Dedh Trei Ügens

De Sadorn, nawves warn ügens mis Whevrel
Saturday, 29th February



Dedh Labm lowen dhe whei. Na vedh dedh aral pecar'a hedna terebo peder bledhen môy. O whei benenes andhemedhys? Whei alja profya mariach dh'agas caroryon. Hedna a veu tybyans Brigid Sans a Wordhen. (Gool Brigid a veu an kensa dedh a vis Whevrel.) Ma'n den ow sconya? Res ew dhodho perna manegow rago whei - en dewdhek copel.  Ma üdn jedh môy e'n vledhen ma - nei a dal cawas mona môy rag an jedh na! Ma costys môy. Avorow a vedh an kensa dedh gwenton - ha Gool Davydh Sans - üdn jedh môy diwedhes avel an vledhen eus tremenys. 

Happy Leap Day to you. There won't be another day like this for another four years. Are you unmarried women? You could propose marriage to your boyfriends. That was an idea of St Brigid of Ireland. (St Brigid's Day was the first day of February.) The man refuses? He must buy you gloves - twelve pairs. There's an extra day in this year - we ought to get more money for that day! There are extra expenses. Tomorrow will be the first day of spring - and St David's Day - one day later than last year.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

andhemedhys unmarried
caroryon boyfriends < single carer (m)
copel pair
costys expenses
diwedhes late
manegow gloves
profya to propose
sconya to refuse
tremenys past, gone by
Wordhen Ireland

Dedh Dogens ha Nownjek

De Gwener, ethves warn ügens mis Whevrel
Friday, 28th February



Nag ew an gewer pur deg hedhyw, rag hedna gwell ew genam remembra dedhyow erel! Pur dha ew genam kerdhes war drolergh a'n als keffres ha war drethow. Mars eus trig my ell kerdhes dreus hen ewedh. Da ew genam dastewydnyansow cloudys e'n treth gleb. Da ew genam gweles mordardh gwydn ow spouma bedn carrigy dû. Terweythyow ma kescowetha dhe nei. Trojednow a venja kevradna agan croust. Teg ew aga flüv, avel cabmdhavasow e'n howl.



The weather is not very lovely today, therefore I prefer to remember other days! I very much like walking on the coastal path as well as on beaches. If there is a low tide I can walk across a harbour as well. I like cloud reflections in wet sand. I like to see white surf foaming against dark rocks. Sometimes we have companions. Starlings would like to share our picnic. Their feathers are beautiful, like rainbows in the sun.



Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

bedn against (you can also use warbedn)
cabmdhavasow rainbows
carrigy rocks < singular carrek (f)
dreus across
hen (m) harbour (you can also use porth)
keffres ha as well as
plüv collective feathers, plumage > singular plüven (f)
spouma to foam
trethow beaches (lenition after war)
trolergh (m) footpath (lenition after war)

Dedh Dogens hag Etek

De Yow, seythves warn ügens mis Whevrel
Thursday, 27th February

De a veu ow fednbloodh - trei ügens bloodh ha pemdhek. My a fanjas flourys teg dhort ow mab. Nag ew oll an henwyn flourys godhvedhys genam. My ell gweles solsow bian melyn, lester purpur, tûlips (bleujyow tulyfant) rüdh ha melyn, bleujyow gwens ha neb sort a gajow (egrow). Ow noyth a wrüg omweles warnam ewedh. Otta nei en gwlânogow meurgerys -  gwlânweyth gwres gen ow hôr godnyk, hy mabm. Genys veu hei nanj ew pajar ügens bledhen ha deg avorow. An mor a veu pur dha genjy, etho nei eth dhe'n mor rag hy hova. Trig o po nebes.

