Dedh Üdnek warn Ügens

 De Gwener, üdnegves warn ügens mis Genver

Friday, 31^st January

Hedhyw ew an diwettha dedh an mis. Avorow a vedh an kensa dedh a vis Whevrel. Nag ew hedna pur nojejek, whei a lavar. An keth tra a wrüg wharvos e'n vledhen eus tremenys. Saw an vledhen ma ew deffrans. Diwedh ew a neppeth brâssa. Thera nei ow cara an Unyans Europeek. Ma lavar coth en Jowan Chei a Horr: “Na wrewgh gara an vorr goth rag an vorr nowydh!” Pandr'ew an vorr goth? Benyn goth o vy ha my ell remembra dalla Kemeneth Economek Europeek, gen Kevambos Rôm, termyn my a veu môs en scol. Na veu bes whegh pow e'n “Clubb” e'n dedhyow-na: Frenk, Almayn, Pow Belj, An Iseldiryow, Luxembourg hag Italy. Thera whans dhodhans a gres en Europ – ha lowen o ga whel-oberow glow ha metol. Òja whegh bledhen e veu whans dhe Vreten Veur a jûnya ewedh, rag chêsonys economek. “Marhas Kebmyn” o. Bes Pedn-leder de Gaulle (Pow Frenk) a lavaras “Non!” Breten Veur hag Europ o ankesplegadow – avel calgh ha keus (po mel ha manyn). Thera dhe nei policys deffrans en politegieth, economegieth ha tibyans socyal. Nei a wrüg “mires a-bera”. Nei a wrüg jûnya en mil naw cans trei ügens ha terdhek. Lebmyn, dogens bledhen ha seyth môy diwedha, ma eth warn ügens stat esel bes thera nei ow cara arta. A wrüga nei besca treylya? A vedh an vorr nowydh da genen?

Today is the last day of the month. Today will be the first day of February. That is not very remarkable, you say. The same thing happened last year. But this year is different. It's the end of something bigger. We are leaving the European Community. There is an old saying in John of Ram's House: “Don't leave the old way for the new way!” What is the old way? I am an old woman and I can remember the start of the European Economic Community with the Treaty of Rome when I was a girl in school. There were only six countries in the “Club” in those days: France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxemburg and Italy. They wanted peace in Europe – and their coal and steel industries were happy. After six years Great Britain wanted to join too, for economic reasons. It was the “Common Market”. But President de Gaulle (France) said “Non!” Great Britain and Europe were incompatible – like chalk and cheese (or honey and butter). We had different policies in politics, economics and social ideas. We were “inward-looking”. We did join in 1973. Now, 47 years later, there are 28 member states but we are leaving again. Did we ever change? Will we like the new way?

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

ankesplegadow incompatible

an vledhen eus tremenys last year, the past year

calgh (m) chalk

chêson (m) reason

glow (m) coal

keus (m) cheese

kevambos (m) treaty, agreement

metol (m) steel

nojejek remarkable, notable (you can also use anwejek)

tibyans (m) theory, idea

Dedh Deg warn Ügens

De Yow, degves warn ügens mis Genver

Thursday, 30^th January

Ma gwersyow ow tòchya mordarow ha carpentour scrifys gen Lewis Carroll en “Der an Gweder Mires ha Mens a Gavas Alys Ena”. Treylyes ew an lever dien gen Nicholas Williams.

Medh an Mordarow “A lies tra

kestalkya nei a res:

a scathow, skichow (eskisyow), cor selya,

cawl, metêrnedh an bes,

üjy ow pryjyon tòbm an mor

ha skelly dhe vogh mars eus.” 

Hemm ew “kestalkyans bian” theram ow pedery. Nag ew fitty dhe gows a grejyans, politegieth ha mòna en “cowethas cortes”. Discortes ew dh'y wil. An gewer ew mater saw. Agan mater a gescows meurgerys ew! Ma nebes gweryow war an gewer e'n Beybel Sans; Matthe whetek rag sompel, en gwersyow dew ha trei. Pan vo an gordhûher devedhys, why a lever, 'Teg vedh an awel, rag rüdh ew an ebòrn', ha mettin whei a lever, 'E vedh hager-awel hedhyw, rag an ebòrn ew rüdh ha tewl.'

