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A Handbook of the Cornish Language - Chiefly in Its Latest Stages with Some Account of Its History and Literature
A Handbook of the Cornish Language - Chiefly in Its Latest Stages with Some Account of Its History and Literature
A Handbook of the Cornish Language - Chiefly in Its Latest Stages with Some Account of Its History and Literature
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A Handbook of the Cornish Language - Chiefly in Its Latest Stages with Some Account of Its History and Literature

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This book contains a detailed guide to the Cornish language. It is intended for those of Cornish nationality who wish to acquire some knowledge of their ancient tongue, and to read, write, and perhaps even to speak it. Contents include: "The History Of The Cornish Language And Literature", "The Story Of The Cornish Language", "The Literature And Other Remains Of Cornish", "Conversations And Phrases", "Epitaphs", "Letters", "Proverbs, Mottoes, And Maxims", "Verses And Epigrams", "Songs And Poems", "The Grammar Of The Cornish Language", "Spelling And Pronunciation", "The Initial Mutations", et cetera. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 9, 2016
ISBN9781473385511
A Handbook of the Cornish Language - Chiefly in Its Latest Stages with Some Account of Its History and Literature

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    A Handbook of the Cornish Language - Chiefly in Its Latest Stages with Some Account of Its History and Literature - Henry Jenner

    1.png

    A

    HANDBOOK

    of the

    CORNISH LANGUAGE

    Chiefly in its Latest Stages with some Account of its History and Literature

    By

    HENRY JENNER

    First published in 1904

    This edition published by Read Books Ltd.

    Copyright © 2019 Read Books Ltd.

    This book is copyright and may not be

    reproduced or copied in any way without

    the express permission of the publisher in writing

    British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

    A catalogue record for this book is available

    from the British Library

    "Never credit me but I will spowt some Cornish at him.

    Peden bras, vidne whee bis cregas."

    Rich Brome,

    The Northern Lass, 1632.

    Contents

    A TALE FROM THE CORNISH

    PREFACE

    PART I

    THE HISTORY OF THE CORNISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

    CHAPTER I. THE STORY OF THE CORNISH LANGUAGE

    CHAPTER II. THE LITERATURE AND OTHER REMAINS OF CORNISH

    PART II

    THE GRAMMAR OF THE CORNISH LANGUAGE

    INTRODUCTORY NOTE

    CHAPTER I. SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION

    CHAPTER II. THE INITIAL MUTATIONS

    CHAPTER III. THE ARTICLE

    CHAPTER IV. THE NOUN

    CHAPTER V. THE ADJECTIVE

    CHAPTER VI. THE NUMERALS

    CHAPTER VII. THE PRONOUNS

    CHAPTER VIII. THE VERB IN GENERAL

    CHAPTER IX. THE AUXILIARY VERBS

    CHAPTER X. PARADIGM OF A REGULAR VERB

    CHAPTER XI. THE IRREGULAR VERBS

    CHAPTER XII. PREPOSITIONS, CONJUNCTIONS, ADVERBS

    CHAPTER XIII. SWEAR-WORDS AND EXPLETIVES

    CHAPTER XIV. THE CONSTRUCTION OF SENTENCES, IDIOMS, ETC.

    CHAPTER XV. PROSODY

    CHAPTER XVI. NOTE ON THE INTERPRETATION OF CORNISH NAMES

    APPENDIX. THE DAYS, MONTHS, AND SEASONS IN CORNISH

    A TALE FROM THE CORNISH

    In Lavan’s parish once of yore,

    Dwelt on the spot called Tshei an Hor,

    A loving couple, man and wife,

    But poverty distressed their life.

    And thus the man his wife address’d:

    "I’ll wander forth of work in quest;

    And you, my dearest, you can earn

    Your living here till I return."

    His home he leaves, and, far from gay,

    Towards the East he took his way.

    At length a farmer’s dwelling reaching,

    He enter’d it, for work beseeching.

    What work canst do? the farmer cried;

    All kinds of work, Sir, John replied.

    Then straight they for a year agree,

    Three pounds the wages were to be.

    And when the year to end had come

    The master paid him down the sum.

    John, said his master, "here’s your fee;

    But if you’ll it return to me,

    A point of wisdom I will teach you."