Yesterday was my birthday - seventy-five years old. I received beautiful flowers from my son. I am not familiar with the names of all the flowers. I can see yellow narcissi, purple irises, red and yellow tulips, anemones and some kinds of daisies. My niece visited me as well. Here we are in much-loved jumpers - knitting done by my clever sister, her mum. She was born ninety years ago tomorrow. She liked the sea very much, so we went to the sea to commemorate her. It was almost low tide.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today


bleujen wens (f) anemone
caja (f) or eger (m) daisy 
fanja to receive
godhvedhys known
gwlânek (m) jumper, sweater, woolly, etc. 
gwlânweyth (m) knitting
lester or elester irises > singular lestren or elestren (f)
noyth (f) niece
pednbloodh (m) birthday
sols bian (m) narcissus

Dedh Dogens ha Seytek

De Merher, wheffes warn ügens mis Whevrel
Wednesday, 26th February

De a veu De Meurh Enes, po Mardi Gras en Frenkek. Henwys ewa ewedh Dedh Crampeth. An diwettha dedh ew kens Corawys. Termyn ew dhe dhebry emann oll agas oyow, bleus, shòger ha sô ken sevel orth boos rych. Na wrewgh debry oyow lebmyn terebo Pask. Ew da gena whei crampeth? Crêpes Suzette ew pur fin - sawrys gen owraval , leun a wires ha leskys reb an bord. Nag ens a Gernow! Ma Resegow Crampeth en nebes treow ha terweythyow ma carnivals gen kerdhvaow. Ha hedhyw thew De Merher Lüjiw. Ma tüs ow mos dhe'n eglos. 

Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras in French. It's also called Pancake Day. It's the last day before Lent. It's time to eat up all your eggs, flour, sugar and fat before abstaining from rich food. Don't eat eggs now till Easter. Do you like pancakes? Crêpes Suzette are very posh - flavoured with orange, full of alcohol and flamed at the table. They are not Cornish! There are pancake races in some towns and sometimes there are carnivals with parades. And today it's Ash Wednesday. People go to church.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

Corawys Lent
crampeth pancakes > singular crampethen (f)
Enes Shrovetide
gwires spirits (you can also use alcohol)
owraval (m) orange (you can also use oranj)
Pask Easter
sawrys flavoured
sevel orth to abstain from, give up
shòger (m) sugar (you can also use con)
sô (m) fat, grease (also söath or blonek)

Dedh Dogens ha Whetek

De Meurth, pempes warn ügens mis Whevrel
Tuesday, 25th February

Ma cleves e'n norves. Ev a dhallathas en China ha nena ystyn dhe powyow erel. Lebmyn ma va en Italy. Ma own dhe düs. Ma res dhe lies person dhe vos en diberthva dres peswardhek dedh a "quarantine". Bes pandr'ew an ger ma? Ev a dhallathas e'n Òjow Cres, e'n pajerdegves cansbledhen. Citys a'n als a venja bos gwithys rag epidemogow ball. E veu res dhe gorholyon dhort porhow plagys devedhys dhe Venice loja dogens dedh "quaranta giorni" ken tira. E'n men termyn ydnyal ew an treth. Ma ster gwenton reb an vorr bes degëys ew aga flourys, drefen nag eus howl. Ha hager galsh keser a wras an dor gwydn.

There is sickness in the world. It started in China and then spread to other countries. Now it's in Italy. People are afraid. Many people have to be in isolation for fourteen days of "quarantine". But what is this word? It originated in the Middle Ages, in the 14th century. Coastal cities wanted to be protected from plague epidemics. Ships from infected ports arriving in Venice had to sit at anchor for 40 days "quaranta giorni" before landing. Meanwhile the beach is deserted. There are celandines by the road but their flowers are closed, because there is no sun. And a heavy hail shower made the ground white.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

a'n als coastal
ball (f) plague
diberthva (f) isolation
gorholyon ships < singular gorhel (m)
loja to sit at anchor, rest at anchor
ojow/osow ages < singular oos (m)
plagys afflicted
porhow ports < singular porth (m)
tira to land, come ashore
ystyn to spread, extend

Dedh Dogens ha Pemdhek

De Lün, pajwora warn ügens mis Whevrel
Monday, 24th February



Hedhyw nag eus traveth dhe les ow wharvos et ow bownans vy. My a viras der an veister ha na wrüg traveth gwaya - saw an glaw. Nag era kerry e'n vorr ha cüdhys o an edhyn e'n keow. Thera dowryednow war losyow ôn melyn. Na whath e veu wharvosow dhe les war an jedh ma en termyn eus passyes. Pryns Charles, Dûk Kernow a dheclaryas y ambos dhe Arlòdhes Diana Spencer.  Hedna veu en mil naw cans pajar ügens hag onan. Dyllys veu an foto ma e'n Calander Riel. Fatel ew an foto na junyes gen an nessa pictour? An den coth ew Pab Gregory terdhek. War an jedh ma en mil pemp cans pajar ügens ha dew ev a janjyas an calander. A ves eth an calander Julian coth hag en bera a dheuth y galander Gregorian nowydh. Ev a dhros a-bera an vledhen labm gen üdn jedh môy en mis Whevrel pub peder bledhen. 
  


