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Cornish v. Gaelic Languages
'Deth da, Da yu genef dha weles'....The
ancient Celtic language of Cornwall was reportedly last
spoken by Dolly Pentreath of Mousehole
who died in 1777. There is also however,
a tombstone at Zennor churchyard to John
Davey (1812-1891), 'the
last to possess any traditional considerable knowledge of
the Cornish Language'. He sang traditional songs and
could converse quite fluently. Why did it die out? While
Cornwall remained largely untouched by the outside world
the language remained intact....Compare it with Gaelic
Some
Keywords in the Cornish Language, with their Gaelic
equivalents - kindly supplied by Cecil Ward of An t-Eilean Sgitheanach - the Isle of Skye
English Word
|
Cornish Translation
|
Pronounciation
|
Gaelic
Equivalent
|
Pronounciation
|
water
|
dowr
|
dower
|
dobhair, dòbhran
|
|
beach
|
treath
|
treth
|
traigh
|
|
Sea
|
Mor
|
More
|
muir, mara
|
|
Church
|
Eglos
|
Egg-Loss
|
eaglais
|
|
House
|
Chy
|
Chee
|
taigh
|
|
Dwelling
|
Bos
|
Bose
|
bothan |
|
Field
|
Parc or Plen
|
Park or Plen
|
pàirc |
|
Head, Headland
|
Pen-
|
Pen-
|
ceann
|
|
Religous Settlement
|
Lan-
|
Lann
|
Lann |
|
Homestead
|
Tre-
|
Tray
|
(treubh)
|
|
Boat
|
Scatho
|
Scath-O
|
sgoth
|
|
Sand Dune
|
Towan
|
Tau-an
|
toman, tonn
|
|
Cliff
|
Als
|
Alz
|
àil |
|
Rocks
|
Carreg
|
Car Egg
|
carraig |
|
A Wood
|
Cus or Cos
|
Kawz
|
coilltean (pl.), coille (sing.)
|
|
New
|
Noweth
|
Now-Eth
|
nuadh
|
|
White
|
Gwyn or Gwidden
|
Gwin or Gwidden
|
fionn
|
|
Black
|
Du or Dhu
|
Dew
|
dubh
|
|
Blue
|
Glas or Glaze
|
Glayze
|
Glas
|
Glahze
|
Red
|
Ruth
|
Ruth
|
ruadh
|
|
Grove
|
Kelly
|
Kelly
|
coille |
|
Mill
|
Melyn
|
Mellin
|
muileann
|
|
Pond or Pool
|
Pol
|
Pol
|
Poll
|
|
More
Keywords in the Cornish Language
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