    Said John: Give it me, I beseech you.

    No, no, to give is not my way.

    Take it, said John, and say your say.

    Quoth t’other: "This in memory hold:

    Ne’er for the new road leave the old."

    They for another year agree,

    The wages just the same to be;

    And when the year its end had reached,

    The farmer forth the three pounds fetched.

    John, said his master, "here’s your fee,

    But if you’ll it return to me,

    A point of wisdom I will teach you."

    Give it me, Sir, I do beseech you.

    For nought I will not speak, not I.

    Well, take it then, was John’s reply.

    Quoth t’other: "Lodge notfor your life,

    With an old man who’s a young wife."

    For yet a year they then agree,

    The wages still the same to be.

    And when the year to end had roll’d,

    The three pounds out the master told.

    John, said the master, "here’s your fee;

    But if you’ll it return to me,

    I’ll the best point of wisdom learn you."

    For that, Sir, I’ll the wage return you.

    The farmer said: "Take this advice,

    Ere striking oncebethink thee twice."

    Now John would serve no longer there,

    Home to his wife he would repair.

    Go not to-day, the farmer spake,

    "To-morrow’s my wife’s day to bake;

    She shall for you prepare a cake

    Home to your faithful wife to take."

    The nine pounds in the loaf they hid,

    And when John them adieu had bid,

    The farmer cried: "I pray thee carry

    This present home unto your deary;

    And as ye two there merry make,

    Then, and not till then, part the cake."

    John turned him homeward from the door;

    And when he reach’d St. Eler’s Moor,

    He met three Tre-ryn merchants there

    Returning home from Exeter.

    We’re glad to see thee, John, they cried,

    Where hast thou been this long, long tide?

    Says John: "I’m just from service come,

    And to my wife am journeying home."

    O travel with us, cried all three,

    And very welcome shalt thou be.

    Before them two roads they behold;

    They took the new, John kept the old.

    And as they passed by Keou Tshoy Un,

    When they had just lost sight of John,

    Thieves set upon them furiously,

    Whereat they raised a doleful cry,

    Which reaching John’s ears on his rout,

    Murder! and Thieves! he bellowed out.

    His clamour scared the robber train,

    Who from the merchants sped amain.

    And when they came to Market Jew

    They to their joy met John anew,

    And cried: "What thanks we owe thee, John!

    We had for certain, every one,

    Been ruined people, but for thee,

    Come with us, thou’lt most welcome be."

    And when they reached the hostelrie

    At which it was their wont to lie,

    Quoth John: The master I must view.

    The master! what with him wouldst do?

    They answered, "we’ve a mistress here,

    And young enough she is, and fair;

    To see the host, if you’re inclined,

    Him in the kitchen you will find."

    Into the kitchen John he goes,

    And sees the master of the house,

    An ancient man who turned the spit.

    O, ho! said John, "this house I quit;

    No sleeping place of it I’ll make,

    But in the next will quarters take."

    Do not go yet, they cried all three,

    Stay, sup with us, thou’lt welcome be.

    And now, with grief and shame, I say

    That with a friar of orders grey

    The mistress had contrived a plan

    To murder the poor ancient man,

    When sleep had bound the merchants fast,

    And on their heads the crime to cast.

    John in the next house that same night

    Saw through a hole i’ the wall a light.

    So getting up and gently walking,

    He heard the friar and woman talking.

    The friar said: "Against yon hole

    My back I’ll set, for fear some soul

    From the next house our deeds should spy."

    The hostess then most cruelly,

    With a silk handkerchief she bore,

    Murdered her ancient husband poor,

    Strangled him did the accursed slut.

    But meanwhile through the hole John cut

    A round piece from the friar’s gown,

    And then in bed again lay down.

    At morn ran out the hostess crying

    That murdered was her husband lying;

    And since nor man nor child had been,

    Except the merchants, in the inn,

    They should be hanged withouten fail;

    They thereupon were led to jail.

    John quickly them a visit paid.

    O, John! we’ve evil luck, they said;

    "Last night the host was choked in bed,

    And upon us the crime is laid."