Today there is nothing interesting happening in my life. I looked through the window and nothing moved - bar the rain. There were no cars in the road and the birds were hidden in the hedges. There were drips on yellow hazel catkins. However there were interesting events on this day in past times. Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall announced his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer. That was in 1981. This photo was published in the Royal Calendar. How is that photo connected with the next picture? The old man is Pope Gregory XIII. On this day in 1582 he changed the calendar. Out went the old Julian calendar and in came his new Gregorian calendar. He introduced the leap year with one more day in February every four years.   


Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

ambos (m) engagement
Arlòdhes (f) Lady (also used for Duchess)
beister (f) window
bownans (m) life
declarya to announce
der through
dowryednow drips < singular dowryen (f)
drei a-bera to introduce, bring in
gwaya to move, stir
wharvos to happen

Dedh Dogens ha Peswardhek

 De Sül, tryja warn ügens mis Whevrel
Sunday, 23rd February

E'n coos ogas dhe Eglos Hallow ma gooth vian. Nag ew an dor compes. Obma hag ena ell bos kevys dowrlam emesk gwreydhednow maglys. O anjei teleryow-stenek en termyn eus passyes? Ma'n ooth ow cabmy - nag ew hei compes. Terweythyow ma hei ow tremena an trolergh - nei a gawas treys gleb! Res ew dhe'n trolergh tremena an ooth - rag hedna ma pons predn nowydh. Ma pajar men brâs e'n vorr. Pandr'ew anjei? Trap a Gernow o anjei - dhe lettya chattal gellys dhe stray. Lebmyn ledan ew an trolergh ha nag eus chattal. En pelder my a welas dowrlam pur vrâs - thera dowr ow scòllya mes a bib vrâs. Ew hedna an kethsam gooth? 



In the wood near Illogan there is a little stream. The ground is not level. Here and there can be found a waterfall among tangled tree roots. Were they tin-streaming places in time gone by? The stream bends - it is not straight. Sometimes it crosses the path - we got wet feet! The path has to cross the stream - so there is a new wooden bridge. There are four big stones in the way. What are they? They were a Cornish stile - to stop straying cattle. Now the path is wide and there are no cattle. In the distance I saw a very big waterfall - water was pouring out of a big pipe. Is that the very same stream? 

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

compes level, even, uninterrupted, straight, etc.
dor (m) ground
dowrlam waterfall, cascade < dowr water + labm jump
gooth (f) stream (alternative to gover)
gwreydhednow roots < singular gwreydhen (f)
kevys found < verb cavos to find
maglys tangled, knotted, etc. < verb magla
pib (f) pipe
stenek (f) streamworks
teleryow places < singular teller/telher (m)

Dedh Dogens ha Terdhek

De Sadorn, nessa warn ügens mis Whevrel
Saturday, 22nd February

"Dedh Tregedna" en Cresen Scol Coth, Eglos Hallow. Thew hedna ow styrrya jorna leun heb clappya Sowsnek veth oll. Pur dhe les o - fittya ha debry boos, gwary gwariow bord, kerdhes en coos leyjek ha mires orth an plansow, class art, tastyans keusyow a Gernow, gosôwes (goslowes) adro dhe Kist Kov, cana morganow ha mires ort fylmow. Pur goth ew an coos, gen wedh kewniek ha gover ow resek en nans bian. Rag li nei a dhabras cowl gwres a tettys ha por, ha thera frût ewedh. Gwil cowl e'n gegin a veu moy es avel tedna crows Keltek!

"Tregedna Day" in the Old School Centre, Illogan. That means a full day without speaking any English at all. It was very interesting - preparing and eating food, playing board games, walking in a muddy wood and looking at plants, an art class, Cornish cheese tasting, hearing about Memory Chest, singing shanties and watching films. The wood is very old, with moss covered trees and a stream running in a little valley. For lunch we ate soup made from potatoes and leeks, and there was fruit too. Making soup in the kitchen was easier than drawing a Celtic cross!

