Moving to Cornwall (an in-comers view)
Cornblogger - blogging about Cornwall
Learn the Cornish Language |
| Posted on Jun 24 2008 >> Back |
Well some of it anyway!
BBC Radio Cornwall regularly broadcast news and other radio programmes in the Cornish (Kernewek / Kernowek / Kernuak / Curnoack) language. It’s fascinating to listen to but just like any other language you have never learned, completely unintelligible!
This post will help you understand the basics and hopefully teach you a thing or two at the same time.
The Cornish language is nothing like the English language. This quick guide should get you started.
The Cornish language alphabet
A a = a
B b = be
Ch ch = cha
D d = de
E e = e
F f = ev
G g = ge
H h = ha
I i = i
J j = je
K k = ka
L l = el
M m = em
N n = en
O o = o
P p = pe
R r = er
S s = es
T t = te
U u = u
V v = ve
W w = we
Y y = ye
A brief history of the Cornish language
The Cornish language is a Celtic language. It’s closely related to Breton and Welsh and is part of a family of languages which includes Scots and Irish.
In the 5th century AD Britain was invaded by the rather agressive Anglo-Saxons. The native Celts were pushed out of what we now know as England and into the far West and North of Britain.
The Celtic language went with them but due to the physical distances between what we now know as Cornwall, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, it developed slightly differently. Some Celts even left Britain altogether and set sail for the West of France. Their version of the Celtic language became Breton.
The Cornish language is quite similar to Welsh and Breton due to the fact they are the nearest.
Dolly Pentreath
It is said that the last person to speak the Cornish language without knowing any English was a woman called Dolly Pentreath who lived in Mousehole. Dolly died in 1777 and some people say the language died with her but, needless to say, the Cornish language did not disappear.
Since Dolly Pentreath’s death, Cornish has been spoken alongside English by many Cornish people and even been their native tongue but as a sole use language, it went into decline until the ‘Cornish Revival’ at the beginning of the 20th century.
The ‘Cornish Revival’
At the beginning of the 20th century a few intellectuals began to study Cornish texts which had survived from ancient times and from them worked out rules for spelling and grammar.
The Cornish language that is spoken today, is, some say, an artificial language, as “unoficially” Cornish died with Dolly Pentreath in 1777!
Having said that, the revival has continued to this day and its popularity is growing all the time.
The Cornish language now
Cornish is not spoken by huge numbers of people although it is estimated that several thousand people know enough to hold conversations in Cornish.
Learning the Cornish language is an option in some schools and it’s possible to study the Cornish language to degree level.
Cornish is used quite extensively throughout Cornwall. Many road signs are in Cornish, newspapers, magazines and some radio programmes are in Cornish, there are books in Cornish, businesses named in Cornish and even a Cornish language film industry!
Cornish words and phrases
How to greet a Cornish person…
Good day = Dydh da
Good morning = Myttin da
Good afternoon = Dohajydh da
Good evening = Gorthugher da
How are you? = Fatla genes?
…and how to answer
I am well thank you = Yn poynt da, meur ras.
Basic phrases in Cornish
Please = Marpleg
Thank you = Meur ras
Where is the toilet? = Ple’ma an bysva?
Useful phrases when you’re in a Cornish pub - always go down well - especially the first one!
What do you want to drink? = Pandra vynn’ta dh’y eva?
Pint of beer please. = Pinta korev marpleg.
Cheers = Yeghes da / Sewena
Saying good bye to a Cornish person
Good bye (God be with you) = Dyw genes
Good bye (see you) = Dha weles
Good night = Nos dha
A few more Cornish words
Avon = River (explains why so many River Avons in Britain!)
Ayrplen = Aeroplane
Beach = Treath
Boat = Scatho
Chambour = bedroom
Cornwall = Kernow
Eglos = Church
Fas = Face
Kenynen ewynek = Garlic
Mam = Mother
Mine = Bal or Wheal
Onyonen = Onion
Plat = Plate
Pons = Bridge
Port, Cove or Bay = Porth
Pytsa = Pizza
Rocks = Carreg
Scubylen dens = Toothbrush
Sea = Mor
Stevel omwolhy = Bathroom
Water = Dowr
Well there you have it, a basic guide to the Cornish language which may or may not come in useful sometime.
Personally, I have found it fascinating and will hope to learn more as time goes by.