    Dear gentlemen, was John’s reply,

    "Beseech the Justice instantly

    To cause them who the murder wrought

    Into his presence to be brought."

    But who knows who the deed has done?

    They faltered forth; then answered John:

    "If I can’t prove who did it, I

    Will hang for it most willingly."

    Speak out, they cried. Said John: "Last night,

    Being in bed, I saw a light;

    I rose, as if I’d had a call—

    There was a hole in the house wall,

    ’Gainst which his back a certain friar

    Placed, thereby blinding it entire,

    Lest, as he said, some curious eye

    From the next house their deeds should spy.

    I cut, meanwhile, to him unknown,

    A large round piece from off his gown.

    To prove that what I’ve said is true

    I’ve in my pouch the piece to shew."

    The merchants then were soon set free;

    The murderers died on gallows tree.

    All three depart from Market Jew,

    Together with their comrade true,

    Far as Kuz carn na Huila went,

    And thence their ways lay different.

    Now though the merchants earnest were

    That John should with them home repair,

    He steadfastly refused their plea,

    Longing his wife and home to see.

    When of the merchants he lost sight

    He lounged away his time till night.

    He’d fain know whether, while he roved

    Abroad, his consort faithful proved.

    Arrived, he listened at the door,

    And heard a man’s voice, he was sure,

    Within the bed; his knife he drew,

    Resolved to slay the guilty two.

    But soon remembering the advice,

    "Ere striking oncebethink thee twice,"

    In hurry from the door he strode,

    But soon returning knocked aloud.

    In name of God, who’s there? she cried;

    ’Tis I am here, wife, John replied.

    ("Now in the name of blest Marie,

    Whom heard I in her company?")

    If John thou art, pray enter free.

    First bring the light here, answered he.

    ’Twas brought, he stepped the threshold o’er.

    Quoth he: "On coming to the door

    I heard a man’s voice in the bed."

    "Ah, Johnny, when away you sped

    In distant parts for work to roam,

    I then with child was three months gone;

    In bed there lies a comely boy,

    Unto us both he’ll be a joy."

    Said John, "I’ve something to disclose.

    My master, when I left his house,

    Gave me this cake I have in hand,

    And with it gave the strict command

    When I with thee should merry make

    Then and not till then it to break.

    I’ll now accomplish what he bade,

    Mayhap we’ve wherefor to be glad."

    They broke the cake in anxious haste,

    The nine pounds in it, lo! were placed.

    They took the money, ate the bread,

    And I for truth have heard it said

    No quarrel e’er or noisy word

    ’Twixt them from that time forth occurr’d.

    Now, Gentles all, my tale is done,

    I hope it has your favour won!

    DHÔ ’M GWRÊG GERNÛAK

    LH. L. J.

    Kerra ow Holon! Beniges re vo

    Gans bennath Dew an dêdh a ’th ros dhemmo,

    Dhô whelas gerryow gwan pan dhetha vî,

    Tavas dha dassow, ha dhô ’th drovya dî.

    En cov an dêdh splan-na es pel passyes;

    En cov idn dêdh lowenek, gwin ’gan bês,

    War Garrak Loys en Côs, es en dan skês

    Askelly Myhal El, o ’gan gwithes;

    En cov lîas dêdh wheg en Kernow da,

    Ha nŷ mar younkna whekkah vel êr-ma

    Dhemmo a dhîg genev an gwella tra,

    Pan dhetha vî en kerh, en ol bro-na;

    Dheso mî re levar dha davas teg,

    Flogh ow empinyon vî, dhô ’m kerra Gwrêg.

    GWAS MYHAL.

    Scrîfes en agan Chŷ nŷ,

    Dawthegves dêdh Mîs Gorefan

    En Bledhan agan Arledh, 1904.

    PREFACE

    This book is principally intended for those persons of Cornish nationality who wish to acquire some knowledge of their ancient tongue, and to read, write, and perhaps even to speak it. Its aim is to represent in an intelligible form the Cornish of the later period, and since it is addressed to the general Cornish public rather than to the skilled philologist, much has been left unsaid that might have been of interest to the latter, old-fashioned phonological and grammatical terms have been used, a uniform system of spelling has been adopted, little notice has been taken of casual variations, and the arguments upon which the choice of forms has been based have not often been given.