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

crows (f) cross
Eglos Hallow Illogan
gosôwes, goslowes to listen
kegin (f) kitchen
kewniek covered in lichen/moss < kewny (m)
kist (m) chest, coffer, box, case, etc.
leyjek muddy
mires ort to watch
morganow sea shanties < mor + canow
nans (m) valley

Dedh Dogens ha Dewdhek

De Gwener, kensa warn ügens mis Whevrel

Friday, 21st February

Jorna hoghstok o an jedh hedhyw, pur vesy. Agan flehes wydn a wrüg gòrtos et agan chei ha res ew dhen aga maga ha didhana. E'n gwelha pres, tho an jedh heb glaw ha possybyl o dhe wary et an lowarth. Da ew ganjans gwary pel droos ha crambla gen lovan ha skydnya gen lovan dhort gwedhen. E'n chei da ew ganjans liwya. An vôs a liwyas den ownekhes po sowdhanys, ledan y lagajow. Martesen thew ev denik.



The day today was a crazy day, very busy. Our grandchildren stayed in our house and we had to feed them and entertain them. Fortunately, the day was rainless and it was possible to play in the garden. They like playing football and climbing with a rope and abseiling from a tree. In the house they like painting. The girl painted a scared or surprised man, with wide eyes. Perhaps he is a gnome.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

besy busy
crambla to climb
denik (m) gnome, manikin
didhana to entertain
jorna hoghstok crazy day, busy day
ownekhes scared
lagajow eyes < singular lagas (m)
maga to feed
sowdhanys surprised
skydnya gen lovan to abseil

Dedh Dogens hag Üdnek

De Yow, ügensves mis Whevrel
Thursday, 20th February

Da ew genam tedna arwòdhow Zodiak en gis Keltek. E'n gwettha pres treylys ew an scrifa-compòster. E veu treylyans de e'n arwòdh an Zodiak. "An Deger Dowr" a wrüg plegya dh' "An Pesk". Ma dhe nei meur a dhowr en natûr e'n jedh hedhyw bes thew An Deger Dowr arwòdh ayr. An Pesk ew arwòdh dowr - ha nei a ell desonôwy môy lowr a dhowr e'n mis ma ha'n nessa - sewyes gen cowasow mis Ebrel. Pana dermyn a wra an venten e'n vorr deseha? Gwydn ha dû - paper gwydn hag enk dû et ow thednans. Gwydn ha dû - hemm ew baner a Gernow. Nebes arwòdhow vorr ew gwydn ha dû - anjei ell bos gwelys heb caletter. Ma glenyow gweder bian (ballotini) e'n gwydn. Mowns ow tastewydnya golow. Dû ha gwydn ew palores ha golan ewedh.

I like drawing Zodiac signs in a Celtic style. Unfortunately the orthography has changed. There was a change in the signs of the Zodiac sign  yesterday. "Aquarius" the water carrier gave way to "Pisces" the fish.We have a lot of water in nature at the present time but Aquarius is an air sign. Pisces is a water sign - and we can foresee plenty more water in this month and the next - followed by April showers. When will the spring in the road dry up? White and black - white paper and black ink in my drawing. White and black - this is the Cornish flag. Some road signs are white and black - they can be seen without difficulty. There are small glass beads (ballotini) in the white. They reflect light. The chough and the gull are black and white as well.


Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

arwòdh (m) sign
cowasow showers
desonôwy to foresee
gis (m) style (you can also use maner)
glenyow beads < singular glen
plegya to give way
scrifa-composter (m) orthography, spelling
sewya to follow, ensue
tedna to draw
treylyans (m) change, turning

Dedh Hanter Cans (Dogens ha Deg)

De Merher, Nownjegves mis Whevrel
Wednesday, 19th February

Whath üdn moy disqwedhyans art brentin en Truru. Cowethas Art Truru a wrüg gelwel Paul Westaway dhe gows genen. Nag eus besca dhodho descans art. Ev a dhescas y honan dhe liwya ha marthys ew an sewyansow. Terweythyow ma va ow cül garowder war vord gen plaster, ha nena levenhe gen paper treth ha cravas ha liwya gen liwyow acrylek. Thera dhodho pictours a Porth Ia ha Pensans. Da ew genam y frammys ewedh - dhort predn dasûsys.



