A Year of Late Cornish Day 240

Dew Cansves Dedh ha Dew Ügens

De Merher, nawnjegves warn ügens mis Est.    

Wednesday, 29^th August.

Ma whath lies havyas e’n morrebow a-hes oll adro dhe’n als a Gernow. Nag ew hav dewethys whath. Na wrüg scolyow dalleth aga tremmîs kidnyadh whath. Bettegens, ma nebes shoppas o parüjy dhe geas rag an gwav. Mowns o qwertha aga warow rag hanter pris dhe glerya aga stylednow. Nessa mis a vedh deffrans. Lies shoppa a vedh alwhedhys ha gwag.

There are still lots of summer visitors along the seafronts all around the coast of Cornwall. Summer is not finished yet. Schools have not begun their autumn term yet. However, some shops are preparing to close for the winter. They are selling their wares for half price to clear their shelves. Next month will be different. Many shops will be locked and empty.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 233

Dew Cansves Dedh Terdhek warn Ügens

De Merher ew, an nessa dedh warn ügens a vis Est.        

It’s Wednesday, the 22^nd day of August.

En Sowsnek, gelwys ew an mis-ma warlergh Augustus, emprowr a Rôm. Hedna nag ew an cas en Kernôwek, keth ero nei whath tochys gen an Romans. An ger Laten rag hav ew “aestas” ha’n ger Laten rag tòbmder ew “aestus”. Rag hedna, “mis Est” alja menya an mis a hav po an mis tòbm. Ma nebes bestas o còsca en hav dhe woheles tòbmder ûhel ha ayredh segh marow. Mowns “aestivate” en Sowsnek. Pecar ha gwavy ew, leb ew còsca dres an gwav dhe woheles an yender.

In English, this month is named after Augustus, a Roman emperor. That is not the case in Cornish, though we are still affected by the Romans. The Latin word for summer is “aestas” and the Latin word for heat is “aestus”. Therefore, “mis Est” could mean the month of summer or the hot month. Some animals sleep in summer to avoid high temperature and an arid climate. They “aestivate” in English. It’s like hibernating, which is sleeping through the winter to avoid the cold.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 228

Dew Cansves Dedh Eth warn Ügens

De Gwener, seythdegves mis Est.      

Friday, 17^th August.

Ma disqwedhyans art en Ty war’n Heyl. Ma lies pyctur etto ha nebes cartednow. Me a welas bolla gwres a bredn ewedh. An auctor a’n levrow adro dhe Poldark a wrüg triga e’n treveglos. Eus ober Poldark? Ma’n bagas art o cawas esperans endella. Ma havalder da a Ross Poldark e’n disqwedhyans. A wra nebonan y berna?

There is an art exhibition in Perranporth. There are many pictures in it and several cards. I saw a bowl made of wood as well. The author of the books about Poldark lived in the village. Is there a Poldark effect? The art group hopes so. There is a good portrait of Ross Poldark in the exhibition. Will someone buy it?

A Year of Late Cornish Day 227

Dew Cansves Dedh Seyth warn Ügens

De Yow, whetegves mis Est.       

Thursday, 16^th August.

Pandr’ew an frooth ma? Me a’s cuntellas dhort gwedhen en ke reb o lowarth. Nag eus spernen veth war an wedhen, etho nag ew an wedhen spernen dhû. Ploumbren ew. Saw re vian ew an frutys dhe voas ploumys wheg ha re vroas ens dhe voas eyrin. Thew an frooth moy trenk vel ploumys. bes le wherow vel eyrin. Bettegens, pur dha ens gen avalow ha mor dû en keffeth. (Me a wrüg trehy mes an prevas en kensa!)

What is this fruit? I picked them from a tree in a hedge by my garden. There is not a single thorn on the tree, so the tree is not a blackthorn. It’s a plum tree. But the fruits are too small to be sweet plums and too big to be sloes. The fruit is more sour than plums but less bitter than sloes. Nevertheless, they are very good with apples and blackberries in jam. (I did cut out the little worms first.)

 

A Year of Late Cornish Day 226

This is practice reading for Cornish learners. Try to understand it before you lookat the translation. 