    The spelling has been adapted for the occasion. All writers of Cornish used to spell according to their own taste and fancy, and would sometimes represent the same word in different ways even in the same page, though certain general principles were observed in each period. There was a special uncertainty about the vowels, which will be easily appreciated by those who are familiar with Cornish English. Modern writers of all languages prefer consistent spelling, and to modern learners, whose object is linguistic rather than philological, a fairly regular system of orthography is almost a necessity. The present system is not the phonetic ideal of one sound to each symbol, and one symbol for each sound, but it aims at being fairly consistent with itself, not too difficult to understand, not too much encumbered with diacritical signs, and not too startlingly different from the spellings of earlier times, especially from that of Lhuyd, whose system was constructed from living Cornish speakers. The writer has arrived at his conclusions by a comparison of the various existing spellings with one another, with the traditional fragments collected and recorded by himself in 1875, with the modern pronunciation of Cornish names, with the changes which English has undergone in the mouths of the less educated of Cornishmen, and to some extent with Breton. The author suggests that this form of spelling should be generally adopted by Cornish students of their old speech. The system cannot in the nature of things be strictly accurate, but it is near enough for practical purposes. Possibly there is much room for controversy, especially as to such details as the distribution of long and short vowels, the representation of the Middle Cornish u, ue, eu sometimes by î, sometimes by ê, and sometimes by eu or ew, or of the Middle Cornish y by i, e, or y, or occasionally by an obscure ă, ŏ, or ŭ, and it is quite likely that others might arrive at different conclusions from the same evidence, though those conclusions might not be any the nearer to the sounds which the Cornishmen of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries really did make. As for grammatical forms, it will be seen that the writer is of opinion that the difference between Middle and Modern Cornish was more apparent than real, and that except in the very latest period of all, when the language survived only in the mouths of the least educated persons, the so-called corruptions were to a great extent due to differences of spelling, to a want of appreciation of almost inaudible final consonants, and to an intensification of phonetic tendencies existing in germ at a much earlier period. Thus it is that inflections which in the late Cornish often seem to have been almost, if not quite, inaudible, have been written in full, for that is the author’s notion, founded on what Middle Cornishmen actually did write, of what Modern Cornishmen were trying to express. For most things he has precedents, though he has allowed himself a certain amount of conjecture at times, and in most cases of difficulty he has trusted, as he would advise his readers to do, to Breton rather than to Welsh, for the living Breton of to-day is the nearest thing to Cornish that exists.

    Why should Cornishmen learn Cornish? There is no money in it, it serves no practical purpose, and the literature is scanty and of no great originality or value. The question is a fair one, the answer is simple. Because they are Cornishmen. At the present day Cornwall, but for a few survivals of Duchy jurisdictions, is legally and practically a county of England, with a County Council, a County Police, and a Lord-Lieutenant all complete, as if it were no better than a mere Essex or Herts. [1] But every Cornishman knows well enough, proud as he may be of belonging to the British Empire, that he is no more an Englishman than a Caithness man is, that he has as much right to a separate local patriotism to his little Motherland, which rightly understood is no bar, but rather an advantage to the greater British patriotism, [2] as has a Scotsman, an Irishman, a Welshman, or even a Colonial; and that he is as much a Celt and as little of an Anglo-Saxon as any Gael, Cymro, Manxman, or Breton. Language is less than ever a final test of race. Most Cornishmen habitually speak English, and few, very few, could hold five minutes’ conversation in the old Celtic speech. Yet the memory of it lingers on, and no one can talk about the country itself, and mention the places in it, without using a wealth of true Cornish words. But a similar thing may be said of a very large proportion of Welshmen, Highlanders, Irishmen, Manxmen, and Bretons.

    Omnia Græce,

    Quum sit turpe magis nostris nescire Latine.

    The reason why a Cornishman should learn Cornish, the outward and audible sign of his separate nationality, is sentimental, and not in the least practical, and if everything sentimental were banished from it, the world would not be as pleasant a place as it is.

    Whether anything will come of the Cornish part of the Celtic movement remains to be seen, but it is not without good omen that this book is published at the Sign of the Phoenix.

    A few words of comprehensive apology for the

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