There are verses by Lewis Carroll in “Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There” about a walrus and a carpenter. The whole book is translated by Nicholas Williams. The Walrus said “we must talk of many things, of ships, shoes, sealing wax, cabbages, kings of the world, is the sea boiling hot and if pigs have wings”. 

This is “small talk” I think. It is not appropriate to talk about religion, politics or money in “polite society”. It is rude to do it. The weather is a safe topic. It's our favourite topic of conversation. There are several verses on the weather in the Holy Bible; Matthew 16, for example, verses 2 and 3. When the evening comes, you say 'the weather will be fair for the sky is red', and in the morning you say ,'There will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowring.”

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

crejyans (m) religion, belief (also crejans or cryjyans)

discortes impolite, rude

gweder mires (m) looking glass, mirror

gwersyow verses < singular gwers (m)

kescows, kestalkyans (m) conversation, dialogue, talk (together)

mater (m) topic, matter, subject

mogh pigs < singular hogh (m)

mordarow (m) walrus (sea bull)

politegieth (m) politics

skelly/eskelly wings < singular askel (f) (can also mean fin or flipper)

Dedh Naw warn Ügens

De Merher, nawves warn ügens mis Genver

Wednesday, 29^th January

E'n vledhen mil naw cans trei ügens ha trei dyllys veu derivas Dr. Beeching. Òja hedna pemp mil mildir a hens horn a'n costys a veu esgerys ha môy es diw vil savla tren bian a veu degëys. Nag ens ûsyes lowr, car dre hevel. Thera vorr (fordh) gleder tredh Truru ha Tewyn Plustry, der Breanek ha Tiwar'n heyl. Whei ell gweles whath remenadow anodho – gladnow ha ponsvorrow (ponsvordhow), keth (kynth) ew gellys an cleder horn (ûsyes rag lies post ke). Lebmyn ma dhe savleow pastellow whel bian ha shoppas creft. Lebmyn Party an Mentenours a venja egery emann radn an linednow arta, bes a via pemp cans milvil (milyon) pens mona lowr? Ha wra anjei trouvya an linednow?

In the year 1963 Dr. Beeching's report was published. After that 5000 miles of local railway were abandoned and more than 2000 small stations were closed. It seems they were not used enough. There was a railway between Truro and Newquay, through St Agnes and Perranporth. You can still see remnants of it – banks and viaducts, though the iron rails have gone (used for many fence posts). The stations now have small industrial units and craft workshops. Now the Conservative Party would like to open up some of the lines again, but would £500 million be enough money? And will they find the lines?

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

cleder collective plural rails > singular cledren (f)

degea to close, shut (you can also use kea) > verbal adjective degëys

der through (you can also use dre or dredh)

derivas (m) report

dyllys published, issued

esgerys abandoned

Party an Mentenours the Conservative Party

remenadow remnants < singular remenat (notice softening t>d in plural)

savla tren (m) railway (train)station > plural savleow tren

tredh between (preSWF RLC treeth)

Dedh Eth warn Ügens

De Meurth, ethves warn ügens mis Genver

Tuesday, 28^th January

Pandr'ellama scrifa? Thera vy et ow gwily gen an annes kebmyn arta. Yeyn ha gwenjek ew an gewer a-der bes pur gles ha tòbm ew an chei. Nag eus nown brâs dhebm etho nag era vy ow tebry bes bohes. My a gachas an virus dhort ow flehes wydn. Thera vy ow mires orth pellwolok drefen bos re skith dhe wil neb tra aral. Ma nowodhow yeyn pub dedh. Ma nowodhow a delher pur yeyn hedhyw, An Antarctek, telher a yey. Ma'n lien yey an brâstir ow lehe. Ma hûjes rewliv ow teudha hag omdedna.