I haven't missed a day so far, since January 2nd but my daily blog seems difficult to find, so I am repeating it on this blog. For previous days click this link:

http://ayearoflatecornish.blogspot.com/

Dew Cansves Dedh Whegh warn Ügens

De Merher, pemdhegves mis Est.

Wednesday, 15^th August.

Pandra dhe dhebry? Hedna ew an qwestyon. Na vadna vy debry kig na moy. Nag eus whans dhebm a gawas tra veth dhort bestas – na kig, na pesk, na cregyn, na keus, na leth, na oyow naneyl. Eus nekevys genam neb tra? Manen! Na wra vy debry manen war o bara scrawys na fella. Rag haunsel me a dhabras is gen “leth” amenut. Rag kidnyow me a gawas ejan fav gen lies losowen. Ha pandra warbydn coon? Me a drias füg-hos. (En Alys en Pow an Anethow ma Füg-Grobman.) Lebmyn ma bèrlosken dhebm. Na wrama tria hedna arta.

What to eat? That is the question. I will not eat meat any more. I don’t want to have anything from animals – neither meat, nor fish, nor shellfish, nor cheese, nor milk, nor eggs. Have I forgotten anything? I am no longer going to eat butter on my toast. For breakfast I ate cereal with almond “milk”. For lunch I had a bean burger with lots of vegetables. And what for supper? I tried mock duck. (In Alice in Wonderland there is a Mock Turtle.) Now I have indigestion. I won’t try that again.

Day Two Hundred

Very proud of myself! I've reached the two-hundredth day of my daily blog, without missing any days. For the previous 199 days see http://ayearoflatecornish.blogspot.com

Will I be able to keep it up till next New Year's Day? No photos today. Housework is not very picturesque.

Dew Cansves Dedh

De Gwener, ügensves mis Gorefan.

Friday, 20th July.

Thera nei o còrtos rag agan mab dhe omweles wara nei. Soweth! Na ell ev doas avorow. Ma pestik dhodho – ha dh’y wreg ha dhe’n gevellyon ewedh. Martesen anjei a wra doas de Sül po de Lün. Ma esperans dhebm.

We are waiting for our son to visit us. Oh dear! He can’t come tomorrow. He has a bug – and so do his wife and the twins. Perhaps they will come on Sunday or Monday. I hope.

Thera dhen gwisgdy spar. Nebonan a’n kemeras dhe ves. E veu ahoson rag arrayans nowydh et o chombour. Nei a wrüg movya gwisgdy aral, üdn cofer neythow, üdn bord gen gweder mires, diw guben vian, üdn kist lednow, üdn chayr ha teyr styllen levrow (gen lies lever). Nei a gavas podn – meur a bodn – mar veur a bodn! Nag eus whans dhebm dhe waya mebel moy rag termyn pur hir.

We had a spare wardrobe. Somebody took it away. There was an opportunity for a new arrangement in my bedroom. We moved another wardrobe, a chest-of-drawers, a (dressing) table with a mirror, two small lockers, one blanket box, one chair and three bookshelves (with many books). We found dust – lots of dust – so much dust! I do not want to move any more furniture for a very long time.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 176

An Cansves Dedh Whetek ha Trei Ügens

De Meurth, wheffes warn ügens mis Efan. 

Tuesday, 26^th June. 

Ma a dhallathas o blog an nessa dedh a vis Genver. Ha lebmyn ew an wheffes dedh warn ügens a vis Efan.

Qwarter òja pemp ha me a veu difünys mes a dhornow gen omweler e’n lowarth. Kei agan kentrevoges a venja gwary gen kei nei. Ma tol en ke kevys ganjo (tol gwres gen dorgy). Ma termyn lowr dhe dhebry dijunih còsel ha parüjy rag Cresen Lowarth Chacewater. Ma disqwedhyans art ena – ha me a wra cowsel adro dhe’n pycturs en Kernôwek.   

I started my blog on the second day of January. And now it is the twenty-sixth day of June. 

Quarter past five and I was woken unexpectedly by a visitor in the garden. Our neighbour’s dog wanted to play with our dog. It has found a hole in a hedge (a hole made by a badger). There’s enough time to eat a leisurely breakfast and get ready for Chacewater Garden Centre. There’s an art exhibition there – and I’m going to talk about the pictures in Cornish.