Yet another brilliant art demonstration in Truro. Truro Art Society invited Paul Westaway to speak with us. He has never had an art lesson. He taught himself to paint and the results are amazing. Sometimes he makes roughness on board with plaster, then smooths and scratches and colours with acrylic paints. He had pictures of St Ives and Penzance. I like his frames too - from recycled wood.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

besca never (in the past) SWFMt bythqweth
brentin excellent, superb, etc.
cowethas (m) society, club
desky y honan to teach oneself
disqwedhyans (m) demonstration
gelwel to invite
levenhe to smooth
liwya to paint
marthys amazing
sewyans (m) result, outcome

Dedh Dogens ha Naw

De Meurth, etegves mis Whevrel
Tuesday, 18th February



777. Seyth cans seyth deg ha seyth, po seyth cans trei ügens ha seytek. Eus nebes styrr dhe hedna? De hedna veu an niver a vloggys pub dedh ew scrifys genam. Eus redyes oll genowgh whei? Pes ger ew hedna? Era deg ger nowydh en keniver blogg? Hedna alja rei môy es seyth mil ger nowydh. A ellowgh whei remembra nebes anodhans veth oll? Peseul a eryow eus othom dhen a wodhvos dhe vos helavar - dhe glappya heb hockya? Cowsoryon genejek a davas a wor pemdhek mil dhe ügens mil teylû geryow (lemmas). Ma dhe nei vorr hir dhe dravalya warbarth! E'n men termyn my a dravalyas ow honan! Ass ew down an gover! Ass ew wheg dhe welas cathes helyk nowydh! Ma solsow ow tevy reb an vorr. Ass ens teg! Nag ew an cawlvleujow war an ayrbark mar deg.



777. Seven hundreds seven tens and seven, or seven hundreds three score and seventeen. Does that have some significance? Yesterday that was the number of daily blogs I have written. Have you read them all? How many words is that? Were there ten new words in each blog? That could give over seven thousand new words. Can you remember any of them at all? How many words do we need to know to be fluent - to speak without hesitation? Native speakers of a language know fifteen thousand to twenty thousand word families (lemmas). We have a long way to travel together! Meanwhile I traveled myself! How deep the stream is! How lovely to see new pussy willow catkins! There are daffodils growing by the road. How pretty they are! The cauliflowers on the airfield are not so beautiful.



Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

ayrbark (m) airfield
clappya to speak (a language)
cowser genejek (m) native speaker
godhvos to know, know how to do something
helavar fluent
pes (+ singular noun) how many
peseul a (+ plural noun) how many
sols (m) daffodil (yet another name!)
travalya to travel
warbarth together

Dedh Dogens hag Eth

De Lün, seythdegves mis Whevrel
Monday, 17th February

Eus neppeth dhe les ow tòchya an jedh ma? Well, nanj ew dogens bledhen hag eth, en mil naw cans trei ügens ha dewdhek Senedh Breten Veur a wrüg vôtya dhe jûnya Marhas Kebmyn European. Ha lebmyn thera nei ow qwitya Europ. Nanj ew pajar cans bledhen po nebes, en pow a-bell dreus an Mor Brâs Atlantek, Myles Standish a veu dewisys avel an kensa hembrenkyas Trevesigeth Plymouth. E'n jedh hedhyw ma dhodho lies henedh. Martesen ma nebes en Kernow! E'n kettermyn, e'n seythdegves cansbledhen otta mappa a Gernow. Nag era lies tre vrâs.



Is there anything interesting regarding this day? Well, 48 years ago, in 1972 the British Parliament voted to join the European Common Market. And now we are quitting Europe. About four hundred years ago, in a country far away across the Atlantic Ocean, Myles Standish was elected as the first commander of the Plymouth Colony. Nowadays he has many descendants. Perhaps there are some in Cornwall! Meanwhile, in the 17th century here's a map of Cornwall. There weren't many big towns.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

a-bell afar 
dewisys elected < verb dewis
e'n kettermyn meanwhile, at the same time
hembrenkyas (m) commander, leader
henedh (m) descendant
mappa (m) map
mor brâs (m) ocean
qwitya to quit, leave (you can also use voydya or gara)
trevesigeth (f) colony
vôtya to vote, elect (you can also use dewis)