doing anything.
Ma Wella ha Maria ow kul hwel.
William and Mary are doing work, i.e. working.
Notice that “main form” uses <hw>, while “traditional” uses <wh> (sounds the same).
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