We have looked at the pure long vowels (â, ê, î, ô and û), so now we’ll start having a look at the pure shorter ones.
We’ve seen
long “closed” ê, pronounced as é in French été,
in such words as dên, hwêg, gwrêg and têg.
(In SWF these are spelled without the circumflex, i.e. den, hweg, gwreg, teg)
Now we have
long “open” ea, pronounced like ê in French fête
(In the SWF this is sometimes spelled eu, sometimes just e, presumably depending on Tudor Cornish pronunciation)
mean = a stone (SWF: men)
lean = full (trei zah lean = three bags full) (SWF: leun)
gweal = a field
hweal = work (hwilaz hweal dho wîl = to look for work to do) (SWF: hwel)
lear = ground (codha war an lear = to fall on the ground) (SWF: leur)
gwreag = a wife (alternative spelling) (SWF: only one spelling)
In some words ea is followed by a second vowel sound
deau = two (deau heccamol = two dickybirds) (SWF: dow)
reau = frost, ice (maga widn vel an reau = as white as the frost)
leauh = a calf
The same vowel sound is also produced by ae, ai and ee
cair = a fort
trailia = to turn (SWF: traylya)
deel = leaves (alternative to delkio) (note: this is not the English pronunciaton of ee
short “closed” e, pronounced as in English get
gwelaz = to see (SWF: gweles)
gwenin = bees (SWF: gwenen)
gwenan = a pimple
de Gwenar = Friday
henz = Way (in place names) (SWF: hens)
pelan = a little ball
short “open” e, pronounced like e in French elle,
generally stressed before l, r and rr
pel = distant, far (SWF: pell)
pelha = further
peldar = distance
gwel = better
gwelha = best (ol an gwelha = all the best)
ker = away (moaz ker = to go away)
kerh = oats
dinerhi = to greet, to welcome
merh = daughter
merh = horses (plural of marh)
de Merh = Tuesday
mîz Merh = March
kerraz = to walk
pedn = a head
ez? = is there? (etc.)
crampez = a pie
gennez = born
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