What can I write? I'm in my bed with the common cold again. The weather is cold and windy outside but the house is very cosy and warm. I'm not very hungry so I am only eating a little. I caught the virus from my grandchildren. I'm watching television because I'm too tired to do anything else. There is bad news every day. There is news about a very cold place today, Antarctica, a place of ice. The continental ice sheet is getting less. A huge glacier is melting and shrinking.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

a-der outside

annes kebmyn (m) common cold (you can also use comyn annes)

cacha to catch

gwily clav (m) sick bed (you can also use gwily crowedh)

neb tra anything (this may als be joined as one word neptra)

nown brâs (m) great hunger, starvation, famine

nowodhow yeyn bad news (literally cold news)

pellwolok (f) television

pur gles very cosy, very comfortable

yey (m) ice

Dedh Seyth warn Ügens

De Lün, seythves warn ügens mis Genver

Monday, 27^th January

Flehes ell bos tabm denty! Terweythyow anjei a vedn debry neppeth ha terweythyow anjei a vedn y sconya. Üdn jedh na wra üdn flogh debry bes üdn dra. An nessa dedh e vedh neb tra deffrans. Na whath, thew scobmow pub pres meurgerys – scobmow ha cresigow! Da ew genam gwil scobmow e'n vorn (forn) gen badna oyl losow ha püber dû. Tettys rostys ew meurgerys ewedh.  Nag eus esow a tettys en Kernow. Ma dhe'n diogow lies gwel anodhans (henn ew an diogow heb cawlegow) .

Children can be a bit fussy! Sometimes they will eat some thing and sometimes they will refuse it. On one day one child will only eat one thing. The next day it will be something different. However, chips are always popular – chips and crisps! I like making chips in the oven with a drop of vegetable oil and black pepper. Roast potatoes are popular as well. There's no shortage of potatoes in Cornwall. The farmers have lots of fields of them (I.e. the farmers without cabbage fields).

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

badna drop

cawlegow cabbage fields, cabbage patches < singular cawlek (m)

cresigow crisps < singular cresik (m)

denty fussy

esow (m) shortage (you can also use fowt lack)

meurgerys popular, much loved

püber (m) pepper

scobmow chips < singular scobmen (m)

sconya to refuse

tra (f) thing

Dedh Whegh warn Ügens

De Sül, wheffes warn ügens mis Genver

Sunday, 26^th January

Eus flehes po flehes gwydn dhe whei? Mars eus flehes e'n chei ma pub pres shiek. Na ell an flehes ma bos compes. Na wor anjei fatel bos compes. Ma whans dhodhans a liwya, etho ma pibednow a baynt oll adro war an bord. Anjei a venja redya lever termyn, rag hedna mowns ow cavas sagh anodhans ha 'ga scòllya war an leur. An maw bian a gawas poster Dengenisen dhort an gaboulva. An vòs a trouvyas hy jedna heb blew. My a gavas glüs hag hy owna.

Do you have children or grandchildren? If there are children in the house there is always mess. These children cannot be tidy. They don't know how to be tidy. They want to paint, so there are tubes of paint all around on the table. They would like to read an old magazine, so they find a bag of them and tip them on the floor. The little boy got a Spiderman poster from the muddle. The girl found her hairless doll. I found some glue and mended it.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

caboulva (f) muddle

compes tidy, orderly

leur (m) floor, ground

lever termyn (m) magazine, periodical

liwya to paint, colour

paynt (m) paint

pibednow tubes < singular piben (f) < pib pipe

sagh (m) bag

scòllya to tip out

shiek mess, disorder, untidiness (can also be used as adjective)

Dedh Pemp warn Ügens

De Sadorn, pempes warn ügens mis Genver

Saturday, 25^th January

Ma nebes dornscrîfow en tavas Kernôwek en Kresen Kernow en Ûny Redrüdh (Plen an Gwary). Nanj ew seyth bledhen thera anjei en Sòdhva Recordys (Covscrivow) a Gernow en Truru. Thew marthys an chei covscrivow nowydh – an “chei” coth a veu bohes scav ha rag an termyn (gellys ew ev lebmyn). My a veu fortüdnyes nanj ew seyth bledhen kens an jedh ma dhe weles dew dhornscrîf en Truru. My a redyas An Pader rag towlen nowodhow e'n tele. Da via genam gweles an lever na arta. Dhe weles geryow dornscrifys gen tüs vrâs ew specyal hag awenüs.

