Lesson 3.2 (sorry this one is out of sequence)

Tridzha descanz – radn deau
(SWF: deskans 3 - radn dow)

Notes on pronunciation continued:

More of those long pure vowels.
We have seen the long â, as in câth (cat) and the long ê, as in dên (man)

The other long vowels are:
î, pronounced as in English fear, tier, leek, Rita, etc.
ô, there is no exact equivalent in English, approximately as in hose (as in French Clio according to RG)
and û, pronounced as in English brute, flute, etc.

Here are some examples:
Somplez:

bîan = small
bêz bîan = a little finger
crîb = a comb, a crest
crîba an pedn = to comb ones hair (head)
dîan = complete
en tîan - completely
fîr = wise
(dên fîr = a wise man, An Trei Dên Fîr = The Three Wise Men)
gwîn = wine
gwîr = true
(en gwîr ettâ = as a matter of fact)
hîr = long, tall
lîan = a sheet, cloth, etc.
lîaz = many
(lîaz trevath = frequently)
mîro! = look!
myldîr = a mile
rîm = a rhyme
pîl = a pile
sîr = sure
sîrah = a father
skîanz = intelligence
(skîanz dâ = common sense)
tîak = farmer
tîr = land
(bargentîr = a farm)


adrô / drô = around, about
drôg = bad, evil, harm
(gwîth nei dhort drôg = keep us from harm / deliver us from evil)
fôz = a wall (mutates to an vôz)
môg = smoke
nôz = (a) night
(ternôz = overnight, termen an nôz = night time)
plôs = dirty
rôm = a room
rôs = a moor
rôsh = a valley
rôz = a wheel
(scaval rôz = a wheel chair)
thô vi = I am
ô hwei = are you (descriptive)


bûz = food
cûk = a cuckoo
cûl = a light breeze
cûz = a wood. a forest
dûla = hands
gûber = a wage, hire
gûdh = a goose
gûdzh = blood
gûn = downland, a gown
gûr = a husband
Jûan = John
hûla = to cry
Kernûak = Cornish
lûan = happy
lûar = a garden
lûarn = a fox
lûb = a herb
lûr = a moon
lûz = grey
pednrûz = red-headed
plûs = sore (plôs means dirty)
pûz = heavy
pûza = to push, press, etc.
scûdh = a shoulder
trûz = a foot
tûr = a tower

Here are some SWF equivalents
(but, always use Dick Gendall's spelling as your pronunciation guide)

The reason for some of the spelling differences is that the SWF has to cover the different pronunciation of Tudor Cornish as well. The spelling of some vowels has little effect on the pronunciation - unstressed (schwa) vowels all sound the same (as in Eng. London, Falmouth, cabbage, etc.)

some simply miss off the circumflex accent, e.g. bian instead of bîan
some respell the vowel(s), e.g. yn instead of en, lowen instead of lûan, sur instead of sîr
SWF does not use z, e.g. nos instead of nôz, boos instead of bûz

bian = small
bes bian = a little finger
dien = complete
yn tien = completely
gwin = wine
gwir = true
hir = long, tall
lies = many
(liesqweyth = frequently)
miro! = look!
sur = sure
sira = a father
skians = intelligence
(skians da = common sense)
tiek = farmer
tir = land

a-dro/’dro = around, about
drog = bad, evil, harm
nos = (a) night
plos = dirty
ros = a wheel
th o’vy = I am
o’hwei = are you (descriptive)

boos = food
coos = a wood. a forest
diwla - hands
goodh = a goose
goos = blood
goon = downland, a gown
gour = a husband
Kernowek = Cornish
lowen = happy
lowarn = a fox
loor = a moon
poos = heavy
scoodh = a shoulder
troos = a foot
tour = a tower