There are several manuscripts in the Cornish language in the Cornwall Centre in Redruth (Plain an Gwarry). Seven years ago they were in the Cornwall Records (Archive) Office in Truro. The new archive building is magnificent – the old “house” was slightly flimsy and temporary (it's gone now). I was fortunate seven years ago today to see two manuscripts in Truro. I read the Lord's Prayer for a news programme on TV. I should like to see that book again. To see words handwritten by great men is special and inspiring.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

awenüs inspirational, inspiring

covscrif (m) archive

dornscrîf (m) manuscript

dornscrifys handwritten

marthys marvellous, magnificent

nanj ew ago

rag an termyn temporary

scav flimsy, lightweight

sòdhva (f) office

towlen (f) programme (you can also use program)

Dedh Pajar warn Ugens

De Gwener, pajwora warn ügens mis Genver

Friday, 24^th January

Bledhen Nowydh Da dhe whei. Avorow an jedh a wra an kensa e'n vledhen Chinek an loor ha'n howl. Troboynt ew – an kensa loor nowydh bledhen a'n howl. Thew Bledhen an Logojen Vrâs. Gellys ew Bledhen an Hogh. Ma dhe'n calander Chinek hengovek tro a dhewdhek bledhen, gen best deffrans rag pub bledhen. My o honan a veu genys en Bledhen an Cülyek. En kemenethow Chinek mowns o longya dhe gawas Gool Gwenton (keth ew whath gwav) rag pemdhek dedh. Thew rüdh color fortüdnyes. Lugern rüdh ew cregys. Ma teylûyow ow cuntel warbarth ha fleghes fanja mòna en maylyers rüdh. Bettegens, ma caletter e'n vledhen ma. Na ell an bobel gwil viajys drefen bos cleves e'n pow.

Happy New Year to you. Tomorrow the day will be the first in the Chinese lunisolar year. It is a turning point – the first new moon of the solar year. It is a Year of the Rat. The Year of the Pig has gone. The traditional Chinese calendar has a cycle of twelve years, with a different animal for every year. I myself was born in a Year of the Rooster. In Chinese communities they usually have a Spring Festival (although it's still winter) for fifteen days. Red is a lucky colour. Red lanterns are hung. Families gather together and children receive money in red envelopes. There's a problem this year. The people can't make journeys because there's a sickness in the land.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

cleves (m) sickness, illness, disease 

cülyek (m) rooster, cockerel

hengovek traditional

hogh (m) pig

kemeneth (f) community

logojen vrâs (f) rat (literally big mouse)

maylyer (m) envelope

teylûyow plural families < singular teylû (m)

tro (m) cycle

troboynt (m) turning point

Dedh Trei warn Ügens

De Yow, tryja warn ügens mis Genver

Thursday, 23^rd January

Difresys o nei. Devedhys ew an plobmer et y gert covys dhort Cambron dhe owna agan radiador. Lebmyn ownys ew ev – nag eus lebmigow na môy. Ma gweythresow erel ewedh – ma othom dhodho a vires e'n talik. Ma dowrargh gorlenwys ha ma pib ow tevera. Res ew dhodho mos emann war skeyl steppyow ha dredh toll e'n nen (hach an talik). Nag eus golow dadn an to. Ma othom dhodho a dhon torchen war y bedn m'alla va (may hallo ev) gweles e'n tewlder.

We are relieved. The plumber has come in his van from Camborne to mend our radiator. Now it is mended – there are no more drips. There are other jobs as well – he needs to look in the loft. There is an over-filled water tank and a pipe is dripping. He must go up on a step ladder and through a hole in the ceiling (the loft hatch). There is no light under the roof. He needs to wear a torch on his head so that he can see in the dark.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

covys hidden (verbal adjective, past participle of cova)

devedhys come (verbal adjective, past participle of dos)

devera to drip, trickle, seep, etc.

difresys relieved (verbal adjective, past participle of difres)

dowrargh (m) water tank

gorlenwys overfilled (verbal adjective, past participle of gorlenwel)

gweythresow jobs, tasks < singular gweythres (f)

kert covys (m) van (you can also use van)

ownys mended, repaired (verbal adjective, past participle of owna)

talik (m) loft